effected much; for let a man be ever so despicable in himself, if he would only lend himself to the views of those, who were determined by every means, either honest or dishonest, to acquire and maintain supreme power in the State, his fortune was at once made. And again the facilities for obtaining the benefit of the Insolvent Act, have been the cause of an inundation of artful and dishonest men from other States, whose example has had a most deleterious effect upon the Society of Rhode Island for although many came without any apparent means of support, yet by some craft unknown to the former staid and sober inhabitants, they contrived to live in a style and fashion quite new, and seduce others into habits of extravagance and profusion, that soon made a wreck of many a fair estate; and often transferred those very estates into the hands of him, who though he had run the same excess of riot, yet having nothing, could lose nothing. Sometimes this has

been done in later days, through the witchcraft of Banks, which readily transforms rags into gold, for in their palmy days, these were next to the General Assembly-Omnipotent in Rhode Island.

An early contest in Rhode Island, whose effects have been felt to the present hour, seemed at once to define the position of parties. We allude to that between the old school Federalists and Jeffersonian Democrats, which was carried on with a zeal and fierceness, never perhaps equalled, certainly not excelled in any of the States. There was, as in the Suffrage contest, a proscription and persecution from the Federal side of the question, utterly at war with all republican notions, as well as christian feeling.

To give a history of this warfare, in the City of Providence alone, would more than fill this volume, and exhibit such examples of "man's inhumanity to man," as can only be surpassed by the crusade against the Suffrage Party in 1842 and 43. Who that has

read the "Annals of the town of Providence," lately published by one of the Judges of the present justly styled Supreme Court of Rhode Island, would imagine such violence of persecution could have been exhibited, such party spite, such malign feeling, such riots, such quarrels, such backbitings and contentions, in a City for the last forty years at least, which he describes going on as quiet as a Quaker meeting. To begin with the Crusade against Gov. Arthur Fenner, who was, tell it not in Gath, father of the present Algerine Governor of this State. He was the Democratic Governor and a kind of head of the Democratic party throughout the State; at least they adopted him as such, although their party could boast of many men of superior pretensions in some respects, yet his age, his station, his known patriotism, which was never doubted, his shrewdness, and above all, the deep insight with which he penetrated the views and plots of the opposite party, made him a universal favorite with his own.

He was besides of a very jocose, social and convivial turn, and exceedingly hospitable, entertaining friends and foes, without distinction, at his well spread board. This last virtue was made the instrument to injure him, by many of his unscrupulous guests; and careless expressions, uttered during the hours of social hilarity, were artfully seized on to effect, if possible, his downfall. One of these relating to an unknown stranger, who had recently committed suicide in one of the public highways, was reported in such an aggravated manner as to occasion a lawsuit, and such a commotion as shock the whole State to its centre. It is inconceivable what a tumult the Federal Party contrived to make out of it; and as Gov. Fenner was then a candidate for re-election, they availed themselves of that privilege to abuse him beyond any thing we have ever known of any one individual. The almost expiring hopes of a

famishing party, hungry for office, received such an impulse that they rushed from town to town, and village to village, from shop to shop, and house to house, and daily collected in little groups in the streets and public places, to report progress, and tell the latest news. The Federal newspapers were filled every week, with fresh scandals, and further enormities, until one must have believed, if he credited them, that all the sins committed since the first settlement of the country, rested on this one man. Meanwhile the prosecution went on. It was an action of slander against the Chief Magistrate, for saying that John Dorrance, (formerly Judge) had sold the dead body of the suicide to a Surgeon, for a beaver hat; and although they could make nothing out of the case, and the defendant was acquitted, yet did not the fire of the assailing party slacken in the least. From Gov. F. they went to his friends; and his intimates and political associates were attacked with a degree of violence next in degree, to that with which they attacked the Governor. Fortune here seemed to favor them. It is seldom a man's friends are all honest; and some curious developments with regard to the affairs of the Gloucester Bank, where several of these were Directors, enabled them to open a new battery; and oh, what a Godsend the failure of that Bank was to the Algerines of that day! Most of the Directors of that Bank were Democrats, in like manner as all those of the Agricultural Bank are Algerines now. How it was that the General Assembly publicly sifted them, and sent them to Jail, and now bear the downfall of this with such christian forbearance, we cannot tell; since, we opine, that the block-heads who managed the former concern were as much inferior in villainy to some in the late affair, as possible, their crime seemed to be in permitting themselves to be overreached by an artful financier, who had the adroitness to persuade

them that he would by one bold stroke, make the fortune of the Bank. However, they had no right to embark the property of others, in such a gambling speculation, and were justly punished, their own party giving them up without a murmur. Still the friends of Gov. Arthur Fenner stuck close, and fought manfully in his behalf, and he was again and again re-elected. Nor did the fire of the Adversary slacken in the least; every meeting of the Democratic Party was sure to be insulted in some way or other; and to such a pitch of exasperation did the Federal leaders succeed in raising their party, that private insults on account of difference in politics, succeeded public ones. The military companies in the town of Providence, were at that time commanded by leaders of different sides, and to array them in a hostile attitude towards each other seemed quite a desideratum to the Federal Party. In this they succeeded, and on several occasions of public turn-out, a crowd was collected on the Great Bridge, and in other public places, where they were expected to meet, to see the fun; for, as they could not harmonize to go in one procession, it was expected, whenever they met, there would be a contest. A very handsome and spirited party of Light-horse was commanded by Col. Henry Smith, a staunch Democrat, and a man who feared nobody, and it was supposed that rather than turn out for a foot company he would force his way pell mell through them, as he easily might have done, having the advantage of being mounted: however they reckoned without their host. Col. Smith had no idea of sacrificing the blood of his fellow-citizens from false notions of honor; and upon meeting the foot company who had made their boast of compelling him to turn out, he very quietly wheeled and gave them the middle of the Bridge. Great cheering from the Federal mob succeeded this exploit; but a few days after, Col. Smith was riding over, and

chanced to meet the officer whose discourteous manners had occasioned such uproar, when he suddenly leaped from his horse, and with herculean arm seized the little Bragadocio by the waistband, and shook him over the side of the Bridge, threatening to let him drop, unless he solemnly promised never to insult him again. This was final, and from that period, the rival companies passed each other with courtesy. But the persecution and vituperation of the Federal Party still continued. One sample after they became elated by temporary success, may suffice. There was a naturalized citizen, who had resided several years in the town, ordered to quit it with his family, in three days, for the sole offence of talking his sentiments publicly in the streets; his manner, like that of most of his nation, being somewhat loud and boisterous; (he was an Englishman by birth) but the law required that a man should be a pauper, or liable to become such, before such a command could be enforced; and this in his case, was far from being so. He was then driving a profitable business, and cleared at least five dollars per day, above all expenThe attorneys consulted, advised him not to go, and clearly demonstrated that they had no law for such a proceeding. He remained, and three days after, in attempting to pass the Bridge, was seized by order of the (Federal) Council, stripped, and publicly whipped on the Bridge. This outrage, was one of the boldest, and most daring experiments of that party, and justly drew down public indignation, not only in Rhode Island, but in the neighboring States, and nothing could have restrained the friends of this man from avenging his cause, but that regard to quiet and order which has ever distinguished the Democratic Party of Rhode Island. In allusion to the constant assertion that they were the rabble, it will be proper here to remark, that though the majority, then, as now, were mechanics and laboring

ses.