USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. I > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
260
RHODE ISLAND -- THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
mittee a copy of his commission as one of the members of the court of inquiry and of other papers relating to the investigation of the "Gaspee" affair. The Virginia and Rhode Island resolutions, and a report of the proceedings of the "Gaspee" commission were sent to other popular assemblies, which in turn ratified and adopted the joint resolutions and appointed committees of correspondence. New Hampshire and Massachusetts joined Virginia and Rhode Island in May; Connecticut acted in June; South Carolina, in July; Georgia, in September; Maryland and Delaware, in October; North Carolina, in December; New York, in January ; New Jersey, in February ; Pennsylvania was last of the thirteen, in July. The order of ratification is related to the time of assembly sessions rather than to willingness or reluctance to join in the common cause. The fact that is significant for Rhode Island is that it was the daring exploit of some of her citizens in the destruction of the "Gaspee" that had started this movement, which had produced a complete organization for defence preliminary to a union for aggressive action. The letter written by Metcalfe Bowler, Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Deputies, to accompany the copy of the Rhode Island resolutions sent to Virginia and other colonies, reported the Rhode Island House of Deputies as "persuaded that nothing less than a firm and close union of the colonies in the most spirited, prudent and consistent measures can defeat the designs of those who are aiming to deprive them of their inestimable rights and privileges." Massachusetts echoed the proposal for union in a resolu- tion that "it has, for many years, been the policy of the administration to disunite, in order to govern the colonies; and this house is well assured that had the firm and lasting union now in prospect taken place early in the controversy, Great Britain and the colonies would at this day have harmonized most happily together." The Speaker of the South Carolina House wrote: "As a close and firm union of the colonies is most certainly necessary for the general welfare, so ought the general endeavors of the whole to be exerted in averting the dangers threatened to any part." Maryland reported its house as "sensible of the great utility of a pefect union among the colonies." North Carolina favored "united efforts and most strenu- ous endeavors to preserve the just rights and liberties of the American colonies." By the time that Pennsylvania incorporated in its resolution one favoring a congress of the colonies, other events had occurred to help make straight the way for union.
THE TAX ON TEA AND BOSTON PORT BILL-England's persistent retention of the tax on tea as a precedent to support the theory of an imperial parliament was equalled by Ameri- can resistance, which avoided the tax by refusal to import tea. In the battle for principle between a nation with a reputation for stubbornness and colonies that had inherited much of the same characteristic from the mother country, the East India Company was the actual sufferer, through loss of a most profitable market. Action to relieve warehouses, bulging with tea intended for sale in America, was necessary, and Parliament, with the twofold purpose of overcoming American opposition and of assisting the East India Company, adjusted its trade policy so that tea, while still subject to the import duty of three pennies a pound, could be sold in America at price concessions that should, under ordinary circumstances, stimulate the trade. Large shipments to America were planned. Citizens of Philadelphia, selected as a port for entry of tea, protested and adopted resolutions. Of Rhode Island towns, Newport, Providence, Warren, Westerly, Little Compton, Middletown, South Kingstown, Jamestown, Hopkinton, Bristol, Richmond, New Shoreham, Cumberland and Barrington, perhaps others, each in town meeting, adopted resolutions between January and March, 1774. The resolu- tions, while various in form, agreed generally in sustaining one proposition, to wit, that all persons concerned with importing, buying, selling, distributing or using taxed tea, were "enemies of their country." Several of the towns appointed committees of correspondence, thus participating in a movement rapidly extending at the period and forming the nuclei for the community revolutionary committees of later days. Boston expressed its disapproval of taxed tea through the tea party of December 16, 1773, and Parliament answered Boston by
261
THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION
closing the port to commerce after June 1, 1774. This fresh threat to America was promptly recognized and appraised in Rhode Island; Newport, on May 20, adopted resolutions, includ- ing the following: "That we consider this attack upon them as utterly subversive of Ameri- can liberty, for the same power may at pleasure destroy the trade, and shut up the ports of every colony in its turn, so that there will be a total end of all prosperity." Other towns joined with Newport in resolutions condemning the port bill, and as privation stared the people of Boston in the face and many in the Massachusetts town were reduced to starvation, Rhode Island towns did more than pass resolutions of sympathy; Scituate, Glocester, Smith- field, Johnston, East Greenwich, Tiverton, South Kingstown, Providence, Newport, Cran- ston, North Kingstown, Warwick, Bristol, North Providence and Little Compton sent assist- ance totalling £447 in money, besides 816 sheep and 13 oxen. In addition, large individual contributions of money were made by generous Rhode Islanders.
The Boston port bill was followed by other measures planned to punish Boston and overawe America; thus, General Gage was appointed Governor of Massachusetts; charter government was suspended in Massachusetts and power was centralized in the Governor; town meetings, except annual meetings to elect municipal officers, were abolished; troops were quartered in Boston, and billeted in the homes of the inhabitants. Affecting America generally, English officers, civil and military, who might be charged with murder in sustain- ing governmental authority, were ordered sent to England or Nova Scotia for trial, to relieve them of the ordeal of facing American juries. Parliament saved Canada for the empire, and thus robbed America of the fourteenth colony, by passing the Quebec act, which restored the civil law, returned and guaranteed church property to the Roman Catholic Church, and extended the boundaries of Canada west to the Mississippi and south to the Ohio. This not only prepared the way for the failure of the American diplomatic mission sent to Canada soon after the Revolution was in progress, but also aroused rancor among American Protes- tants who were vigorously intolerant and strengthened some of them in opposition to the mother country. The Quebec act was not one of the causes of the Revolution in Rhode Island, which still maintained the faith of the founders that a "civil state may stand and best be maintained with full liberty in religious concernments." The Quebec act was a toleration measure.
UNION OF AMERICA PROPOSED-A special town meeting was held in Providence on May 17, 1774, at which resolutions dealing with the port bill situation were adopted, including the following: "That this town will heartily join with the Province of Massachusetts Bay and the other colonies in such measures as shall be generally agreed on by the colonies for the protecting and transmitting the same to the latest posterity. That the Deputies of this town be requested to use their influence at the approaching session of the General Assembly of this colony, for promoting a congress, as soon as may be, of the representatives of the general assemblies of the several colonies and provinces of North America, for establishing the firm- est union, and adopting such measures as to them shall appear the most effectual to answer that important purpose, and to agree upon public methods for executing the same." This was the first official action taken by any legally organized political agency proposing a con- gress and a permanent union of the colonies. On May 28, the Virginia committee of corre- spondence, following the dissolution of the House of Burgesses for sedition, wrote to com- mittees in the other colonies: "The propriety of appointing delegates from the several colonies of British America to meet annually in general congress, appears to be a measure extremely important and extensively useful, as it tends so effectually to obtain the united wisdom of the whole, in every case of general concern. We are desired to obtain your sentiments on the subject, which you will be pleased to furnish us with." The Connecticut committee of cor- respondence, under date of June 3. urged "that a congress is absolutely necessary, previous to almost every other measure." Massachusetts, on June 17, issued a call for a convention
262
RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
to meet in Philadelphia on September I. Rhode Island had acted earlier in the month by appointing Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward "to represent the people of this colony in a general congress of representatives from the other colonies, at such time and place as shall be agreed upon by the major part of the committees appointed or to be appointed by the colonies in general." These were the first delegates elected to the Congress of 1774.
At the same session the General Assembly adopted the following resolutions: "This Assembly, taking into the most serious consideration several acts of the British Parliament for levying taxes upon his majesty's subjects in America without their consent, and particu- larly an act lately passed for blocking up the port of Boston; which act, even upon the sup- position that the people of Boston had justly deserved punishment, is scarcely to be paralleled in history for the severity of the vengeance executed upon them; and also considering to what a deplorable estate this, and all the other colonies are reduced when, by an act of Parlia- ment, in which the subjects in America have not a single voice, and without being heard, they may be divested of property, and deprived of liberty ; do, after mature deliberation, resolve: That it is the opinion of this Assembly that a firm and inviolable union of all the colonies, in councils and measures, is absolutely necessary for the prevention of their rights and liberties ; and that, for that purpose, a convention of representatives from all the colonies ought to be holden in some suitable place, as soon as may be, in order to consult upon proper measures to obtain a repeal of the said acts; and to establish the rights and liberties of the colonies upon a just and solid foundation." The delegates were instructed to join with other delegates in preparing a petition to the King for redress of America's grievances; to "consult and advise upon all such reasonable and lawful measures as may be expedient for the colonies in a united manner to pursue in order to procure a redress of their grievances, and to ascertain and establish their rights and liberties; and to endeavor "to procure a regular and annual convention of representatives from all the colonies to consider of proper means for the preser- vation of the rights and liberties of the colonies."
Rhode Island had been earliest to propose, through the Providence town meeting, the Congress ; first to elect delegates, and first to enunciate clearly, in the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, the plan for regular, annual meetings of Congress and the purposes thereof. In December, 1774, the General Assembly received the report of its delegates to the Continental Congress held at Philadelphia on September 5, and approved it. At the same session Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward were reappointed as delegates to attend the Con- gress called to meet at Philadelphia on May 10, 1775. The Assembly expressed itself in resolutions as "being determined to cooperate with the other colonies on every proper meas- ure for obtaining a redress of the grievances and establishing the rights and liberties of the colonies upon an equitable and permanent foundation." The delegates were directed "to enter into and adopt in behalf of this colony all reasonable, lawful and proper measures for the support, defence, protection and security of the rights, liberties and privileges, both civil and religious, of all the said colonies, or any of them."
MILITARY PREPARATIONS-The probability of recourse to arms in determining the ques- tions at issue and in defence of the colony was foreseen as early as May, 1773, when provision was made for repairing "all the platforms for the guns at Fort George agreeably to the direc- tions of John Jepson and Captain Esek Hopkins"; six new gun carriages were ordered for the cannon that belonged to the colony sloop. A year later, in June, 1774, at a session of the General Assembly at which a resolution was adopted, condemning the Boston port bill as a "direct violation of the rights and liberties" of the people, an independent military company, the Light Infantry for the county of Providence, was chartered. The remainder of the year of 1774 bristled with military activity. Five independent companies-the Newport Light Infantry, the Providence Grenadiers, the Kentish Guards, the Pawtuxet Rangers, and the Light Infantry of Glocester-were chartered in October; at the same session the regiment of
263
THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION
militia in Providence County was divided into "three distinct regiments .... forming the whole into one brigade." The Scituate Hunters, the Train of Artillery of Providence County, the Providence Fusiliers and the North Providence Rangers were chartered in December. The Train of Artillery and the Providence Fusiliers were combined as the United Train of Artillery in April, 1775. A share in the colony arms stored in Newport was apportioned to Providence County in August, 1774, the arms to be lodged at the Colony House in Provi- dence; in December the colony arms were further apportioned to all the several counties, and those in Providence to the several towns in the county.
Except two eighteen-pounders and one six-pounder and a small quantity of powder and shot to serve them, all the cannon, and all the powder, shot and stores at Fort George were removed to Providence early in December. Captain Wallace of H. M. S. "Rose," then sta- tioned in Narragansett Bay and adjacent waters, returning on December II from a cruise to New London, found the cannon gone and reported thus to Vice Admiral Graves: "Since my absence from this place ( Newport), I find the inhabitants (they say here of Providence) have seized upon the King's cannon that was upon Fort Island, consisting of six twenty-four pounders, eighteen eighteen-pounders, fourteen six-pounders, and six four-pounders (the latter, they say, formerly belonged to a province sloop they had here), and conveyed them to Providence. A procedure so extraordinary caused me to wait upon the Governor to inquire of him, for your information, why such a step had been taken. He very frankly told me they had done it to prevent their falling into the hands of the King or any of his servants; and that they meant to make use of them to defend themselves against any power that shall offer to molest them. I then mentioned if, in the course of carrying on the King's service here, I should ask assistance, whether I might expect any from him or any others in the government. He answered, as to himself, he had no power ; and in respect to any other part of the government I should meet with nothing but opposition and difficulty. So much from Governor Wanton. . . .. Among some of votes you will find they intend to procure powder and ball and mili- tary stores of all kinds, whenever they can get them."
The Assembly had voted to empower the captain of the Train Artillery "to purchase at the expense and for the use of the colony, four brass cannon, four-pounders, with carriages, implements and utensils necessary for exercising them, and that they be lent to the said com- pany to improve them in the exercise of cannon"; and had also voted to appoint a committee "to purchase as soon as may be, at the expense and for the use of the colony, 300 half-barrels of pistol powder, each to contain fifty weight, three tons of lead and 40,000 flints, to be deposited in such place or places as the Honorable Darius Sessions, Esq., Deputy Governor of this colony, shall direct, and to be delivered to the several colonels of the militia, and the colonels of the independent companies in this colony, so that each soldier, equipped with arms, according to law, may be supplied with such quantities thereof as by law is directed." Darius Sessions was to deliver powder, lead and flints as directed. The firing of cannon or small arms, except on public occasions, and for target practice, was forbidden the militia and independent companies as a measure for saving powder; and it was recommended "to all the inhabitants of this colony that they expend no gunpowder for mere sport or diver- sion or in pursuit of game." Simeon Potter of Bristol, was appointed Major General of the colony forces, and the militia act was amended in such manner as to require every enlisted soldier to have a gun and bayonet, to provide for monthly training days, and to provide for two general musters annually in April and October. The amended militia act carried also the significant provision: "That the captain general, lieutenant general and major general, or any two of them, be, and they are hereby, fully authorized and empowered to direct and order when, and in what manner, the forces within this colony shall march to the assistance of any of our sister colonies when invaded or attacked; and also in what manner the said forces shall be provided and supplied ; and also to direct and make use of the cannon
264
RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
belonging to the colony, either in or out of the colony, as they may deem expedient." Rhode Island was thus committed to a policy of "preparedness" at the end of 1774. The session of December in that year closed with the granting of a lottery to assist Jeremiah Hopkins of Coventry, gunsmith, in furnishing himself with "such works, tools and instruments as are necessary for carrying on the said business . ... so as to make guns or small arms with advantage to himself and to others, by whom guns are much wanted at this time, when they cannot be imported from Great Britain."
CONDITION OF COLONY PRECEDING THE REVOLUTION-The total population of Rhode Island in 1774 was 59,678, of whom 54,435 were white, 3761 black, and 1482 Indian. County populations were as follows: Providence, 19,206; Newport, 15,929; King's, 13,866; Kent, 7888; Bristol, 2789. Newport was the largest town, with 9209 inhabitants. Other towns with more than 2000 inhabitants were: Providence, 4321 ; Scituate, 3601 ; Glocester, 2945; Smithfield, 2888; South Kingstown, 2835; North Kingstown, 2472; Warwick, 2438; Cov- entry, 2023. One new town had been created in the decade since the close of the French and Indian War, when Barrington was set off from Warren in 1769. Petitions for the incor- poration of parts of Warwick and Cranston as Pawtuxet (1765), and of the part of Provi- dence lying west of the river as Westminster (1770) had not found favor with the General Assembly. Recovering from economic losses during the French and Indian War and from financial disturbances incident to the process of replacing an inflated paper currency with coin had been rapid. Newport had become most prosperous, with 11,000 population in 1769, seventeen manufactories of sperm oil and candles, five rope walks, three sugar refineries, one brewery, and twenty-two rum distilleries, according to Bull. Five to six hundred vessels traded from Newport, including nearly 200 engaged in foreign commerce, and over 300 in coastwise commerce. Yet in competition between the towns for the location of Rhode Island College, Newport lagged behind Providence in the amount of subscriptions and lost the prize. Manufacturing enterprises of considerable size had been established; a petition by members of the Greene family of Warwick, requesting the privilege of damming the Pawtuxet River without building fish ways (1770) recited the building of forges, anchor works and sawmills, employing upward of 100 persons. An evaluation of the colony in 1767 disclosed 8900 men over eighteen years of age, and property rated at £2,III,295 or $7,037,652. The bulk of colony taxation in the ten years since the war had been applied to retiring paper currency ; for the most part internal improvements were financed through lotteries, the proceeds of which were applied to building bridges and roads, paving streets, erecting courthouses, market- houses and wharves. Of quasi-public enterprises, churches were favorite beneficiaries of lotteries, sometimes for complete building and sometimes for a steeple, as in the instances of Trinity Church, Newport, and the Episcopal Church in Providence. In 1767, the parsonage of the Baptist Church at Warren was enlarged to accommodate the students of Rhode Island College then living with President Manning; in 1774, the General Assembly granted a lot- tery for the construction of the First Baptist Church in Providence, one of the noblest of colonial edifices in America, for the worship of Almighty God and for holding the public commencements of Rhode Island College. Lotteries were granted also for private purposes, to relieve poor debtors, to assist in providing capital for new enterprises, to reimburse for losses by fire, wreck and accident, including a lottery to replace the Greene enterprises at War- wick. The educational life of the colony was wholesome; the General Assembly chartered school societies, and occasionally assisted a school enterprise by lottery.
The incorporation of church societies indicated not only the development of settled churches with property interest, but also attention to the religious life of the people. Many denominations of Christians were represented in the liberal religious life of Rhode Island ; and besides Christian churches, Hebrews had erected a synagogue in Newport, which was dedicated in 1763. God had showered blessings upon Rhode Island; in contemplation of the
265
THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION
loss of liberty and happiness, both threatened by the aggressive policy of England, the people turned to God: "Whereas the Supreme Being, upon account of our manifold sins, may have permitted the present invasions of American liberty, and every public evil with which we are threatened, it is therefore voted and resolved that Thursday, the thirtieth day of this instant June (1774) be set apart as a day of public fasting, prayer and supplication, throughout this colony, to beseech Almighty God to grant us sincere repentance; to avert threatened judg- ment from us, and restore us to the full enjoyment of our rights and privileges." The same General Assembly that thus ordered a day of fasting and prayer passed an act prohibiting the inportation of negroes into the colony, opening with the following preamble: "Whereas the inhabitants of America are generally engaged in the preservation of their own rights and lib- erties, among which that of personal freedom must be considered as the greatest; as those who are desirous of enjoying all the advantages of liberty themselves should be willing to extend personal liberty to others."
MARCH TOWARD LEXINGTON-The outstanding measures for dealing with the situation in America arising from England's determination to tax the colonies and from the drastic enforcement of the Boston port bill were (I) a non-importation agreement operative against all goods originating in or manufactured in England or Ireland, (2) a non-exportation agreement supplementary to the non-importation agreement, and (3) military preparedness against invasion. To all of these Rhode Island was strongly committed. The year of 1775 opened with militia and independent military companies arming and drilling in all parts of the colony; and with the economic policy confirmed by the Continental Congress completely in effect. Committees of inspection paid frequent visits to merchants, and care was taken to inhibit so far as possible increase in prices because of scarcity of certain goods as supplies were depleted. Strict economy, and curtailment of extravagance and luxury, were requested of patriots. Tea, long boycotted, became an outlaw, not to be used after March 1, 1775; on March 2, 1775, 300 pounds of tea, collected from shops, stores, warehouses and homes in Providence, were burned in Market Square, Providence. The Providence tea party was a perfectly orderly and wholly lawful demonstration ; the "Providence Gazette" in its next issue carried an obituary notice for "Madame Souchong." Rhode Island was quiet, but waiting watchfully, and all the time preparing earnestly.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.