USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 1 > Part 30
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The act calling the convention required that the freemen, on the second Monday in February, 1790, should elect delegates to meet in convention on the first Monday in March at South Kingstown. There was no time for delay. Congress, upon renewed application from the general assembly, had suspended the revenue laws in favor of Rhode Island until April 1. Unless the Constitution was adopted before then, the state would be considered as an alien. On March 1, 1790, the convention, consisting of seventy delegates, met in the old court house at South Kingstown. There promised to be a slight majority opposed to the Constitution. After two days spent in matters of preliminary formation, the body proceeded to a discussion of the Constitution itself, section by section. A committee of two from each county was finally appointed to draw up amendments. Upon their report, the convention accepted sixteen amendments and a bill of rights in eighteen sections. Henry Marchant then moved that the Constitution should be ratified and that the amendments should be forwarded to Congress with the recommendation that they be adopted. The anti-federalists, unwilling to risk a trial of strength, immediately moved, as a previous question, for adjournment. After a long dis- cussion as to the legality of this move, the latter vote was carried, 41 to 28. The federalists then strove to have the date of adjournment set forward only a few weeks; but the efforts of the opposition managed to have the matter postponed until the fourth Monday in May. By a majority of one vote Newport was selected over East Greenwich as the place of meeting.3
1Staples, Annals of Providence, p. 246.
2The act itself is in R. I. C. R. x, 373. The detailed action is in MS. Acts and Resolves, 1788-90, and is mentioned in the newspapers of the day.
"The minutes of this convention were not supposed to be in existence until 1863. In that year Wilkins Updike deposited in the state archives the papers of his brother, Daniel Updike, who had been the secretary of the convention. Among them was an unpaged minute book, now preserved in a volume en- titled "Papers relating to the adoption of the U. S. Constitution", and printed in Staples, R. I. in the Continental Congress, p. 644. It covers only as far as the beginning of the session on March 4, and all subsequent action has to be
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MAP OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, BY CALEB HARRIS, 1795. FROM THE ORIGINAL IN THE POSSESSION OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
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271
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE CONSTITUTION.
Again had the provincial feeling against the Constitution triumphed. Although the large towns made vigorous efforts, the anti-federalists won another victory at the election of April, 1790. Congress, dis- gusted at the turn of proceedings, was rapidly working itself into an impatient state of mind. The advisability of coercion was frequently discussed. The northern states, anxious to obtain Rhode Island's vote in Congress on certain measures in which they were opposed by the South, all but succeeded in getting a bill passed which provided for extreme measures.1 Rhode Island was not left uninformed of the proceedings. One congressman, writing to her of the feeling through- out the country on the subject, remarked that "the people in the back parts ought no longer to be deceived with the idea, that the condition of single independence is an eligible one".
Active preparations were made in Rhode Island for the approaching convention. The different towns instructed their delegates on the matter, and Providence even provided for a possible secession from the state in case the Constitution was rejected. On May 24, 1790, the convention, upon whose decision Rhode Island's fate depended, assembled at Newport. After two days spent in attempting to get a quorum, the delegates finally took up the matter in hand. For five days the discussion over various amendments was continued. Late in the afternoon of May 29 the grand question of adopting or rejecting the Constitution of the United States was moved by Benjamin Bourne. It was seconded and passed in the affirmative by a vote of 34 to 32.2 By the narrow margin of two votes Rhode Island was saved from lasting disgrace and possible dismemberment.
The news of the great event was received with demonstrations of joy both in Providence and Newport, and was hailed with satisfaction throughout the whole country. The act of ratification, with a bill of rights and twenty-one amendments suggested, was soon published.3 In June the assembly convened, took the oath to support the new
gleaned from the meagre Journal of the Convention, which also is not com- plete, and from the newspapers of the day. There has recently been found in some old manuscripts in the R. I. Hist. Soc. Library, a MS. volume of min- utes of this convention. It is a document of 81 pages, the first 16 of which, however, are missing. It covers in detail all the action from the middle of the session on May 3 until the close of the convention on March 6. Contain- ing as it does abstracts of the arguments of each speaker, the statements of the different votes, etc., this document should soon be printed to complete the record printed by Judge Staples.
1Bates, R. I. and the formation of the Union, p. 186-195.
2The journal of the convention, the town instructions to delegates, and other papers are printed in Staples, R. I. in the Continental Congress, p. 659- 681.
3These are printed in Staples, R. I. in the Continental Congress, p. 674-680. For a discussion of them see Bates, R. I. and the Formation of the Union, p. 201-207.
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
Constitution, eleeted senators to Congress, and ratified eleven of the twelve amendments previously proposed by Congress. The proceed- ings of the session, instead of concluding with "God save the State", as had been the custom of the past year, were now ended with "God save the United States of America". Rhode Island was at last within the Union.
CHAPTER XVII.1
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FENNERS, 1790-1811.
The entry of Rhode Island into the Union through the adoption of the constitution may properly be considered as the beginning of a new era. During the colonial period it had enjoyed a greater measure of liberty than any of the other English settlements, although its inde- pendent existenee had been often seriously threatened by the territo- rial elaims of its colonial neighbors. Although the boundary line be- tween the state and Massachusetts was not clearly defined at all points, its territorial rights had long been acknowledged, and very little change was heneeforth to be made in its geographieal limits.2 The people of the state were mainly engaged in agriculture and eommeree, but were just beginning to take an interest in manufactures. The soil of Rhode Island as a whole has always been considered as sterile, but certain sections of it, especially its islands, are fertile, and at the time under consideration considerable quantities of butter and cheese, pro- nounced of excellent quality, were exported to the neighboring colo- nies. Its fine breeds of eattle and sheep had also obtained a reputation
1 Beginning with this chapter the writer wishes to acknowledge the efficient assistance of Josiah B. Bowditch. Up to this period it has been somewhat un- necessary to mention matters of minor importance, since Governor Arnold's comprehensive history of the state so fully covers all events. But from this date of 1790 until the close of the 19th century, we have no detailed account of the state's history. For this reason, therefore, the subject henceforth assumes rather the form of annals. As we approach, furthermore, the history of the present time, it becomes more difficult to form historical judgment. It is bet- ter to give the plain, unvarnished narrative of events, leaving to the writers of the future the deduction of motives and the forming of opinion.
2 In 1862 Fall River, Rhode Island, which, in 1790, was the northerly portion of the town of Tiverton, was transferred to Massachusetts, while Rhode Island received compensation by the annexation of the Massachusetts town of Paw- tucket, and the westerly portion of Seekonk. The latter is now the populous town of East Providence; the annexed Pawtucket now forms that portion of the present city of Pawtucket which lies east of the Seekonk river; while the town which Rhode Island lost in 1862 is now that portion of the present city of Fall River which lies east of Mount Hope bay.
273
THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FENNERS, 1790-1811.
outside of its borders, and were exported in considerable numbers. This little state, scarcely larger in area than Greater London, is now more than seven times as populous as it was in 1790, yet this great growth is almost entirely due to the development of its manufactures. Its farming interests may be considered to have been fully developed when the first Federal census was taken, and it is reasonable to believe that the farms as a whole were as well-tilled then as they now are, and that, outside of the sections where the cities and growing villages have encroached upon the country, the wooded area of Rhode Island is no smaller now (1901) than it was in 1790.1
The change from the loose union of the thirteen states, which had existed during and since the Revolution, to a strong, responsible Fed- cral government, was a radical one, and although they had all finally accepted the new order of things, their adjustment into the Union, involving, as it did, many radical changes, could not be effected without some degree of friction. No other of the original states as British colonies, and none of the new states, except Vermont,2 enjoyed, prior to their entry into the Union, so large a measure of independence as did Rhode Island. In adopting the constitution it had to surrender more of its individual authority than did any of its sisters, and it naturally hesitated the longest before taking the final step.
Immediately after the adoption of the constitution by the state, on June 14, 1790, Congress passed an act extending over Rhode Island the provisions of the tariff act of July 4, 1789, the tonnage act of July 20, the act to regulate the collection of customs and tonnage duties, passed July 31, and the registry act of September 1, 1789. The state was divided into two customs districts, those of Newport and Provi-
1 West Greenwich had 2,054 inhabitants in 1790 and but 606 in 1900; Little Compton, 1,542 in 1790 and 1,132 in 1900; Foster, 2,268 in 1790, and 1,151 in 1900; Charlestown, 2,022 in 1790, and 975 in 1900; Exeter, 2,485 in 1790, and 841 in 1900; Richmond, 1,760 in 1890, and 1,506 in 1900. A careful comparison of the population figures of the remaining towns and cities of the state for the two periods leads to the conclusion that the farming population of the state is no larger now than it was in 1790. In examining the details of the census of 1790, however, it is well to understand that the accuracy of some of the returns is doubtful, as many citizens in the agricultural towns declined to give the re- quired information, looking upon the inquiries as an attempt of the general gov- ernment to interefere in their domestic affairs (See R I. Census Report, 1885, page 380). The total population of the state, as given in 1790 was 68,825. That of 1800 was only 69,122, although Providence and two or three of the other towns had made large gains during the decade. The most noticeable fact in the census is the dwindled population of Newport. In 1774, when the last colonial census, before the beginning of hostilities, was taken, Newport con- tained 9,209 and Providence 4,321 inhabitants. The terrible effects of the Revo- lution upon Newport so much affected population that in 1790 that town con- tained but 6,716 inhabitants, while Providence had increased to 6,380.
2 Vermont declared its independence and adopted a constitution on December 25, 1777, and from that date until its entry into the Union, in 1791, was abso- lutely independent of outside control.
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dence, which were constituted ports of entry, and each given a col. lector, naval officer, and surveyor. There were also to be six surveyors for the seven ports of delivery, one of which-Pawtuxet-was in the Providence district, and the other six-North Kingstown, East Green- wich, Westerly, Bristol, Warren and Barrington-in the district of Newport. The two last-mentioned places were to be served by the same surveyor. The fact that all of the minor parts of the state save Pawtuxet were placed within the Newport customs district clearly indicates the relative importance in which the two leading towns of the state were held at that time in the judgment of the national offi- cials.
The relinquishment of the customs and tonnage revenues to the general government at that time was a matter of considerable impor- tance to the state, as its ordinary revenues must necessarily be dimin- ished by their loss. The town of Providence, which had labored so zealously to secure the adoption of the constitution, discovered that an important public work, necessary to its continued commercial growth, was likely to be held up by the diversion of the port revenues to the national treasury. In January, 1790, the general assembly incorporated the River Machine Company for the purpose of dredging Providence river and improving its navigation. To remunerate the company for its work, and to pay the expense of building "the mud machine", the act provided for a duty of two cents a ton on all vessels of above sixty tons arriving at the port. It appears that the company had just begun the work of dredging, and had realized but sixty dollars in duties, when the acceptance of the constitution put a tempo- rary stop to the work. The company directed its president and secre- tary to petition Congress for a continuation of the subsidy, and to secure the aid of the congressmen from the state in the matter. In a letter from Obadiah Brown, secretary of the company, to Senator Theodore Foster, dated August 2d, 1790,1 he states that the river shoaled perceivably every year or two, and had been several feet deeper during the memory of man ; that owing to the filling up of the channel, all large vessels were obliged to unload part of their cargo at the "Crook", which in the icy season was dangerous, the scows sometimes taking in water to the damage of the goods, and sometimes sinking with the whole property on board; that there were a larger number of vessels belonging to the port than belonged to New York; that it was a place of more navigation than any of its size in the Union ; that it was no chimera that, the exertions of art excepted, the time was fast ap- proaching when Providence could be a port no longer; and that the machine and scow was then lying idle "in this very wormy river", awaiting the legislation necessary to set it dredging again. Congress
1 R. I. II. S. Publ. viii, 127.
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THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FENNERS, 1790-1811.
passed an act on August 11, 1790, continuing the tonnage duty for the benefit of the company until January 10, 1791, and subsequent acts prolonged its operation until June 1, 1796.
The general assembly, in June, 1790, chose Joseph Stanton, jr., and Theodore Foster as United States senators, and they took their seats in the senate on the 25th of that month. In drawing lots for their respective classes, Mr. Stanton drew the four years' and Mr. Foster the two years' term, from March 4, 1789. To enable the two gentle- men to take their seats promptly, and to provide for their immediate needs, the general assembly voted to loan each of the gentlemen one hundred and fifty silver dollars, which they were to pay into the state treasury, with interest, upon their return. Provision was made in the resolution that, if the treasury did not then contain the necessary three hundred dollars, the money should be furnished the senators by either of the collectors of imposts.
The act authorizing the election of a member of the National House of Representatives, directed the election to be held on the last Tuesday of August; that the election be held under the same conditions as the regular state elections; that if no person received a majority at the first election, a second one should be held on the tenth day after the rising of the assembly, at which election only such candidates should be voted for as at the first election received the largest number of votes, and whose total vote constituted a majority of the whole number cast ; that the votes cast at the second election should be counted at the next session of the general assembly, and that if no one then received a majority, a third election should be ordered on the 10th day after the rising of the two houses, at which only the two highest candidates should be voted for. The state appears to have been represented in the Continental Congress up to the time of the organization of the First Congress under the constitution. Benjamin Bourn, who had advocated the adoption of the constitution, was chosen representative to that Congress at the election in August, 1790. His term expired on the 4th of March following, but he was re-elected in October, 1790.
The desire to hold office at this time appears to have been as intense as it is at the present day. The principal Federal offices to be filled were those of collectors and surveyors, previously mentioned, district judge, district attorney, naval officers at Providence and Newport, commissioner of loans, and marshal. The applicants for Federal posi- tions were mainly confined to those who had advocated the accession of Rhode Island to the Federal compact. The "antis", who had carried their opposition almost to the point of placing the little commonwealth in a ridiculous position, could hardly expect to be rewarded for their obstinacy. Washington was repeatedly warned to give office to none but his political friends. Some of the applicants for office did
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not wait for the convention's action, but, anticipating its ratification, had written to the president personally. One of the first so to do was ex-Governor John Collins of Newport, who had served the state as its chief magistrate from May, 1786, to May, 1790. Under date of May 24, 1790, he detailed the sacrifices he had made in the cause. On the memorable Sunday in January of that year, it was his vote which, by breaking the tie in the senate, had caused that body to concur with the lower house in ordering a convention, and he assured Washington that he had lost public confidence because of that act. "And when I re- flect", he wrote, "upon your friendship, generosity and goodness, with how much it will be in your power to gratify me, you will give me leave to anticipate your influence and appointment to the office of collector for the district of Newport. Your Excellency's attention to me in this shall be ever had in lasting remembrance". And he closed with these words: "Your goodness will forgive the trouble given you by an application from him who will obey your command with cheerful- ness and alacrity, and honor you without flattery".1 Governor Col- lins did not receive the appointment, which went to William Ellery. The letters2 regarding appointment to office, sent to Washington, Hamilton, and the Rhode Island congressmen, by the applicants and their friends make interesting reading. They show the light in which the politicians of the day regarded each other, and also the fact that the political affiliations of some of the public men were not as yet clearly defined. Governor Fenner probably had as much to say about Federal appointments in Rhode Island as any one in the state. His letters to Senator Theodore Foster show him to have been an accom- plished political fence-builder.
An important question, in which the state was greatly interested, and which probably had some influence in securing its ratification of the constitution, was Hamilton's project for the assumption of the state debts by the Federal government. It had been attached to the funding bill, which at the time seemed likely to pass without including the assumption of the state debts. Naturally the friends of the meas- ure were anxious to have Rhode Island's assistance in securing its passage. The New England congressmen were generally in favor of the measure, while those from the southern states were, as a rule, opposed to it. The project was finally carried through by a compro- inise between Jefferson and Hamilton, by which southern votes were given for the state debts measure in exchange for northern ones for locating the permanent capital of the nation upon the Potomac. The senators from this state had lent their influence and their votes in
1 Am. Hist. Rev. i, 279.
2 R. I. Ilist. Soc Publ. viii, 2.
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THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FENNERS, 1790-1811.
furtherance of the latter project, but at its final passage voted against it, because the amount fixed upon for Rhode Island was only $200,000, while they and leadingmen of the state believed that a fair distribution of the $21,500,000 assumed by the general government would have allotted at least $500,000 as the amount due. This question caused a good deal of discussion throughout the state, and the outcome caused considerable dissatisfaction, and furnished an argument to the irrecon- cilables who still doubted the wisdom of Rhode Island's accession to the Union.
At the June session of the general assembly, immediately following the adoption of the constitution, the ten amendments to the latter, which had been adopted to soften the opposition of its opponents, were all accepted. The "Providence society for promoting the abolition of slavery, for the relief of persons unlawfully held in bondage, and for improving the condition of the African race", was chartercd. The subject of slavery was under frequent discussion about this time. The newspapers contained many communications picturing the horrors of the slave ships, many of which sailed from Rhode Island ports. The arguments against the institution were mainly regarding the slave trade, rather than against the institution itself, although the latter received some degree of condemnation.
In August, 1790, after the adjournment of Congress, President Washington visited Newport and Providence. The autumn before, when he made his trip north he had shunned the state as he would any other foreign country, but now that she was in line, he made a special trip to welcome the wayward little sister which had entered the fold at the eleventh hour. He was accompanied by Jefferson, who was then secretary of state, Judge Blair, one of the justices of the United States Supreme Court, Governor Clinton of New York, Senator Fos- ter of Rhode Island, Congressman Smith of South Carolina and Gil- man of New Hampshire, and others. After spending a day at New- port, where he was duly saluted, addressed, banqueted and punched,1 he took the packet Hancock, Captain Brown,2 and after tossing many hours on a rough bay, arrived at Providence at four in the afternoon of August 18. A cannon was fired as the packet reached the outer harbor, and as Washington stepped upon the wharf he was greeted with a Federal salute (thirteen guns). Governor Fenner headed the largest and most distinguished procession the town had ever seen. The state and town dignitaries, the local militia organizations, the
1 Rum and molasses.
2 Plying between Providence and New York. It appears that Providence was considered of sufficient importance in 1790 to have a line of passenger boats to New York in the winter time. Until very recently the people of Providence, a city of 175,000 inhabitants, have been required in the winter to go to a small Connecticut town to take boat for the metropolis.
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS.
officers and members of the order of Cincinnati, the Masonic brethren, the officers and members of the Society of Mechanics and Manufactur- ers, and other local organizations, each had their place in the proces- sion before the "gentlemen strangers" and common people were reached. The leading citizens of the young republic a century ago paid great homage to the exacting goddess of Precedence, and even the minor officers of the local societies were placed in line on this occasion with a scrupulous regard to their supposed importance. It is interest- ing to note that Governor Clinton was given position next to Washing- ton himself, and ahead of Jefferson and Senator Foster, while Judge Blair of the Supreme Court had to trudge along by the side of the two ordinary congressmen. Bells were rung as the procession passed through the streets, and, in the quaint language of the Providence Gazette of that week's issue, "all ages, classes and sexes were full of sensibility on the joyful occasion, and the brilliant appearance of the ladies from the windows was politely noticed by the President, and gave animation to the scene". Arriving at the "Golden Ball Inn",1 President Washington, Governor Fenner and the other notables re- viewed the procession as it marched past. There was a plentitude of drumming and fifing in those days, and it is to be presumed that the military bands of the town, which were probably largely composed of musicians who had had long practice during the Revolution, discoursed good music, but the only record we have of this feature of the recep- tion is from the journal of Congressman Smith, who said the proces- sion contained three "negro scrapers", who made "a horrible noise". At nine at night, Washington and his companions went to the Rhode Island College grounds, at the invitation of the students, who had handsomely illuminated the building. Visiting celebrities have been badly overworked in all ages. At nine o'clock the next morning, Washington and his companions were taken in hand and shown the town. They traversed all the principal streets, and examined every- thing of interest, looked over the college building, went on board of a large ship-the President-of 900 tons, built for Messrs. Brown & Francis, and partook of wine and punch at the residences of the Gov- ernor and three other prominent citizens. In the course of the day, Washington received formal addresses of welcome and congratulation from the Providence Town Council, from the corporation of the Rhode Island College, and from the Society of the Cincinnati, to all of which
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