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Kaminski, John P.; Schoenleber, Charles H.; Saladino, Gaspare J.; Leffler, Richard; Reid, Jonathan M.; Flamingo, Margaret R.; Lannér-Cusin, Johanna E.; Fields, David P.; Conley, Patrick T.; Moore, Timothy D. (ed.) / Ratification of the Constitution by the states: Rhode Island (3)
(2013)
VI. The debate over the Constitution in Rhode Island, 20 January-29 May 1790, pp. 711-897
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COMMENTARIES, 25 FEBRUARY 1790 encourage and promote every useful art, afford her peace at home, and render her respectable abroad. 1. Reprinted: Boston Gazette, 22 February; New Hampshire Spy, 24 February; New York Daily Advertiser, 5 March; Pennsylvania Packet, 12 March; and Charleston City Gazette, 19 March. New York Daily Advertiser, 20 February 17901 Extract of a letter from Newport, (Rhode-Island) Feb. 11. "At present our island and state may not improperly be called the Botany Bay2 of America, the receptacle of the seditious, the disaffected, and the bankrupts of other states, an Augean stable, whose accumu- lated filth will take some modern Hercules3 at least thirty years to clear away; for we are still in hopes there is virtue and magnanimity enough among us to remove some time or another, the mass of pollution col- lected in this state in the course of the last six years. The sons of Belial4 are numerous amongst us, tho' there are some hopes of their refor- mation in as much as Dr. I- T -5 and Co. have published some letters in which they assert that should the general government be wisely and prudently administred they make no doubt its subjects may be the richest and happiest people on earth, which (says T-) is my sincere prayer. &c. What a lovely, immaculate creature is this Dr. I- T- and lo! he prayeth! ["] 1. Reprinted: Stockbridge, Mass., Western Star, 2 March; Pennsylvania Packet, 18 March. The writer of this letter is attacking John Taylor, a Massachusetts Antifederalist who had recently moved to Smithfield, R.I. For Taylor, see Philadelphia Federal Gazette, 6 August 1789, note 4 (RCS:R.I., 566). For Taylor's defense of himself, see "John Taylor," Newport Mercury, 15 February 1790 (Mfm:R.I.). 2. A reference to the British penal colony in Australia. 3. According to myth, King Augeas was the largest owner of cattle in Greece and each night all of the animals were confined to the stables, which created massive filth. Hercules is fabled to have cleaned Augeas' stables in one day. 4. See "A Friend to Rule and Order," Providence Gazette, 15 March 1788, note 1 (RCS:R.I., 139). 5. The Stockbridge, Mass., Western Star, 2 March, reprint changed "I- T-" to "JOHN TAYLOR." A Freeholder Newport Herald, 25 February 1790 TO THE HONORABLE THE DELEGATES OF THE STATE CONVENTION. To the Delegates of a free people, the Address of a Freeholder can- not be displeasing, especially at a period when the State is convulsed by parties, and the public decision is called for on a question that is 731
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