send our call abroad, with the high authority of the Empire State, and whisper it to the gentle sister she embraces; and even the Land of Penn will be "moved in the spirit," to hear, and to help us. Ohio will catch our Appeal from the banks of her own beautiful River, and bear it westward, until, from the children of the distant prairies, shall come a widely-echoing response; and no free Wind shall return to us with our call unanswered. MIGHT AND RIGHT. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. IT WILL at once be seen by the style of the following Narrative of events, during the momentous season, when the friends of Liberty were struggling for their own, and the people's rights in Rhode Island that the Work has been penned by another hand than was expected. Ill health and domestic engagements have combined to prevent that person from performing the task; but, in her opinion, the public will not lose by the exchange. The person who writes this Work, brings a warm heart, and powerful intellect into the field, and will, doubtless, do justice to the subject. She has, however, with much courtesy, delegated to another the office of delineating the character of Society in Rhode Island, prior to, and at the time of, the great political contest she is commemorating. The writer of this Introduction has been long aware that people abroad, labor under the grossest mistake with respect to those who are the characters that compose the principal part and make the principal figure among the Aristocracy of Rhode Island; who, it is known, are the sworn foes to Free Suffrage; and, indeed, to liberty in every form, and every where. People of other States, even while they despise the pride of descent, which they suppose has impelled them to grasp all power, and trample upon the rights of unendowed fellow-citizens, have yet felt a degree of commisseration, from the supposed hardship of depriving the families of the first settlers of honors and emoluments they and their families had been always accustomed to, and admitting a set of interlopers (denominated "the rabble, the lower orders, the tag rag, &c. of Society,) to come in and share their inheritance who had not, like their ancestors, borne the burden and heat of the day. Now persons who understand the matter in this light, may hoard their sympathies for another occasion. There is not a jot or tittle of truth in the supposition the families of the first settlers, the original owners of the soil, (honored be their names) are, for the most part, a different set of people; and, with a few disgraceful exceptions, are uniformly favorable to the freedom of the Elective Franchise. They are Democrats of the old school, intelligent, liberalminded men, who, estimating the blessings of Liberty and Independence, are willing all should enjoy them. With them originated the first objections to the laws of primogeniture; and, as will be shown .here, were among the number of those, who have at various times made efforts to obtain an enlargement of the rights of voters-efforts that were uniformly scouted by the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island. But who, then, it will be asked, are the great men who rule that great State? Who are the Aristocracy that lord it over the people? Who affect to despise the laboring part of the population (except when they are soliciting their votes?) Who are they that talk "of the danger of putting power in the hands of the common people." Why, for the most part, persons who a few short years since, ranked far below that order themselves and now to their History. In the changes to which all things are subject in this changing world, there has been a great change. in the Society of Rhode Island. Party spirit has |