DISCOURSE, 
 
 EMBRACING 
 
 THE CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS HISTORY 
 
 RHODE-ISLAND; 
 
 DELIVERED APRII. 4, A. D. 1838, 
 
 CLOSE OF THE SECOND CENTURY FROM THE FIRST 
 SETTLEMENT OF THE ISLAND. 
 
 BY ARTHUR A. ROSS, 
 
 Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Newport, R. I. 
 
 PROVIDENCE: 
 H. H. BROWN. ...25 MARKET SQUARE. 
 
 183S. 
 
■K^- 
 
PRE F A C E. 
 
 jNo people can dwell on the pages of their own history 
 with more supreme satisiaction, or derive from that history 
 more lasting and salutary instructions, than the people of 
 Rhode-Island. To be ignorant of our own history, betrays 
 a most criminal apathy to our own intellectual happiness, 
 and to the high and elevated principles of the men from 
 whom we descended, and by whom were transmitted 
 and secured to us, the blessings of civil and religious 
 freedom. 
 
 The object of the writer in the following pages, has 
 been to embody and present before the risen and rising 
 generation, some of the most imporicnt facts and incidents 
 of our history, during the past century. Nor could the 
 writer feel justified, in a discourse of this nature, without 
 alluding to the circumstances and events which led to tlie 
 settlement of this State, and especially of our own loved 
 Rhode-Island. 
 
 The war of the Revolution, as connected with the his- 
 tory o{ this Island, which, for the greater part of that long 
 continued and sanguinary conflict, was in possession of the 
 enemy, constitutes unavoidably a large proportion of this 
 discourse. Nor can the writer persuade himself to believe 
 that the reminiscence of those events can be uninteresting 
 'O the descendants of those illustrious men, who shared 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 in the perils of the Revolution, and achieved the Ameri- 
 can Independence. 
 
 The Ecclesiastical History of Rhode-Island, rich in 
 interest to the Philanthropist and Christian, and furnishing 
 ample materials for the Historian, has been only glanced 
 at, the writer being conscious, in a work like this, of hi> 
 utter inability to do justice to that part of our history, and 
 has beheved that an abridged history of the Churches on 
 this Island, would more deeply interest the reader than 
 general observations, and contribute to the glory of the 
 riches of Divine grace. If the following pages shall in 
 any wise tend to promote these objects, the highest am- 
 bition of the Author will be accomplished. 
 
 Kewport, May I, 1838. 
 
A DISCOURSE 
 
 EZRA IV, 15, 
 
 HAT SEARCH MAY BE MADE IN THE BOOK OF THE RE- 
 CORDS OF THY FATHERS. 
 
 Two centuries have now passed away, since the vene- 
 rable John Clarke and his little band of persecuted 
 brethren, entered this then inhospitable and savage des- 
 ert, rejoicing in it as an asylum of rest, from the relent- 
 less hand of religious intolerance and persecution. Here 
 tliey erected the temple of civil and religious freedom, 
 and on her sacred altar, pledged their persons, lives and 
 estates, to maintain unimpaired, the inalienable rights of 
 man. 
 
 In consequence of the unjust and arbitrary decisions of 
 the General Court of Massachusetts, Mr. Clarke and 
 several others were appointed by their friends, to select 
 a spot where they might inhale the atmos[)here of free- 
 dom, and worship God according to the dictates of their 
 own conscience, unmolested. After wandering a while 
 in the wilderness of New Hampshire, tliev directed their 
 1* 
 
6 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 course to the south, intending to find a residence in a 
 more congenial climate. On their arrival at Providencej 
 they were very kindly received by Roger WilHams, who 
 had' previously been banished from the Colony of Mas- 
 sachusetts, for his peculiar views of civil and religious 
 polity ; and who among other things, (says Mr. Callen- 
 der,) was charged with insisting on the most unlimited 
 toleration or liberty of conscience. 
 
 Mr. Williams recommended to these wandering exiles, 
 the waters of the Narragansett Bay, as the peculiar resi- 
 dence of the genius of religious freedom, and advised 
 them to take up their abode on her shores. He also 
 very kindly offered his services in procuring them a set- 
 tlement ; and through his influence with the two great 
 Sachems of Narragansett, Canonicus and Myantonomo, 
 (whose confidence he enjoyed) a deed of Aquitneck, 
 (now Rhode-Island) and other Islands of the Bay, was 
 procL«ired in the name of Mr. Coddington and friends, 
 in March, 1638. 
 
 These venerable men commenced the settlement ot 
 tl)is Island, under the influence of sentiments the most 
 pure and elevated, that ever inspired the heart, or digni- 
 fied the character of man. They were bound together 
 as a community of freemen — not by chartered rights and 
 conventional stipulations — but by moral and religious 
 principle. By mutual voluntary pledges, given by a 
 solemn appeal to the great searcher of hearts, for their 
 faithful performance. 
 
 The following is the original Charter of the American 
 Isle of Rhodes : — '' We, whose names are underwritten, 
 do swear solemnly in the presence of the Great Jehovah, 
 to incorporate ourselves into a body politic ; and as he 
 -.hall help us, will submit our persons, lives and estates, 
 unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord 
 of lords, and to all those most perfect laws of his, given 
 113 in his most holy v.'ord of truth, to be guided and iudg- 
 ed thereby." 
 
 Such \vere the principles adopted, and sucii the senti- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 7 
 
 ments set forth, as the great charter of rights, by those 
 who had the honor of planting the first community of 
 civihzed man on Rhode-Island. 
 
 The first settlement on the Island, was commenced at 
 its northern extremity, where a town was regularly laid 
 out, and at first named Pocasset ; subsequently Ports- 
 mouth. But so rapid was the increase of the Colony, 
 during the following summer, that it was deemed advisa- 
 ble for their mutual prosperity, to commence a settlement 
 on some other part of the Island. 
 
 Accordingly, the following spring, Mr. Clarke with 
 several others, removed to this part of the Island, and 
 commenced a settlement, to which they gave the name 
 of Newport. The Island itself, subsequently, by order 
 of the General Court, was called the Isle of Rhodes, or 
 Rhode-Island, in memory of that celebrated Isle of the 
 Mediterranean Sea. The first dwelling-house built in 
 this town, was erected by Nicholas Easton — all prior 
 dwellings were tents and wigwams. Both towns were 
 united under the same simple patriarchal form of govern- 
 ment, of which Mr. William Coddlngton was chosen 
 Magistrate, or Judge. A few months subsequently, they 
 chose Mr. John Coggeshall, Nicholas Easton, and Wil- 
 liam Brenton, his assistants. I^Ir. Coggeshall descended 
 from an ancient and respectable family in England. He 
 came to this country with Mr. Coddlngton, In 1630, and 
 was admitted a freeman of the town of Boston, In 163-2. 
 He was a member of the first Board of Selectmen of 
 Boston, and represented that town in General Court, in 
 1634-5-6, and the Spring session of 1637, but was dis- 
 franchised for conscience toward God, that same year. — 
 His dlsfi-anchisement with others, created great discon- 
 tent among his hiends, which led to their removal, and 
 finally to the settlement of this Island. 'Mr. Coggeshall 
 enjoyed the confidence of the Colony of Rhode-Island, 
 nd at the time of his death, which occurred in 1647, he 
 '? President of the Colony. He lies in the Coggeshall 
 
3 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 burial place, a little south of Newport. The following 
 is the ioscription on his tomb-stone : — 
 
 " Here Iveth the Body of 
 
 JOHN COGGESHALL, Sen. Esq. 
 
 who died the First President of the Colony, the 27th of Nov. 
 
 1647, aged about 56 years." 
 
 His descendants are still numerous on the Island, and 
 many of them are among our most respectable citizens. 
 
 Mr. Coddington came to this country with Governor 
 Hutchinson, having been appointed in 1629, by the Brit- 
 ish government, one of the Assistants of the Massachu- 
 setts Colony. He engaged in mercantile business in 
 Boston, and built the first brick house in that town. But 
 notwithstanding all the facilities he there enjoyed of pro- 
 moting his own temporal prosperity, yet he chose to re- 
 linquish all thescj for the sake of rehgious freedom. — ■■ 
 Accordingly, in 1638, with the beloved Clarke and six- 
 teen others, he left the Colony of Massachusetts, and 
 commenced the settlement of this Island ; and was by his 
 companions in tribulation, unanimously elected Chief 
 Magistrate or Judge of the Colony ; which ofhce he held 
 until the Island was incorporated w^ith Providence and 
 Warwick. In 1651, he was appointed by the Supreme 
 Authority of England, Governor of the Island, pursuant 
 to a power reserved in the patent, by which the Island 
 became again separated from the Providence Plantations. 
 
 But the people, jealous of their rights and fearful that 
 their freedom might be endangered, dispatched Mr. Wil- 
 liams and Mr. Clarke to England, to get it revoked. On 
 receiving due notice from England, Mr. Coddington gave 
 up his commission and retired to private life, when the 
 Island again become united with the Plantations. Mr. 
 Coddington was again elected Governor of the Colony, 
 in 1674-1675, ^nd 1678, on which year he died, aged 
 78 years. He was a man of extensive learning, and as- 
 sisted in framing the body of laws, w^hich has been the 
 basis of our constitution and government ever since. — 
 Governor Coddinoion was interred in the familv burial- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 9 
 
 place, which at his death lie gave the Society of Friends, 
 (in Farewell-street,) just South of the North Baptist 
 meeting-house. The freemen of Newport, in Town 
 Meeting, August 30, 1836, appointed a Committee to 
 repair the monument at the head of the grave of this dis- 
 tinguished friend and advocate of civil and religious free- 
 dom. 
 
 The last of the original purchasers and proprietors of 
 this Island, was Henry Bull, Esq. who died in 1693, 
 a^ed 84 years. He huilt a house at the settlement on 
 the North part of the Island, iu 1638, and was one of 
 the seven proprietors, who in 1639, commenced the set- 
 tlement of this town. " He held various public offices 
 in this Colony from its first settlement, until a few years 
 before his death. He was Governor of the Colony, in 
 1685, after which, being at a very advanced age, he re- 
 linquished public employment, to end his days in domes- 
 tic peace ; but after the revolution in England, (the Col- 
 ony Charter having been vacated, and Rhode-Island put 
 under the government of Sir Edmund Andres, who held 
 it until the spring of 1689,) he was induced again to come 
 fonvard into public life. 
 
 " After Sir Edmund Andros was imprisoned in Boston , 
 the freemen of Rhode-Island met in Newport on the 1st 
 of May, 1689, and determined to resume their former 
 Charter and government, and proceeded to choose their 
 officers accordingly ; but of the persons appointed, many 
 refused to accept, and among the number, the Governor 
 elect, in consequence of the boldness and responsibility 
 of the measure, the dangerous and unsettled state of the 
 times, the uncertainty what reception their proceedings 
 might meet in England, and what personal consequences 
 might fall upon those most forward in the undertaking. 
 
 " The government was not fully organized until the Feb- 
 ruary following, all which time, none of the principal in- 
 habitants could be found of sufficient nerve, to accept the 
 gubernatorial chair, but this man, then at a very advan- 
 ced ?ige. He was then appointed by the Assembly, ac- 
 
10 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 cepted the office, and served until the next annual elec-- 
 lion, when he was again elected, but positively refused 
 to serve any longer, as the danger which had deterred 
 otliers, no longer existed, at least to the same extent." 
 
 The house erected by Governor Bull, in Newport, is 
 af stone, and still standing on the East side of Spring- 
 street, near Broad-street. Governor Bull lies buried in 
 the Coddington burial place, where a plain and unosten- 
 tatious slab points the passing stranger to the spot, where 
 ^ieep the mouldering ashes of this bold and fearless pa- 
 triot. 
 
 Heni-y Bull, Esq. of Newport, is his lineal descendant, 
 ixnd now in possession of the patrimonial estate of his an- 
 cestor. 
 
 In 1643, Mr. Williams, as the agent of the Colonies 
 of Narragansett Bay, obtained a Charter of incorporation 
 from the British Crown, granting them permission to make 
 laws for themselves, so far as the nature and constitution 
 of the place would admit, subject to the laws of England. 
 
 In 1663, Mr. Clarke, who for several years had betn 
 JD England, as agent of the Colonies, procured a Char- 
 ter, by which the province was mcorporated a body pol- 
 itic, by the name of the Governor and Company of the 
 Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, in New-Eng- 
 land, in America. 
 
 This act of incorporation, securing as it does to all, the 
 inalienable rights of man, the free and unrestricted exer- 
 cise of his own judgment and conscience, on all questions 
 v.f religion, the freemen of Rhode-Island have guarded 
 with a kind of patriotic enthusiasm, which has rebuked 
 with severity, the hand put forth to mar the form of this 
 Magna Charta of civil and religious freedom. 
 
 Mr. Williams is justly and deservedly venerated by 
 the people of Rhode-Island, as the bold and uncompro- 
 mising advocate of religious toleration ; and wrestled hard 
 for liberty of conscience for himself and his fellow men. 
 But the name of Mr. Clarke, first mentioned in the 
 Charter of Rhode-Island, should be cherished in the 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. H 
 
 same grateful remembrance, by every friend of civil and 
 religious freedom. He was the companion of Mr. Wil- 
 liams in iribulalion for conscience sake, and although bis 
 feet were not made fast in the stocks, yet he suffered im- 
 })risonment and bonds, and was sentenced to receive forty 
 stripes save ten, by the religious conscience-keepers of 
 Massachusetts. To both, under God, the people of 
 Rhode-Island are greatly indebted, for the blessings they 
 now enjoy. 
 
 No legislative jurisdiction in Rhode-Island, has ever 
 been exercised or assumed over the creeds or consciences 
 of men; but the most free and unlimited exercise of the 
 mind on all questions of religion and conscience, has at 
 dl times been enjoyed. Rhode-Island has demonstrated 
 to the world, that the Church needs not the arm of civil 
 power to direct her councils or control her interests ; that 
 Jesus Christ is king in his own kingdom ; that she needs 
 no other protection or support, than that of Jesus Christ; 
 the civil power leaving each and every one to act accord- 
 ing to the dictates of their own conscience, and depriving 
 none of the rights of freemen, for believing this, or disbe- 
 lieving that. So far from legislative interference and re- 
 straint, the very first act of legislation decreed that every 
 person who submits peaceably to civil government, in 
 this Colony, shall worship God according to the dictates 
 of his own conscience, unmolested. 
 
 In 1644, it w^as decreed by the General Court, that 
 none be accounted a delinquent for doctrine, provided it 
 be not repugnant to the government, or the laws estab- 
 lished. 
 
 In 1647, it was furtlier ordered and decreed by the 
 same body, '• That all men may walk as their own con- 
 sciences persuade them, every one in the name of his 
 God. And let the sheep and lambs of the Most High 
 walk together in this Colony, without molestation, in the 
 name of Jehovah their God, forever and ever." And to 
 the honor of Rhode-Island and the glory of the Chris- 
 tian name, let it be told to our children from generation 
 
12 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 to generation, that when in 1656, the Colonies of Ply- 
 mouth, Massachusetts, Hartford, and New-Haven, at- 
 tempted to urge their sanguinary edicts against the Qua- 
 kers on the Colony of Rhode-Island, calling on the leg- 
 islature for an act of proscription, and enforcing that call 
 by threatening to cut off all commercial intercourse with 
 them, in case they refuse to comply, they nobly and 
 promptly answer — '^ We shall strictly adhere to the foun- 
 dation principles on which this Colony was first settled, 
 to wit : that every man who submits peaceably to civil 
 government in this Colony, shall worship God according 
 to the dictates of his own conscience, without molesta- 
 tion." 
 
 Doctor McSparran, a missionaiy of the Church of 
 England, who visited this country about the year 1720, 
 and who labored for several years on the Narragansett 
 side of the Bay, in a book of his, published in 1752, has 
 recorded some important facts in the history of Rhode- 
 Island, whether from love or ill will, I leave the reader 
 to judge. 
 
 " The first settlers of Rhode-Island," says the Dr. 
 '' peregrinated through the wilderness and fell in with 
 Rhode-Island, and removed their families and effects to 
 Providence. 
 
 " These Rhode-Island refugees resolved themselves by 
 their own, instead of better authority, into a body politic, 
 with liberty of conscience allowed to people of all persua- 
 sions. In Connecticut, independency is the religion of 
 the State. But in Rhode-Island, no religion at all is es- 
 tablished. Here, a man may with impunity, be of any 
 persuasion, or of none at all. But the Quakers for the 
 most part, are the people in power. 
 
 " As Quakerism first broke out in England, in 1651, so 
 in 1654, emissaries of that enthusiasm were dispatched to 
 the West Indies. And no sooner did their preachers ap- 
 pear in Rhode-Island, than they found many too well pre- 
 pared to receive this pestilent heresy. The twenty-ibur 
 years that had passed away since their removal from 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 13 
 
 England, and the seventeen since their settlement in 
 Rhode-Island, had carried oft' the stage most of those 
 who had received the first rudiments of religion in their 
 mother country. And as Quakerism prevailed, learning 
 was decried, and ignorance and heresy so increased, that 
 neither Epephanus' nor Sir Richard Blackmore's Cata- 
 logu?, contains more heterodox and conflicting opinions 
 in religion, than are to be found in this little corner. 
 
 " The magistrates of Massachusetts hanged four of these 
 quake-speakers ; this, together with other severities exer- 
 cised on their proselytes in that province, contributed to 
 send shoals of these sectaries to Rhode-Island. In 1700, 
 (says the Dr.) after Quakerism and other heresies had in 
 their turn, ruled over and tinged all the inhabitants for 
 forty-six years, the Church of England, which had been 
 lost here, by the neglect of the Crown, entered as it were 
 unobserved and unseen, and yet not without some suc- 
 cess. 
 
 " In 1702, a little Church was formed in Newport, the 
 metropolis of the Colony, and that in which I labor in 
 Narragansett. There have been two incumbents before 
 me, neither of w^iich had resolution enough to grapple 
 with the difficulties of the mission, more than a year a 
 piece. 
 
 '' I entered this field in 1721, and found the people 
 not a iasula rasa, or clean sheet of paper, on which I 
 might make any impression I pleased ; but a field full of 
 briers and thorns and noxious weeds, that were all to be 
 eradicated, before I could implant within them the sim- 
 plicity of truth. But, by the blessing of God, I have 
 brought over some hundreds to the Church. And among 
 the hundreds I have baptized, there are at least one hun- 
 dred and fifty who receive the sacrament from my hands, 
 from 20 years old and upward to 70 or 80, 
 
 '' Besides the members of our Church, (continues the 
 
 Dr.) who 1 may boast are the best of the people — being 
 
 converts not from convenience and civil encouragement, 
 
 but from conscience and conviction — there are Quakers, 
 
 2 
 
14 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 and Anabaptists of four sorts ; Independents, and a still 
 greater number devoid of all religion, and attend no kind 
 of worship. In all the other Colonies the law obliges 
 men to attend religious worship on the Sabbath, some- 
 where. But in Rhode-Island, liberty of conscience is 
 carried to an irreligious extreme."* 
 
 It is not my intention, however, to dwell on the histo- 
 ry of the State, nor even of this Island, beyond the Hm- 
 its of the past century. The beloved Calender, whose 
 name is associated with the history of this Church, in 
 his celebrated discourse delivered in this place one hun- 
 dred years ago, has given us a brief, but faithful history 
 of the events which led to the settlement of this Island, 
 and its subsequent history for one hundred years. 
 
 The duty assigned me on the present occasion, is a 
 continuation of the history of Rhode-Island, commencing 
 with the close of the first Century. Nor can it be sup- 
 posed, that this can be comprised in a discourse of ordi- 
 nary length, nor even of twice the length of Mr. Calen- 
 der's. 
 
 And here it is but an act of justice for me to acknow- 
 ledge, that for the materials of this discourse, I am chiefly 
 indebted to Henry Bull, Esq. of this town, whose efforts 
 to collect and preserve the history of Rhode-Island, pos- 
 terity alone can fully appreciate, and which entitles him 
 to a name among the benefactors of the human race. — 
 To Benjamin B. Rowland, Esq. and other gentlemen of 
 Newport, I am indebted for many facts and incidents 
 
 ■^ it is to be lamented that groat and good men, when speaking or 
 writing of those who differ from them only in matters of conscience, 
 should not more implicitly regard the Apostle's injunction, ** speak 
 evil of no man ;" cultivate that charity which is averse to give of- 
 fence, and seek to maintain an amicable intercourse with all man- 
 kind. Could the Dr. have lived at a more fortunate age of the 
 world, when the great principles of religious toleration and liberty 
 of conscience were more perfectly understood, it is believed he must 
 have been convinced, that iiis charges against the Quakers, were 
 liiimorited and severe 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 15 
 
 connected with the history of this Island, during the past 
 century. 
 
 From March, 1738, at which time Mr. Calender de- 
 Hvered his sermon, to 1744, but httle is found in the 
 history of Rhode-Island to interest the reader, save the 
 local affairs of the Colony. In 1742, the boundary line 
 between the Colony of Massachusetts and Rhode-Island, 
 was settled at Providence, by commissioners appointed 
 by the King, before whom the parties were heard by 
 counsel. 
 
 Rhode-Island had previously contended with her liti- 
 gious neighbors, only for the gore of land which now con- 
 stitutes the town of Cumberland. But at this time, she 
 pressed her claim for three miles east of Narragansett 
 Bay, as expressed in her Charter from his Majesty King 
 Charles II. The Commissioners decided that Rhode- 
 Island was not only entitled to the gore, but also to the 
 three miles Eastward of the Bay, which now comprises 
 the towns of Liitle-Compton, Tiverton, Bristol, Warren, 
 and Barrington. 
 
 From this decision, the Colony of Massachusetts ap- 
 pealed to the King in Council — which appeal was heard 
 and tried in England, and the decision of the Commis- 
 sioners confirmed and established by the decree of his 
 Majesty, on the 28th of May, 1746. 
 
 On the 4th of March, 1744, the government of France 
 which had been secretly aiding the enemies of Great 
 Britain, with which she was at war, assumed a belligerent 
 attitude, and proclaimed war with that government ; 
 which was responded to by the British Parliament the 
 same month, in a declaration of war with France. 
 
 Previous to the declaration of war, the Colonies had 
 been ap{)rized of the approaching storm, and were aroused 
 to a sense of the threatening dangers with which they 
 were surrounded. The French privateers which hovered 
 round the coast of New-England, greatly embarrassed her 
 commerce, and almost entirely destroyed her valuable 
 fisheries. 
 
IQ HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 The Legislature of Massachusetts decided, after much 
 discussion, to invite the other Colonies to unite with them 
 in an expedition against Louisburgh, the Gibraltar of the 
 French American Provinces. Into the spirt of this en- 
 terprise, the legislature of Rhode-Island entered with pa- 
 triotic ardor, and at the May session of that body, passed 
 a resolution to raise a regiment of one hundred and fifty 
 men, exclusive of officers ; and that the Colony sloop 
 Tartar, be fitted out with a complement of 90 men, ex- 
 clusive of officers. 
 
 The expedition was crowned with success, and after a 
 siege of forty-nine days, the city of Louisburgh and the 
 Island of Cape Breton, were surrendered by the French 
 to his Britannic Majesty, June 17th, 1745. 
 
 The capture of Louisburgh by the Colonies, stung the 
 Court of France with mortification and revenge, and they 
 resolved to chastise them for their insolence. According- 
 ly, an expedition was fitted out for this purpose, " con- 
 sisting of forty ships of war and fifiy-six transports, with 
 tlirsa thousand five hundred men, and forty thousand 
 stand of arms, for the French and Indians.'' The Colo- 
 nies saw and acknowledged their danger, from their total 
 inability to defend themselves in case of an invasion, by 
 so numerous and formidable a fleet ; and the inhabitants 
 of the seaport towns were thrown into the greatest con- 
 sternation. 
 
 No people had more to fear from foreign invasion in 
 New-England, than the people of Newport. From the 
 extent of her commercial interests, their local situation, 
 and the facility with which the town might be approached 
 with the largest ships of war, the inhabitants were thrown 
 into the greatest agitation and distress. Nor were these 
 apprehensions allayed, until in October, it was ascertained 
 that God had interposed for tlie Colonies, and gotten the 
 victory with his own arm. 
 
 So disastrous was this expedition to the French, that 
 among all this mighty and formidable fleet, destined to 
 lay in ruins the smiling villages of New-England, not 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 17 
 
 more than two or three ships and a few transports, ever 
 reached her coast. A violent storm at sea either de- 
 stroyed or damaged many of them. Others were com- 
 pelled to return on account of a most fearful pestilence 
 which swept off hundreds of their crews, and made (he 
 bravest hearts to tremble. 
 
 The Admiral or Commander in Chief of the whole 
 French squadron, on reaching the coast of New-England, 
 died of mortification ; or as some say, of poison. The 
 Vice-Admiral came Lo a similar tragical end, by running 
 himself through the body with his own sword. That part 
 of the fleet which arrived on the coast, sailed with an in- 
 tention of making an attack upon Annapolis, but a storm 
 again scattered them, and they were forced to return, 
 without effecting any part of the work of destruction 
 oriirinally intended. 
 
 Thus were the Colonies preserved, not by the policy 
 of their councils, nor the prowess of their arms — but by 
 the Providence of God. Preliminaries of peace were 
 soon entered into between France and England, and a 
 definitive treaty was signed in October, 1748. 
 
 The privateers of Rhode-Island distinguished them- 
 selves in this war, and during the year 1745, more than 
 twenty prizes, some of them of immense value, were sent 
 into Newport. One of the most bold and intrepid naval 
 commanders of that age, or perhaps of any age, was 
 Captain John Dennis, of Newport. He seems to have 
 been formed for deeds of daring, and nerved to dwell 
 amidst the sanguinary, strife of war unmoved. After hav- 
 ing captured a number of French privateers in the We^t 
 Indies, a sloop of war was fitted out at iVIartinico, for the 
 express purpose of liis capture. But after an engagement 
 of four hours, she was taken possession of by Captain 
 Dennis and carried into St. Kitts. Here he received 
 that attention which he had so justly merited from the 
 Governor and other officers of the Island, and who, as a 
 testimony of respect for his valuable services, presented 
 him with a golden oar and a purse of five hundred pistoles. 
 2* 
 
Ig HISTORICAL DISCOtJRSE 
 
 The employments and pursuits of the inhabitants of| 
 this Island, during the war, were almost exclusively of ai 
 naval or military character ; and, perhaps, at no period had 
 enjoyed greater commercial prosperity. So that as far 
 as Newport was concerned, the return of peace was rather 
 hostile to her interests than otlierwise. 
 
 At the close of the war, a vast amount of property 
 was owned by the people of this town ; which, however 
 valuable in time of war, was of but little value in time 
 of peace. Their implements of war could not readily be 
 converted into instruments of husbandry, nor articles of 
 merchandize, without great sacrifice to the owners. The 
 depreciation also, of bills of credit, issued during the 
 war, which the Colonies v/ere unable to redeem, was 
 severely felt by the community, and greatly embarrassed; 
 the commercial interests of the Colony. 
 
 The return of peace, however, was hailed as the har- 
 binger of prosperity. And although the return of pros- 
 perity was the work of time, yet the enterprising spirit 
 of the people soon exerted itself to repair the losses 
 which had been sustained. Commerce again flourished, 
 industry and enterprise were encouraged, and public con- 
 fidence revived. 
 
 But scarcely had the Colonies time to reap the benefits 
 of peace, before their brightening prospects were again 
 overshadowed by the dark elements of strife, and the 
 tocsin of war again spread anxiety and distress through 
 the whole breadth of the land. 
 
 After a period of only eight years, in IMay, 1758, 
 Great Britain under George II. formally declared war 
 with France ; which declaration was reciprocated by 
 France the following month. The causes which led to 
 this war, commonly distinguished by the name of the 
 '•' French and Indian War," were the alleged encroach- 
 ments of the French, on the English settlements in 
 America. 
 
 This war terminated in 1763, by the cession of Nova 
 Scotia, Canada, the Isle of Cape Breton, and all other 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 19 
 
 Islands of the Gulf and Rivor St. Lawrence, to the 
 British Crown. In all the splendid achievements of the 
 British arms during these long protracted and sanguinary 
 conflicts, the people of New-England bore a very distin- 
 guished and conspicuous part. And no town, perhaps, 
 of equal size in New-England, contributed more to the 
 glory of the British Crown, than Newport. 
 
 The year 1758, is also rendered memorable in the 
 history of Rhode-Island, as opening the great political 
 drama of Messrs. Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward. — 
 Mr. Hopkins at the time, filled the chair of the Chief 
 Magistrate, and Mr. Ward entered the field to contend 
 with him for that honor. Mr. Ward was the favorite 
 candidate of the South, and received the almost undivided 
 support of the mercantile interest; while Mr. Hopkins 
 was as warmly supported by the yeomanry of the North, 
 and was again re-elected the three succeeding years. — 
 In 176*2, Sir. Ward was elected, but was defeated the 
 following year and Mr. Hopkins elected, The strife of 
 political party raged with increasing violence, until such 
 was the heart-burning hostility of the belligerent parties, 
 as very greatly to impair the enjoyment of domestic tran- 
 quility, and Interrupt the hospitalities of social life. 
 
 In 1763, the oflice of Deputy Governor was vacated 
 by the death of the Hon. John Gardiner, who then filled 
 that place. On the meeting of the General Assembly, 
 Mr. Hopkins and h'iends proposed that Mr. Ward be in- 
 vited to fill that office, and that he be elected by the 
 Assembly, then in session. Accordingly, a committee 
 waited on Mr. Ward with this proposition, which was in- 
 dii^nantly rejected, and a message returned, embracing 
 the only conditions of peace, viz: that both rival candi- 
 dates at the ensuing election, relinquish their pretensions 
 and retire from the field. 
 
 Another proposition was then submitted by the House 
 of Assistants to Mr. Ward, to induce him to accept that 
 office; that five, or one half of that body, would cheer- 
 fully resign their seats in favor of an equal number of his 
 
§0 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE^. 
 
 friends, and the division of the spoils, or the appointment 
 of the civil offices, should be equalized between the par- 
 ties, at the approaching election. This proposition was 
 too humiliating for the Spartan spirit of Mr. Ward, and 
 consequently was as unpropitious as the former ; and he 
 returned for answer, " that no peace could be expected 
 while Mr. Hopkins was in the chair." But repeated his 
 willingness to relinquish his pretensions, on condition that 
 Mr. Hopkins would do the same. Other overtures were 
 made to Mr. Ward, but without success, and both parties 
 prepared to enter the field w^ith fixed and settled resolu- 
 tion. 
 
 The friends of JMr„ Hopkins triumphed, and he w^as 
 again elected ; but the following spring he sufiered a de- 
 feat, and Mr. Ward and friends were crowned with lau- 
 rels of political glory, which they were permitted to wear 
 the two succeeding years. At the opening of the spring 
 campaign in 1767, Mr. Hopkins' party having been re- 
 cruited and drilled for the conflict, entered the field with 
 a fixed and settled resolution to oust the incumbents, and 
 achieved a most splendid victory, leaving Mr. Ward 
 minus, four hundred and fourteen. This was the last 
 pitched battle between the belligerent parties. 
 
 At the October session of the General Assembly, over- 
 tures of peace were again made by Governor Hopkins, to 
 Mr. Ward, which were soon followed by a cessation of 
 hostilities, and finally resulted in a reconciliation of the 
 parties. This proposition, highly honorable to Mr. Hop- 
 kins, was as follows, viz : that Mr. Ward and friends 
 should nominate a Governor from those in the interest of 
 Mr. Hopkins, and these should nominate a Deputy Gov- 
 ernor from among the friends of Mr. Ward, and so on, 
 alternately with the whole council : or, if Mr. Ward and 
 friends decline the first nomination, his Honor and those 
 associated with him, will nominate a Governor from 
 among the friends of Mr. Ward, and soon as before.— 
 Preliminaries were soon entered into by the parties at 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21 
 
 Providence, and a treaty of peace was finally concluded 
 at Newport, March 29ili, 1768. 
 
 These gentlemen were again soon called ftom the 
 peaceful quiet of domestic retirement, to enter the field, 
 not of political strife as foes, but to contend for the rights 
 of the Colonies against the encroachments of British 
 power, as friends ; to engage in the cause of American 
 Freedom, where one soul animated each heart. They 
 were among the first who fearlessly stood forth in defence 
 of the rights of their country. That they fully enjoyed 
 the confidence of their fellow-citizens, both as patriots and 
 statesmen, is demonstrated in their choice to represent 
 them in the first Continental Congress. 
 
 Mr. Hopkins' name stands inscribed on the proudest 
 monument of fame — the Declaration of American Inde- 
 pendence. And although, through the infirmities of age 
 and long continued duties of public life, his hand trem- 
 bled, his heart, never. Mr. Ward died the same year. 
 
 One of the most illustrious events in the history of this 
 nation, and of the world, and which very deeply involved 
 the interests of Rhode-Island, Is the American Revolu- 
 tion. The first settlers of this country never cherished 
 an hitention, or even a desire to establish a government 
 independent of the mother country. They settled here 
 as her Colonies. And during all the sanguinary scenes 
 of war, in which England had been engaged with other 
 nations, they had faithfully demonstrated their loyalty to 
 the British Crown. 
 
 Nor is it probable that this affectionate and loyal dis- 
 position on the part of the Colonies, could have been 
 alienated, but for the long continued aggressions of the 
 British ministry on their rights, touching the subject of 
 revenue and taxation. The first act of the British Par- 
 liament to tax the Colonies, passed that body in Septem- 
 ber, 1764; the avowed object ol which was to raise a 
 revenue for the better protection of his Majesty's Colo- 
 nies in New-England, by a duty paid the British Crown,, 
 on certain articles of commerce, sold in the Colonies, 
 
22 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 This act was doubtless put forth as a feeler by the 
 British Parliament, to prepare the way for the develop- 
 ment of the settled policy of that Government toward the 
 Colonies. Accordingly, the next spring, the famous, or 
 rather infamous stamp-act, passed both Houses of Parlia- 
 ment. This act decreed that all deeds, notes, bonds, &c. 
 in the Colqnies, should be null and void unless executed 
 on stamp paper, for which a duty must be paid the 
 Crown. The former act the Colonies did not, could 
 not approve, because it assumed the right to tax them 
 without their consent, not being represented in that body. 
 But such was still their loyalty and affection for the home 
 of their fathers, that they could, and did submit to it, 
 however oppressive and unjust. 
 
 But no sooner did a knowledge of the passage of the 
 stamp-act reach the Colonies, than one spontaneous burst 
 of indignation broke forth throughout the country. Re- 
 monstrances and resolutions were passed by most of the 
 Colonial Assemblies, condemning the act in the most un- 
 qualified manner, as both unconstitutional and unjust.-— 
 So general was the dissatisfaction, so powerful the spirit 
 of freedom in the infant Colonies, that these encroach- 
 ments of British power were resisted with patriotic indig- 
 nation ; and in niany places, paper bearing his Majesty's 
 seal, was not permitted to land. 
 
 Associations were formed and resolutions were passed, 
 into the spirit of which, the female sex entered with pa- 
 t;iotic ardor, not to import or use goods imported from 
 Great Britain, until this obnoxious and oppressiv^e act 
 be repealed. So universal and determined were the 
 Colonies in their opposition to this act, that Parliament 
 had no alternative but its repeal. This, however, was 
 followed by another act, which struck at the last hope of 
 freedom, and assumed the right and power, " In all cases 
 whatsoever, to bind the Colonies." Accordingly, a new 
 tax was laid on glass, paper, tea, &c. &c. This, to- 
 gether with other acts equally arbitrary and oppressive, 
 kindkd up anew the spirit of opposition to the British 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 23 
 
 ministry, which had measurably subsided on the repeal 
 of the stamp-act. 
 
 On the meeting of Parliament in February 1769, both 
 Houses of that body, in an address to the King, recom- 
 mended that the lioyal Governor of Massachusetts be 
 directed to notice all such as manifested a spirit of dis- 
 loyalty to his Majesty's edicts, that they might be sent to 
 England and tried as traitors. 
 
 This outrage on the common principles of justice and 
 humanity, alienated the affections of the Colonies from 
 the mother country, and kindled up the spirit of patriot- 
 ism, the fire of freedom on the American heart, until in 
 Congress assem.bled, they solemnly declare to the world, 
 appealing to the searcher of hearts for the purity of their 
 motives, " that they are, and of right ought to be free 
 and independent." Pledging thcii- lives, tlieir fortunes, 
 and sacred honor, to be free, or die. And through all 
 the gloomy scenes and sanguinary conflicts of the Revo- 
 lution, Rhode-Island was conspicuous in the achieve- 
 ment of that glorious event. 
 
 The first act of popular resistance in the great drama, 
 which separated the Colonies from Great Britain, and 
 iinally resulted in the American Independence, although 
 claimed by and awarded to others, was made at Newport, 
 in 1769, in the destruction of his Britannic Majesty's 
 armed sloop Liberty. 
 
 This sloop was fitted out by the King's officers at Bos- 
 ton, to enforce the revenue laws on the inhabitants of this 
 Colony ; and were directed to examine and detain all 
 vessels suspected of evading or violating those laws. — 
 Two vessels, a sloop and a brig, belonging to Connecti- 
 cut, had been seized and brought into Ne\vj)ort. A few 
 days subsequently, the Captain of the brig went on board 
 his vessel, when on inquiry for his wearing apparel, he 
 was informed they had been removed on board his Majes- 
 ty's sloop Liberty. Missing also his sword, he made in- 
 quiry for that, when he was told that a man belonging to 
 the Ijiberty, was lying on it in the cabin. As he descen- 
 
24 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 ded the cabin, he was met with a volley of savage and 
 cowardly oaths. He seized his sword, which the men of 
 the Liberty in vain attempted to wrest from his hands, 
 sprang into his boat with two of his men, and made for 
 the shore. On which the officer of the Liberty ordered 
 his men to fire on the Captain of the brig, and a musket 
 and brace of pistols were fired at the boat. 
 
 This unprovoked attack upon the life of Captain Pack- 
 wood, so enraged the populace of Newport, that ihe fol- 
 lowing evening, a large number of citizens met Captain 
 Reid of the sloop Liberty, on the Long-wharf, and de- 
 manded that the man should be sent for on shore, who 
 fired on Captain Packwood. Accordingly, a man was 
 sent for, but they asserted he was not the man. Another 
 was sent for, but he was not the man ; and another and 
 another, until ail the men on board, except the mate, 
 were on shore. A number then went on board the Liber- 
 ty, cut away her cables, when she drifted over to a wharf 
 on the point, where she grounded. Here they cut away 
 her masts, and threw overboard all her armament and 
 stores of war, scuttled her and left her to the mercy of 
 the elements.* 
 
 The fate of his Majesty's sloop Liberty may be learn- 
 ed from the Newport Mercury, July 31st, of that year. 
 '' Last Saturday, the sloop Liberty was floated by a high 
 tide, and drifted over to Goat Island, and is grounded at 
 the North end, near the place where the pirates were 
 buried. What this prognosticates, we leave to the de- 
 termination of astrologers." 
 
 August 7th, the same paper observes — " Last Monday 
 evening, just after the storm of rain, hail, and lightning, 
 the sloop Liberty, w^hich we mentioned in our last, as 
 
 * Her boats were dragged by the insulted and enthusiastic multi- 
 tude, up the Long-wharf, thenco up the Parade, through Broad- 
 street, at the head of which, on the Common, they were burned. — 
 Tradition says, tliat, owing tn the keel of the boats being shod with 
 iron, such was the velocity of their locomotion, as they passed up 
 the Parade, that a stream of fire was left in the rear, of several feet 
 in length. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. ^5 
 
 having drifted to Goat Island, near where the pirates 
 were buried, was discovered to be on fire, and continued 
 burning for several days, until almost entirely consumed." 
 
 This was the first act of popular violence to the British 
 power, and the first blow struck in the American Revo- 
 lution. The Gaspee was destroyed three years after, and 
 the people of Bostcn made their great dish of tea for 
 the fishes, in 1773. 
 
 In consequence of the associations and resolutions of 
 the Colonies to suspend the importation and use of tea, 
 a vast quantity of nearly twenty million pounds, accum- 
 ulated on the hands of the East-India Company ; when 
 Parliament granted them permission to export the same 
 to any part of the world, free from duty. Confident that 
 under these circumstances they should find a ready mar- 
 ket in America, they shipped large quantities to the Col- 
 onies. But it was too late. The resolution of the 
 Americans was fixed, and the market for tea was closed. 
 That destined for Boston, was consigned to the friends 
 and relatives of the Royal Governor. But the populace 
 were so enraged, that instead of its being landed on the 
 wharf, it was thrown into the sea. 
 
 On the first intelligence of this in England, the Boston 
 port bill was passed by the British Parliament, by which 
 its commerce was entirely destroyed, and many of its in- 
 habitants reduced to the greatest distress. Expressions 
 of sympathy, and resolutions of united resistance to these 
 arbitrary and cruel measures of the British throne, were 
 forwarded from every part of the country to the suffering 
 inhabitants of Boston. 
 
 The people of Newport, in tov/n-meeting Jan. 12, 
 1774, passed the following resolutions : '•' Whereas the 
 East-India Company, notwithstanding the resolutions of 
 the Colonies not to import tea while it remains subject to 
 a duty in America, have attempted to force large quanti- 
 ties thereof into som.e of our sister Colonies without their 
 consent, in order to be sold in this country ; and whereas 
 3 
 
526 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. | 
 
 i 
 they may attempt to introduce it into this Colony, we the 
 
 inhabitants of Newport, legally convened in town-meet-- 
 ing, do firmly resolve : 
 
 " 1. That the disposal of their own property is the inhe-^ 
 rent right of freemen: that there can be no property in that! 
 which another can of right take from them without their i 
 consent: that the claim of Parliament to tax America, is 
 a claim of right to levy contributions upon us at their 
 pleasure. 
 
 " 2. That the duty imposed by Parliament on tea, is 
 taxing the Americans, or levying contributions on them 
 without their consent. 
 
 " 3. That a virtuous and inflexible opposition to the 
 ministerial plan of governing America, is absolutely nec- 
 essary to preserve even the shadow of liberty, and is a 
 duty which every freeman in America owes to his coun- 
 try, to himself and to his posterity. 
 
 " 4. That the resolution lately entered into by the East- 
 India Company to send out their tea to America, subject 
 to the payment of a duty on being landed here, is an open 
 attempt to force the ministerial plan, and a violent attack;! 
 upon the liberties of the Americans. I 
 
 *' 5. That ifis the duty of every American to oppose 
 this attempt. That whoever shall directly or indirectly 
 countenance this attempt, or in any wise aid or abet in 
 unloading, receiving or vending the tea sent out by the 
 East-India Company, or by any other person, while it re-^ 
 mains subject to the payment of a duty in America, is an 
 enemy to his country." 
 
 This meeting appointed a committee of vigilance, whose 
 duty it was, on the first information or even suspicion of 
 any tea being imported into this town, immediately to 
 wait on the master of the vessel who shall bring the same, 
 or the merchant to whom it shall belong, requesting that 
 it shall not be landed ; and immediately call a town- 
 meeting, to consider and take measures, such as the case 
 may require. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21 
 
 At a subsequent town-meeting they passed the follow- 
 ing expression of sympathy for the suffering inhabitants 
 of Boston : " Resolved, that we have the deepest sense 
 of the injuries done the town of Boston, by tlie act of Par- 
 liament lately passed, for putting an end to their trade 
 and destroying their port : And that we consider this at- 
 tack upon them, as utterly subversive of American liber- 
 ty ; for the same power may at pleasure destroy the trade 
 and shut up the ports of every other Colony, so that there 
 will be a total end of all property. 
 
 *' Resolved, that we will heartily unite with the other 
 Colonies in all reasonable and proper measures lo procure 
 the establishment of the rights of the Colonies ; and par- 
 ticularly in case the other Colonies shall, upon this most 
 alarming occasion, put a stop to their trade with Great 
 Britain and the West Indies, we will heartily join with 
 them, in the measure. 
 
 An exciting and animated paper was circulated in New- 
 port, with this motto, " Join or die." The state of Bos- 
 ton was represented as a regular siege, and this a direct 
 and hostile invasion of all the Colonies. " The Generals 
 
 of xlcjpotiam (it says) are now drawing the lines of cir- 
 cumvallation around our bulwarks of liberty, and nothing 
 but unity, resolution and perseverance can save ourselves 
 and posterity from what is worse than death — slavery." 
 
 The second act of popular violence to the British 
 Crown was in the destruction of the Gaspee, in June, 
 1772. Lieut. Duddington, her commander, for several 
 months had assumed an attitude calculated to cultivate 
 any but tlie feelings of reverence and respect. He con- 
 stantly boarded, searched, and otherwise greatly annoyed 
 the vessels which passed up and down the river, treating 
 their commanders with indignity and contempt. A pack- 
 et passing up the river to Providence, w^as hailed by 
 Lieut. Duddington, and ordered to take down her colors, 
 as a tribute of respect to the flag of his Sacred Majesty 
 King George. Her commander had too much of the spi- 
 rit of a patriot, to bow in obsequious homage, and passed 
 
^8 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 on without paying the tribute demanded. On this, the 
 Gaspee fired upon the sloop, and gave chasa ; but by the 
 successful manoeuvering of the American commander, the 
 Gaspee was run aground a few miles below Providence, 
 while the sloop proceeded gallantly on her way into har- 
 bor. That same evening, at the suggestion of Mr. John 
 Brown, of Providence, Capt. (afterwards Com.) Whipple, 
 and a few brave spirits with him, boarded and carried her, 
 setting the Lieutenant and his crew on shore, and the 
 Gaspee on fire.* 
 
 We have now arrived at a period in the history of 
 Rhode-Island, and especially of Kev/port, on which mem- 
 ory delights to dwell. Previous to the commencement 
 of the American Revolution, the prosperity of Newport 
 had been unequalled in the history of the new world. — 
 Her streets were thronged with the intelligent and en- 
 terprising of distant lands, and the canvass of differ- 
 ent nations whitened her capacious and delightful har- 
 bor. 
 
 The local situation of the town and the surpassing 
 scenery of the Island, induced many strangers of wealth 
 and distinction, to make it the place of their temporary 
 abode. Dr. Benjamin Yv^aterhouse, himself a native of 
 Newport, in a piece published in the Boston Intelligencer 
 in 1824, entitled, '^Medical Literature of Rhode-Island, 
 with a sketch of some of her most eminent nien," says, 
 " The Island of Rhode-Island, from its salubrity and sur- 
 passing beauty before the Revolutionary war so sadly 
 defaced it, was the chosen resort of the rich and piiiloso- 
 phic, from nearly all parts of the civilized world. In no 
 spot of the thirteen or rather twelve Colonies, was there 
 concentrated more individual opulence, learning and 
 liberal leisure." 
 
 This was truly so in a most eminent degree. For, 
 before our Eden Vv-as so defaced by the ruthless hand of 
 an invading foe, we find the town of Newport taking pre- 
 
 *Col. Ephraim Bovven,n()W in Ins 86ih year, is the only survivor 
 of the party who destroyed the Gaspee. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 09 
 
 cedence in colonial importance next to Boston, to whom 
 only she yielded the palm of commercial consequence : 
 which rank she continued to hold, until those convulsions 
 which preceded the Revolution, commenced. As late as 
 1769, although New- York then surpassed her in local 
 trade, yet Newport outrivalled her in foreign and domes- 
 tic navigation. The inhabitants of New-Haven, New- 
 London, he, depended entirely on Newport for a market 
 to supply themselves with foreign goods, and here they 
 found a ready market for the produce of their own State. 
 Her merchants were among the most enterprising and 
 wealthy, and one of them, Mr. Aaron Lopez, is said to 
 have employed more than thirty sail of vessels of differ- 
 ent descriptions, at one time. Mr. Lopez was the first, 
 or among the first, to push the whaling business as far as 
 the Falkland Islands. The navigation of Newport in- 
 cluded a regular line of London packets, which, together 
 with all others engaged in foreign trade, amounted to 
 nearly two hundred vessels, and the coasting trade to 
 more than three hundred and fifty. The population of 
 Newport at this time is said to have been eleven thou- 
 sand, a great portion of which was literary and refined, 
 and savored of the elegance, opulence and aristocratic 
 feelings of Old England. Many of the inhabitants were 
 from the first families of England, and Newport was re- 
 garded not only for her commercial consequence, but as 
 the emporium of fashion, refinement and taste. This 
 aristocratic trait of character has continued among her in- 
 habitants almost to the present day. But the change of 
 our population, and the death, dispersion and poverty of 
 those families, has now reduced society more conformable 
 to the general republican manners of the country, and has 
 levelled those arbitrary distinctions which once so gener- 
 ally prevailed. Among the former inhabitants of New- 
 port were found about three hundred of the dispersed 
 house of Israel, who contributed much to the wealth and 
 commercial prosperity of the town. Some of them were 
 among the most respectable and enterprising merchants 
 3* 
 
30 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 of the place. The war, however, scattered them, and at 
 the return of peace, very few of this class of her citizens- 
 were to he found in Newport; and of these few families, 
 not a solitary individual now remains. And for several 
 years before their final exit, all that were left of these 
 descendants of Abraham, were two bachelor brothers, 
 of the Lopez family, one of whom died about ten years 
 ago ; soon after which, the survivor removed to New-York. 
 
 The synagogue, built about the year 1762, which was 
 once thronged with worshipers, is now never used, ex- 
 cept occasionally lor the solemnities of the funeral ser- 
 vice of some of their descendants, who may have 
 directed that their remains be brought to this town for 
 interment, in the burial place of their fathers. 
 
 The burial place, the synagogue, and the street on 
 which they fiont, are now kept in repair by the in- 
 terest of a bequest to the Legislature of the State and 
 the municipal authority of Newport, by the late Abra- 
 ham Touro,* a native of this town, but who had mostly 
 resided in Boston. He was son of Isaac Touro, late 
 priest of the Jewish congregation in this place. — 
 After the street was repaired from this fund, the free- 
 men changed its name from Griffin to Touro-street. 
 
 *" Abraham Touro, the founder of Uiis fund, was a native of New- 
 port, and son of the Rev. Isaac Touro, the Minister of the Hebrew 
 congregation in this place. He settled in Boston, in the occupation 
 of an insurance broker, and by his industry and intecrity, acquired 
 a large property. The Hebrew Society in "Newport, Yor which Mr. 
 Touro felt a deep interest, having become by deaths and removals, 
 extinct, in ]820, he visited Newport, and caused to be erected, a 
 permanent brick wall, to enclose the Jewish burial ground. At the 
 time of his death, he had it in contemplation to remove to Newport, 
 with a view to the superintendence and preservation of the Syna- 
 gogue and burial ground. * 
 
 His death was occasioned by an accident, while viewing a military 
 parade at Boston, on the 3d of October, 1822, in a chaise. His horse 
 being frightened by the firing of the artillery, became unmanagable, 
 and Mr. T., in leaping from the carriage, fractured his leg so severe- 
 ly, that notwithstanding the best surgical aid, a mortification ensu- 
 ed, which terminated his mortal existence, on Friday the 18th of 
 October, at the age of 48 years. His remains, pursuant to his last 
 request, were brought to Newport and respectfully interred in the- 
 Jewish cemetery." 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 21 
 
 Her literary and professional men of those limes, 
 were among the first in America. The names of Hun- 
 ter, Halliburton, Brett, MofFai, &;c. rank high among 
 the most eminent physicians of that, or any other age. 
 Dr. Waterhouse says, " About the year 1756, Dr. 
 William Hunter gave at Newport, R. L the first ana- 
 tomical and surgical lectures ever delivered in the twelve 
 Colonies. They were delivered in the Court House, 
 two seasons in succession, by cards of invitation, and 
 to great satisfaction. His collection of instruments was 
 much larger than any professor exhibits at this day. 
 Dr. Hunter was a man of talents, well educated at Edin- 
 burgh, and a gentleman of taste in the fine arts." He 
 further says, alluding to Doctors Hunter and Hallibur- 
 ton, "We doubt whether Boston, New- York or Phila- 
 delphia ever had, at one and the same time, two prac- 
 titioners of physic and surgery better educated and 
 more skilful tiian these two gentlemen." 
 
 To them succeeded Dr. Isaac Senter, whose char- 
 acter is too well known for me to dwell upon, since 
 he is quoted with approbation in Europe. The Dr. 
 asserts, that " Metalurgical Chemistry was perhaps as 
 well known, if not better, at that period, in Rhode- 
 island, as in any city in the English Colonies." He 
 also says, " At that time there were more and complete 
 chemical laboratories in Rhode-island, than were to be 
 found in Massachusetts prior to fifteen years ago." 
 
 Among the Divines of that day, who were distin- 
 guished for their learning and piety, was the Rev. John 
 Calender, particular mention of whom is made in that 
 part of this discourse which glances at the history of 
 the First I3aptist Church. 
 
 The Rev. Dr. Stiles, who was for a number of 
 years I^astor of the First Congregational Church in 
 Newport, and who was afterwards President of Yale 
 College, was well known as a man of great literary 
 attainments. 
 
 The Rev. Arthur Brown was born and received his 
 
32 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 school education in Newport. He was afterwards Pre- 
 sident of Trinity College, in Dublin, and a naan of 
 celebrity as a scholar and a gentleman. 
 
 Many of you have still in recollection the late Dr. 
 Samuel Hopkins, formerly Pastor of the First Congre- 
 gational Church in this town. He was a man who 
 shone conspicuously as a Christian, generous and liber- 
 al in his feelings, respectable as a metaphysician, and 
 distinguished as the originator of a doctrine bearing his 
 name. 
 
 Dr. Waterhouse says — " Newport was never wanting 
 in good classical schools. The Episcopal Church and 
 the Quakers, who were very numerous, took particular, 
 care of education, especially the first. Newport was the 
 only place in New-England, where the Hebrew language 
 was publicly read and chanted by more than three hun- 
 dred of the descendants of Abraham." 
 
 In 1730, a number of gentlemen in Newport formed 
 themselves into a society for the promotion of science and 
 general literature, and met weekly for the discussion of 
 questions connected with the interests, and designed to 
 facilitate the prosperity of the society. This society 
 continued until 1747, when it was enlarged, and the pre- 
 sent Redwood Library Company was formed, who were 
 incorporated in August, of that year. One of their 
 members, Mr. Abraham Redwood, who was a member 
 of the Society of Friends, gave them £500, which was 
 laid out in London, in well selected and valuable books. 
 
 Mr. Henry Collins presented the Company with the 
 valuable lot of land on which the present building was 
 erected in 1748. During the war, the British plundered 
 it of many of its valuable books, and carried them away. 
 For several years after the war, the Company w^as in a 
 languishing state, and through inattention, many of the 
 remaining volumes were taken out without any regular- 
 ity of delivery, and many of these were never returned. 
 
 In 1810, the Company was again revived, and the 
 laws and regulations of the institution revised. In 1816, 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 33^ 
 
 there were about 1500 volumes in the library — since 
 that time, considerable additions have been made, and it 
 is now in a flourishing condition. It Jias lately received 
 a valuable donation of books from the King of England, 
 consisting of eighty-four volumes, of which seventy -two 
 are large folios, and twelve octavos, "which is said to be 
 the largest collection ever sent to this country." The 
 entire set has been nearly thirty-five years in the course 
 of publication, and for the great demand for the different 
 works of which it is composed, many of them have be- 
 come exceedingly scarce, and some of them are now out 
 of print. 
 
 The re-printing of these valuable documents of histo- 
 ry, law, and government, was occasioned by an address 
 of the British House of Commons, to George III. in 
 1800 — requesting his Majesty to give directions for the 
 better preservation, arrangement, and more convenient 
 use of the public records of the kingdom. They consist 
 of Dooms-day book. Statutes of the Realm, Farliam.en- 
 tary acts of both England. Scotland, k.c. k.c. 
 
 Rhode-Island was formerly graced with many fine, 
 country seats, and that of tije "late Godfrry Mulbune, 
 near the head of the town, which was destroyed by fire 
 in 1766, was joerhaps superior to any in America, for 
 elegance, both in the architecture of the mansion house, 
 and the fine taste displayed in its once magnificent gar- 
 den — the ruins of which, to this day, give us some idea 
 of its former splendor. 
 
 It is remarked by Dr. Waterhouse, that in architectural 
 taste and costly structure, Newport stood pre-eminent. — 
 He says — " Where is there a structure now in New- 
 England, that surpasses the Redwood Library ? We 
 have only to lament its perishable material. If you say 
 that it was copied from an Athenian temple, still tliere is 
 some credit due to them in selecting seventy years ago, 
 and relishing so chaste a specimen of Grecian taste." 
 
 The beautiful scenery, the delightful atmosphere, and 
 the charms of literature and refinement, induced the cele- 
 
34 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 brated Dean Berkley, afterward Bishop of Cloyne, to 
 make this, in 1728, his residence for several years. — 
 With a number of literary gentlemen, this learned pre- 
 late crossed the Atlantic, with a view of establishing a 
 college in Bermuda. But, perhaps, not readily finding 
 that speck in the ocean, they found their way into our 
 harbor. 
 
 It was l:iere that distinguished and celebrated Divine- 
 is said to have written his " Minute Philosopher," which' 
 will stand as an imperishable monument from age to age,- 
 of the intelligence, refinement, and piety of its author. — 
 He purchased a farm not far from Newport, where he 
 erected an elegant mansion, called White Hall, and 
 which on his departure from this country, he presented 
 with a library of nearly a thousand volumes, to Yale 
 College. 
 
 Other literary institutions of New-England, have en- 
 rolled his name among their most munificent and liberal 
 benefactors. It is said that the cup used in the commun- 
 ion service, by the Church in East Greenwich, belonged 
 to Dean Berkley. He presented to Trinity Church, in 
 Kewporr, an elegant aud fine tonea organ, which stni re- 
 mains in that edifice. 
 
 His exit from the toils of earth to the rewards of grace, 
 was on Sabbath evening, January 14th, 1753, while en- 
 gaged in family devotion, in the 69th year of his age.— > 
 ^' The memory of the just is blessed," 
 
 The beautiful and enchanting scenery of the Island is 
 a reason, perhaps, why so many of her sons in their 
 youthful days, indulge in poetry and painting. Newport 
 has been fertile in producing artists, some of v/hom stand 
 in the foremost rank of their profession. The late 
 Gilbert Stuart w^as a native of Rhode-Island, and is by 
 the united voice of the civilized world, pronounced to 
 have been the greatest painter of the human head, that 
 the age in which he lived, produced — and, perhaps, of 
 any other age. 
 
 The form and features of the father of our countr)^. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 35 
 
 the immortal Washington, from his pencil, will be trans- 
 mitted to posterity, not only with truth and accuracy, 
 but in a style of execution woithy of the swbject — and 
 that too, by a son of our own favored Isle — who, as an 
 artist, whether foreign or native, was alone worthy of 
 the honor. 
 
 Edward Malbone, another of her sons, has left an im- 
 perishable fame, as a miniature painter. It is said that 
 when Mr. Malbone, who went ta Europe for the purpose 
 of improvement in his profession, w^as introduced to Mr. 
 West, and produced specimens of his work, after exam- 
 ining them, that distinguished and celebrated artist in- 
 quired for what purpose he had come to England ? — 
 Mr. INIalbone answered, to perfect himself in the art of 
 painting. Mr. West replied. Sir, you can go home 
 again, for a man who can paint such a picture as this, 
 need not come to England for instruction. 
 
 Washington Allston received his first instructions as a 
 painter, from Mr. Samuel King, late of Newport ; and 
 his propensity for painting, was probably cultivated by 
 his residence during his boyish days, amidst the scenery 
 of Newport, whence he had come from South Carolina, 
 to attend the classical school in this place, kept by the 
 late Robert Rogers. Charles B. King, now resident in 
 Washington City, where, as a painter, he is much pat- 
 ronized, is also a native of Newport. And many of the 
 youth of our Island, who have not engaged in this em- 
 ployment as a profession, in their early days have sketch- 
 ed and drawn and painted, until immersed in the cares 
 and business of life, they have dropped the i)encil, but 
 still retain the taste. 
 
 William Claggett, a celebrated artist, althougli not a 
 native, but an adopted son of Newport, where he spent 
 more than twenty years of his life, deserves a place in 
 the history of Rhode-Island. He came to this country 
 from Wales, when about twelve years of age. He served 
 his time as an apprentice at the clock-making business in 
 Boston, where he remained until 1727, when he rennov- 
 
36 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 ed to Newport and commenced the business of his pro^ 
 fession in this town. Many of his clocks are still re- 
 maining in the ancient dwellings of Newport. 
 
 Mr. Claggett is justly distinguished for his early andl 
 successful experiments on electricity. He constructed! 
 an electrical machine of such dimensions, as to occupy 
 the principal part of one of the rooms of his house. At 
 the request of several gentlemen of Boston, he carried 
 his machine to that place, and such was the satisfaction 
 of the people of that town with his experiments, (all of 
 which were made for the benefit of the afflicted) that 
 he received about £1500 in three weeks. He was inti- 
 mately acquainted with the celebrated Dr. Benjamin 
 Franklin, and it is said that when the Dr. visited New- 
 port some time previous to Mr. Claggett's death, although 
 he had made some electrical experiments by tlie friction 
 of glass bars, yet this was the first machine of the kind 
 he had ever seen. The Dr. was exceedingly interested 
 in it, and was probably aided by it in his own future 
 triumphant and successful experiments. Subsequently 
 to the death of Mr. Claggett, and while Dr. Franklin was 
 in Philadelphia, his son Thomjas Claggett, desirous of 
 setting up a machine on the plan improved by Dr. Frank- 
 lin, and as a cylinder v/as not to be obtained in this part 
 of the country, sent to the Dr. to procure one for him. 
 His request was readily complied with by Franklin, who, 
 when learning that it w^as for fhe son of his old friend, 
 William Claggett, refused to accept the money sent for 
 its purchase. 
 
 Mr. Claggett died on the iSth of October, 1749, in 
 the 54th year of his age. He was a member of the First 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 The harbor of Newport was occupied by the King's 
 ships, for several years previous to the actual commence- 
 ment of hostilities, for the purpose of enforcing the 
 revenue laws and sustaining the authority of his Majesty 
 over the Colony. But after the destruction of the sloop 
 Liberty in our harbor, and as the hostility of the Colonies 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 37 
 
 to the acts of the British ministry began more fully to 
 develope itself, their number was increased, until a whole 
 squadron of ships of war, under command of Admiral 
 Wallace, were stationed in our bay, to watch over his 
 Majesty's subjects in Rhode-Island. 
 
 On the 19th of April, 1775, the dark elements of strife, 
 which had been so long gathering, portentous of the 
 storm of death, burst upon the Colonies in the battle of 
 Lexington, where eight Americans were shot by the 
 wanton cruelty of the British Commander, without the 
 least provocation. This fired the Americans with indig- 
 nation, and the battle of Bunker Hill, and the surrender 
 of Ticonderoga to the American arms, followed each 
 other in quick succession. 
 
 In May, of this year, a regiment was raised in the 
 county of Newport, commanded by Col. Church, of 
 Little Compton. Newport raised three companies, of 
 sixty men each, commanded by John Topham, William 
 Tew, and Ebenezer Fla^i];. Portsmouth raised one 
 
 • mi • 
 
 company, commanded by Jonathan Browning. This 
 regiment marched to Boston and joined the American 
 army at that place, during this and the following month, 
 when this Island was guarded by the militia and minute- 
 men. 
 
 Sept. — Admiral Wallace who commanded the British 
 fleet in our harbor at this time, exciting the suspicion 
 of the inhabitants, that he intended to remove from the 
 south part of the Island a quantity of stock, several per- 
 sons during the night went down and brought off about 
 fifty head of cattle and one thousand sheep. A few days 
 after this, Wallace removed some stock from the two 
 lower farms on the Island, where it was supposed they 
 had been collected for supplying his Majesty's troops at 
 Boston. But the arrival of three hundred minute-men, 
 who marched to the place and drove off the remaining 
 cattle, prevented any more from being removed by the 
 enemy. But this so enraged the British lion, that he 
 threatened destruction to everv thing aiound him, both 
 4 
 
38 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 by sea and by land. He laid the town under contribu- 
 tion to supply the fleet with provisions, and urged hisi 
 rigorous demands, by cutting oft' all supplies of fuel andi 
 provisions from the main, and by continued threats ofl 
 cannonading the town. The menacing attitude of Wal- 
 lace against the place, threw the inhabitants into the 
 greatest agitation and distress, and about one half of the 
 population left the town, and many the Island. Nearly 
 all our principal merchants left, with their families and 
 effects. Among these was Mr. Aaron Lopez, m.entioned 
 in another part of this discourse. He removed to and 
 settled in Leicester, Mass. Mr. Lopez was afterward 
 drowned in his carriage, in Scott's Pond, a few miles 
 North of Providence. 
 
 A treaty was finally concluded between Wallace and! 
 the town of Newport, by consent of the State Govern- 
 ment, and concurrence of the Continental Congress, then 
 in session; who, unanimously recommended that in the 
 present exigency, Newport should supply the fleet with 
 beer and fresh provisions, as usual, and also the removal 
 of the troops from the town, such being the conditions 
 of the treaty, Wallace agreeing to remove his restric- 
 tions. 
 
 Many were of the opinion that Wallace dared not 
 burn the town, and that his only object w-as to awe its 
 inhabitants into compliance with his demands. On the 
 7th of October, he sailed up the river to Bristol, where 
 he demanded three hundred sheep in sacrifice to his 
 sacred Majesty, King George. But the inhabitants of 
 that town not being satisfied of the divine right of his 
 Majesty to make the demand, refused the sacrifice. — 
 That evening about 8 o'clock, Wallace commenced a 
 heavy cannonading of the town, and Governor Bradford's 
 house, wath several others, was burnt. The women and 
 children, amidst the darkness and gloom of night, al- 
 though the rain poured down in torrents, sought protec- 
 tion from their merciless invaders, in the open fields of 
 the adjacent country, Wallace captured all American 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 39 
 
 vessels that came into port, and sent them to Boston, 
 with their crews on board, and many of them never re- 
 turned. About the last of November, he sailed out of 
 the harbor, passed over to Connanicut, landed about two 
 hundred marines, and burnt all the buildings at and in 
 the neighborhood of the ferry. This wanton outrage in 
 the destruction of property, was aggravated by the death 
 of one of the inhabitants of the Island, who was shot 
 while standing at his own door. 
 
 It is a well known fact in the history of those times, 
 tliat little was ever effected by the blockadmg squadron 
 of Wallace, except keeping the inhabitants in continual 
 alarm, by threats and petty depredations on the adjacent 
 Islands and neighborhoods. He landed on Prudence, 
 and burnt and plundered the whole Island. He would 
 also, when the weather was disagreeable and the walking 
 bad, parade his vessel round the harbor, and up and 
 down the river, for the purpose of harrassing our trnopc, 
 in watching his motions, and following hnii by night and 
 by day. 
 
 About this time a regiment was raised for this station, 
 commanded by Col. Babcock. Gen. Lee was also sent 
 from Boston to our assistance, by General Washington, 
 with several companies of riflemen. He arrested all the 
 vtories he could find, imposed upon them the most severe 
 restrictions, and soon after returned to Boston. 
 
 In the autumn of this year, a large number of the 
 Rhode-Island troops stationed at Boston, embarked in 
 Montgomery's expedition against Quebec, under com- 
 mand of Gen. Arnold. No expedition during the war, 
 involved greater difticulties, or developed a more uncon- 
 querable spirit of perseverance than this. Their march 
 through a trackless, unexplored wilderness, for more than 
 three hundred miles, rendered their progress slow and 
 difficult. They had swamps and woods, mountains and 
 precipices to encounter, and what was still more appal- 
 ling, their provisions failed them several days before they 
 reached the habitation of man. To support life, they 
 
40 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 were compelled to eat their dogs, shoes, he. and when 
 at one hundred miles from a human habitation, they 
 divided their last morsel of bread. Many who sunk I 
 under the weight of their sufferings, were left to perish 
 in the wilderness. And yet such was their unconquera- 
 ble spirit of patriotism, that their fortitude remained 
 unshaken. On the first of December, a siege was com- 
 menced upon Quebec, by the united forces of Arnold 
 and Montgomery. At the expiration of the month, 
 there being little prospect of effecting any thing by the 
 siege, the bold and hazardous plan was adopted of at- 
 tempting the place by scaling the walls. The attempt 
 was to be made simultaneously in different parts of the 
 town, by Montgomery and Arnold. The throwing of a 
 rocket was the appointed signal, when the attack was 
 made, and the work of death began. 
 
 The attempt proved unsuccessful, and fatal to the 
 brave Gen. Montgomery, who fell at the onset, with two 
 distinguished officers at his side. The fort assisfned to 
 Arnold was carried, and held in possession until the fol- 
 lowing morning, when a flag from Sir Guy Carlton, com- 
 mander of the British forces at Quebec, informed them 
 of the death of Gen. Montgomery, and the retreat of his 
 army. It is said that that magnanimous commander, 
 when the American prisoners were marched into the 
 British barracks, expressed to our suffering troops the 
 sympathies of a friend, rather than the cold austerities of 
 an enemy — and that he supplied them with every con- 
 venience to render their condition comfortable. 
 
 Gen. Arnold was wounded in the action and carried 
 from the field, when the command devolved on, and the 
 fort was taken by Col. Morgan, a gallant and intrepid 
 ofHcer. 
 
 Gen. Arnold remained encamped during the winter, a 
 few miles from Quebec, but the following spring not be- 
 ing reinforced, and his own forces being insufficient to 
 attempt the reduction of the place, he retired, and by the 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 41 
 
 middle of June, tlie Americans bad wholly evacuated 
 Canada. 
 
 Wallace maintained the possession of our harbor until 
 the spring of 1776. On the 6tb of April, troops having 
 been sent to our assistance from Providence, with two 
 row-gallies of two eighteen pounders each, and while the 
 fleet lay at anchor about a mile above Newport, Col. 
 Babcock directed that two eighteen pounders be planted 
 on an eminence near the shore, in open view of the ene- 
 my, and without any works to protect them. Here the 
 intrepid Col. Elliot, together with the gallies under com- 
 mand of Commodore Grimes, soon rendered the situa- 
 tion of the cowardly Wallace extremely uncomfortable, 
 and he abandoned the harbor, with his whole squadron. 
 The Glasgow, of twenty guns, commanded by Captain 
 Snow, returned to Newport, and came to anchor near 
 Fort Island, having fallen in with, and received a severe 
 chastisement from Admiral Hopkins, off Block Island. — 
 The same evening, Colonel Richmond ordered several 
 pieces of heavy artillery to be brought and placed on 
 Brenton's Point, where a slight breastwork was thrown 
 up during the night. The following morning he opened 
 so vigorous and well-directed a fire upon her and the 
 transport ship Snow, that they hastily cut their cables 
 and went out to sea. 
 
 A few days subsequently, the British ship of war Scar- 
 borough, of twenty guns and two hundred and twenty- 
 five men, with the Scymetar, of eighteen guns and one 
 hundred and forty men, having with them two prize 
 ships, put into our harbor and came to anchor a little to 
 the South of Rose Island. A resolution was at once 
 formed, to attempt the rescue of the prizes. The plan 
 adopted was for Captain Hyers, of the Washington gal- 
 ley, to attack and hold the Scarborough at bay, while 
 Captain Grimes, of the Spitfire galley, was to board 
 and bring off the prizes. Col. Babcock had also made 
 preparations, in case either of the ships should approach 
 sufficiently near the North Battery or Brenton's Point, 
 4* 
 
42 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 to give tbem at those places a warm reception. About 
 II o'clock at nighi, Captain Grimes came along side, 
 and boarded and took the prize brig from under the stern 
 of the man of war. The Scarborough immediately pre- 
 pared to give chase, but was so annoyed and embarrassed 
 in her course by Captain Hyers, that the brig was 
 brought safely to harbor, and the Scarborough within 
 reach of the North Battery; when Col. Babcock poured 
 upon her such an incessant flood of balls, together with 
 the well-directed and galling fire of the Washington gal- 
 ley, as entirely to arrest her progress and prevent further 
 pursuit. At that moment, the prize sloop was sailing 
 with the intention of getting under the protecting wing of 
 the Scarborough, but was disappointed by the intrepidity 
 of Captain Grimes, who cut her off, boarded, and sent 
 her to Providence. 
 
 The British ships having both received a severe chas- 
 tisement, the Scarborough from the North Battery and 
 the Washington galley, and the Scymetar from the Bat- 
 tery at Brenton's Point and the Spitfire galley. Captain 
 Grimes, came to anchor between Connanicut and Rose 
 Island. But this position was as unpropitious as the for- 
 mer, for a battery was opened and the storm of death 
 soon came down upon them from the shores of Connani- 
 cut ; so that finding no safety in our harbor, and danger 
 threatening whichever way they fly, they deemed it the 
 better part of valor to abandon tlieir position by a hasty 
 and inglorious retreat. But in leaving our harbor, they 
 had another fiery ordeal to pass, both at Brenton's Point 
 and Castle Hill, where they received a severe and vigor- 
 ous cannonade from the American batteries at those 
 places. The ships returned the fire with great rage, and 
 departed in mortification and disgrace. During these 
 eight or ten days of almost incessant and successful strug- 
 gles, the Americans had only one man slightly wounded. 
 
 During this season a number of privateers were fitted 
 out from this town and Providence, which captured from 
 fifty to one hundred valuable prizes, which were sent to 
 Providence, New-London, &;c. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 43 
 
 Early in the fall, intelligence was received that a large 
 British fleet and army were soon expected to arrive, to 
 take possession of the Island. All the cattle the Ameri- 
 can commander could collect, prohably one half on the 
 Island, were driven to Howland's Ferry, and swam over 
 the river, to prevent their falling into the hands of the 
 enemy. 
 
 In December, the British fleet and army arrived, un- 
 der the conduct of Sir Peter Parker. The American 
 force being altogether insuflicicnt to make any effectual 
 resistance, retreated from the Island, and many of the 
 inhabitants left at the same time. The fleet ran up the 
 west side of Connanicut, crossed over from the north 
 point of that Island, and landed their troops in Middle- 
 town, about four and a half miles from Newport. The 
 British army consisted of about eight or ten thousand men, 
 English and Hessians, of each about an equal number, 
 commanded by Gen. Clinton and Lord Percy. They 
 marched up and encamped on Gould's and Weaver's 
 hill, except a few, who landed at Coddington's cove and 
 marched into Newport. 
 
 When the fleet arrived here, there w^ere two new 
 Rhode-Island frigates, called the Warren and the Provi- 
 dence, lying in our harbor, with eight or ten privateers, 
 which all got under way and run up the river. Both 
 frigates and privateers, however, during the winter, tak- 
 ing advantage of the North East wind, made their escape 
 and went to sea, notwithstanding, the utmost vigilance 
 with which every passage was guarded by the British 
 fleet ; demonstrating the importance of our bay, and 
 proving the impossibility of its being closely blockaded. 
 
 As soon as the army landed, they commenced plunder- 
 ing the inhabitants; sheep, fowls, stacks of hay, and every 
 thing else they could plunder, went oiTas by the hand of 
 magic, the first night. 
 
 After having remained in camp for one week, the 
 barrack ofHcer w^ent through the neighborhood, surveying 
 every house, and unceremoniously quartering in each, 
 
44 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 from ten to forty and forty-five men, according to thej 
 size and convenience of the house. They remained 
 quartered on the inhabitants until May following, when 
 they again returned to camp. About this time, several 
 tliousand of the British troops left Rhode-Island for New- 
 York, under command of Gen. Clinton and Lord Percy. 
 The command then devolved on Gen. Prescott. 
 
 Prescott was a haughty, tyrannical commander, and: 
 actuated by principles and habits purely aristocratical. — 
 He was illy qualified to cultivate the friendship of his 
 enemies, or perpetuate the affection and strengthen the 
 confidence of his friends.* 
 
 * His constant habit while walking the streets, if he saw any of 
 the inhabitants conversing together, was to shake his cane at ihem, 
 and say, 'disperse, ye rebels." He was also in the habit when he 
 met the citizens in the streets, of commanding them to take off their 
 hats, and unless instantly complied with, they were removed by a 
 gentle rap of the General's cane. One evening, as the General was 
 passing out of town to liis quarters, he overtook a Quaker, who not 
 feeling so much reverence for his Majesty's ofBcer, as to doffhis hat, 
 the General pressed upon him with his courser until he pinned him 
 against the wall, knocked off' his hat, and then put him under guard. 
 
 Gen. Prescott caused many of the citizens of JNewport to be ar- 
 rested and detained in prison, some of them for months, without any 
 charge, or any assigned reason, whatever. Among the number thus 
 detained, was a Mr. Allen. He was in jail for several months, with- 
 out ever knowing his particular offence. While stationed here, the 
 General and officers were in the habit of giving large and splendid 
 parties, to which, many of the first families in Newport were invit- 
 ed. One evening, during one of those splendid festivals, the conver- 
 sation turned upon the prisoners then in jail; when a young lady 
 of the company inquired of the General in what Mr. Allen had par- 
 ticularly offended, that he was detained in prison so long. After 
 considerable conversation respecting the family of Mr. x'\llen, for 
 vv^hich the young lady expressed the deepest sympathy, and just be- 
 fore the company separated, the General approached his fair friend, 
 who had so eloquently plead the cause of her injured neighbor, and 
 gave her a pledge that Mr. Allen, for her sake, should be released 
 the following morning — sealing that pledge by impressing a kiss on 
 the young lady's hand. The General kept his word. 
 
 Another person, long incarcerated in prison without any specific 
 otTence, was Mr. William Tripp, of Broad-street, a worthy and re- 
 spectable citizen. Mr. Tripp had a large and interesting family, but 
 was not permitted to hold any correspondence with them, either 
 written or verbal. The first intelligence he received of them, after 
 his imprisonment, was by a letter baked in a loaf of bread. A cor- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 45 
 
 In July, 1777, Col. Barton, of Providence, conceived 
 and executed one of the most bold and hazardous enter- 
 prises recorded in the history of the revolution. At this 
 lime Gen. Prescott quartered about five miles from New- 
 port, on the west road, leading to the Ferry, at the house 
 nf a Mr. Overing. Barton's design was, to pass over to 
 Rhode-Island from the main, seize Prescott at his quar- 
 ters, and carry him to the American camp. This enter- 
 prise, although hazardous in the extreme, was planned 
 with cool deliberation and consunnnate prudence. Having 
 chosen several officers in whom he could repose the most 
 unlimited confidence, he selected about forty men, whom 
 he knew well understood rowing, and on whose valor he 
 could rely in the most perilous exigency. 
 
 At this time, there were three British frigates, the 
 Lnrk, ihe Diamond and the Juno, lying with their guard 
 boats out, on the East side of Prudence. On the 10th 
 of the month, at about nine o'clock in the evening, the 
 Colonel with his company embarked on board thpir 
 boats from Warwick Neck, and u-ith mutiied oars passed 
 over to Rhode-Island, between Prudence and Patience. 
 As they passed the South end of Prudence, they heard 
 from the guard boats of the enemy, the sentinel's cry, 
 " All's well." As they landed. Barton divided his men 
 into several divisions, assigning to each their station, when 
 they advanced toward the house, preserving the strictest 
 order, and the most profound silence. They passed the 
 
 respondence, by lliis mean?, was kept up with his family during 
 the remainder of his imprisonment, whicii was until the British 
 evacuated the Ishmd. During his confinement in jail, his wife 
 sought an interview with the General, with the intention of becom- 
 ing an intercessor for the liberation of her husband, or at least, that 
 she might be permitted to visit hirn in prison. .She applied to a 
 Captain Savage, tJirough whom alone an audience witli the General 
 could be obtained, and inquired if she could be admitted to his pre- 
 sence. She was directed to call the following day, when the inhu- 
 man Savage answered that she could have no interview witli the 
 General, and that he expected her husband would be hung in less 
 than one week, as a rebel, shutting the door violently against 
 her. 
 
46 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 British guard bouse from 80 to 100 rods on the left, and 
 a company of Hght horse, about an equal distance on the 
 right. 
 
 One of the divisions was directed by a circuitous course 
 to advance upon the house in the rear, and secure the 
 doors, while Barton with the other division was to ad- 
 vance up in front of the house, through the gate. As 
 they approached the gate, the sentinel, who stood a few 
 yards from them, cries, " Who comes there ?" Not read- 
 ily receiving an answer, he hailed the second time, and 
 demanded the countersign ; when Barton sternly replies, 
 '•' We have no countersign to give ; have you seen any 
 deserters to-night ?" Tliis had the intended effect. They 
 still advanced upon him. Barton still demanding with 
 greater vehemence, *' Have you seen any deserters ?" 
 so that he never suspected them as foes, until his musket 
 was seized, and he was told the least noise, and he was 
 a dead man. 
 
 The other division had already taken possession of and 
 secured the cloorc;, so that egress from it by its inmates, 
 was impossible. Col. Barton, with several others, un- 
 ceremoniously entered the house, and after some little 
 interruption of the family, by a hasty visit to several 
 apartments, ascended the stairs leading to the General's 
 sleeping room. In the mean time. Major Barrington, aid 
 to Gen. Prescott, finding the house attacked, leaped out 
 of a window, intending to seek security in flight ; but by 
 the time he reached the ground, was secured a prisoner. 
 At the moment Barton entered the General's room, he 
 sprung from his bed and seized his gold watch hanging 
 on the wall ; but Col. Barton placing his hand on his 
 shoulder, told him he was his prisoner, and that silence 
 was his only safety. Gen. Prescott requested permission 
 to dress, but was told by Barton that their business re- 
 quired haste, and that he could only have time to wrap 
 his cloak around him. For security, and in order that 
 the General might keep time with the light hearts and 
 quick step of the Colonel's party, he was compelled to 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 47 
 
 walk between two officers, with one arnn resting on the 
 shoulders of each, while Major Barrington and the senti- 
 nel were stationed in the centre of the party. 
 
 They passed through a barley field a few rods North 
 of where Mr. Peleg Coggeshall's barn now stands, and 
 but a short distance from the guard house. When they 
 arrived at the boats. Gen. Prescott was permitted to dress, 
 when he was seated in the boat commanded by Col. B. 
 Prescott impHcitly obeyed the injunction of silence, un- 
 til they had passed for some distance the British ships. 
 And as they landed at Warwick Neck, he turns to Col. 
 Barton and says, '•' Sir, you have made a bold push to- 
 night." Barton replies, " We have been fortunate." 
 Col. Elliot was soon there with a coach to receive and 
 convey him to Providence, where himself, with Col. 
 Barton and prisoner arrived early in the morning. 
 
 Prescott was afterwards exchanged for Gen. Lee, who 
 had fallen into the hands of the enemy, and at the close 
 of the same year, or the beginning of the next, he again 
 took command of the British forces on Rhode-Island, 
 where he remained until its final evacuation. 
 
 In September, 1777, a secret expedition against Rhode- 
 Island was concerted by Gen. Spencer, commander in 
 chief of the American forces in Rhode-Island. The 
 Americans were stationed in Tiverton, near where the 
 stone bridge now is. By some means, however, the Bri- 
 tish commander was apprized of Spencer's intention, and 
 made preparations for his reception. He directed seve- 
 ral dams to be throvv'n across the brook, running from the 
 North through the land of Wilham Bailey, Southward to 
 Easton's pond, which raised the water to the depth of 
 three or four feet all through that valley. It is said the 
 British intended to permit tliem to land and march up 
 without opposition, then destroy their boats and cur off 
 their retreat. The expedition was, however, abandoned, 
 even after the troops had embarked on board their boats. 
 The certain cause of its failure is yet unknown. 
 
43 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 In October, a flag arrived at Newport, from Provi 
 dence, bearing the joyful intelligence of the surrender of 1 
 Gen. Burgoyne and army to the American forces. A 
 knowledge of this event had reached the Island, and was 
 known by certain individuals two days previous to its 
 public announcement, by the arrival of the flag. 
 
 During the whole time the British had possession of 
 the Island, a correspondence was maintained between 
 certain individuals of the Island and the main at Little- 
 Compton, so that the American officers were constantly 
 apprized of the general movements of the enemy, while 
 in possession of Rhode-Island. 
 
 This correspondence was maintained, by signals given 
 on the Island, indicating a clear coast, and that a messen- 
 ger could pass over in safety, after dark. The first signal 
 was the leaving down of a certain pair of bars, which, 
 with a spy-glass, could be distinctly seen from the main. 
 Afterwards, for fear of exciting the suspicion of the ene- 
 my, the signal was changed, when an open window of 
 Mr. Peleg Peckham's barn, answered the same purpose. 
 
 A small vault in the ground, near the shore, and at 
 no great distance from Mr. Peckham's, covered with a 
 flat stone, served as a depository of communication. — 
 Here, letters and papers were regularly deposited and 
 removed, by the respective individuals engaged in the 
 correspondence. It was through this medium of commu- 
 nication, the intelligence of Burgoyne's surrender first 
 reached the Island. It is said that the paper bringing 
 this intelligence, and which was found safely deposited 
 in the vault, is still preserved in the family of a Mr .Bar- 
 ker, on the Island. 
 
 That part of the British army now in possession of 
 the Island, consisted of the 22d regiment, commanded by 
 Col. Campbell ; the 43d, by Col. Marsh ; the 54th, by 
 Col. Bruce ; and the 63d, by Major Sill. The artillery 
 was commanded by Col. Ennis. The Hessian regiments 
 were, the Heno, the Beno, the Dedford, and Lanscraft, 
 deriving their names from their respective commanders. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 49 
 
 There was also a company of light horse attached to the 
 army, with a regiment of refugees, commanded hy Col. 
 Fanning. There were also a few companies attached to 
 the army, called Soushears and Anspaks ; these were 
 Germans. 
 
 In the spring of 1778, Gen. Sulliv^an having been ap- 
 pointed to tlie command of the American troops in Rhode- 
 Island, the Brilisli commander at Newport, anticipatmg 
 an attempt upon the Island by the Americans, sent a de- 
 tachment of 500 men up the river, to destroy their boats, 
 and by this means frustrate the antici[)ated expedition. 
 They landed on the morning of the 25th of May, at day- 
 light, between Warren and Bristol, and proceeded in two 
 divisions, one for Warren, and the other for the head of 
 Kickemuet river, " where they destroyed about seventy 
 flat bottomed boats, and set fire to one of the State gal- 
 lies." They also burnt a large quantity of pitch, tar, 
 plank, and other property belonging to the Americans at 
 that place. 
 
 The party which proceeded to Warren, after having 
 burnt the meeting-house and a number of dwelling 
 houses, plundering and robbing the inhabitants, not even 
 the females excepted, (these were robbed of their shoe- 
 buckles, gold rings, handkerchiefs, Sic.,) joined the other 
 division and made a descent on Bristol, where they burnt 
 twenty-two dwelling houses^ and by mistake, the Epis- 
 copal Church., instead of the meeting-house. 
 
 A few days subsequently, a body of one hundred and 
 fifty men were sent to burn the mills, and other buildings 
 around it, at Tiverton. They burnt the old mill and anoth- 
 er building at the landing, but in proceeding to the town, 
 the place of their intended plunder, their progress was ar- 
 rested at the bridi^e, by a Spartan band of twenty-five 
 men, v/ho had planted themselves here, and disputed their 
 passage. Nor were they able to carry the bridge, al- 
 though frequently attempted, and were compelled to re- 
 turn without effecting the object of their plunder. 
 
 In July, 1778, the French fleet of eleven sail of line 
 5 
 
50 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 ships, besides frigates and transports, under the command 
 of Count D'Estaing, appeared off the harbor, to the great | 
 joy of i' e inhabitants, and anchored near to Brenton's 
 reef. One of the ships of the fleet run up the west side ' 
 *of Connanicut and anchored at the North point of the : 
 Island. The three British frigates above mentioned, lay 
 at anchor on the East side of Prudence. A few morn- 
 ings after, they weighed anchor and sailed with the design i 
 of getting under protection of the battery, at Tammany 
 Hill. The French ship, aware of their intention, got un-- 
 der way at the same time, and cut them off. 
 
 The frigates then stood in for the shore, and were run 
 aground about five or six miles from Newport, on the 
 west side of Rhode-Island. Before they grounded, they 
 cut away the masts, for the purpose of driving them nearer 
 the shore, and as soon as they struck, they set them on 
 fire and made for the shore in their boats. During this 
 time the French ship was sufficiently near to have thrown 
 grape shot over them, yet when she saw them fire and 
 abandon their vessels, slie retired and took her former 
 position, without firing a gun. 
 
 A number of British vessels lying at Coddington Cove, 
 were also set on fire as soon as the burning of the irigates 
 was discovered. The Grand Duke, lying a little to the 
 North of Long-wharf, with several other vessels, was burnt. 
 The Falcon and the Flora, frigates, were sunk ; tl>e 
 latter at Fort Walcott wharf, and they were never after- 
 ward able to float her. About a year after the British 
 evacuated the Island, and the Americans took possession, 
 the Flora was floated, fitted for sea, and sent to France. 
 About the same time ihe frigates w^ere burnt in the har- 
 bor and along the shore, the King Fisher, a m.an of war, 
 was burnt in the East Passage. 
 
 The French fleet, after lying at anchor for several 
 days, run up the middle passage and anchored under 
 Gould Island. They run up under three top-sails, and 
 received the fire of the British batteries as they passed, 
 but returned it with such warmth, that they soon silenced 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 5X 
 
 the forts. Several shot from the French fleet, were un- 
 intentionally thrown into the town. 
 
 As soon as the fleet approached the harbor, the Brit- 
 ish troops commenced burning the houses about two 
 miles from Newport. Commencing from the house now 
 owned by George Irish, Esq. they burnt every house on 
 the West road, for the distance of a mile ; on the East 
 road about half that distance, and from the West road to 
 the shore. 
 
 A few days previous to this, the British commander* 
 
 * At the same time, a party principally refugees, was employed 
 and sent out through the Island, headed by one William Crosson, 
 who cut and destroyed every cart wheel, waggons, and carriages of 
 all descriptions, grindstones, scvthcs, axes, hatchets, and every other 
 edged tool tJiey could find, and filled up many of the wells Cros- 
 son's deeds of darkness were perpetrated during the night, and were 
 not conlined to the limits of the Island, but often extended as far as 
 Swansey-Neciv, Little-Compton, and Fall-River — plundering the in- 
 habitants of every thing he could bring off in his boat, and frequent- 
 ly, not even sparing the citizens themselves. In one of his midnight 
 «'":vCursions, he seized and broujiht off a worthy and respectable citi- 
 zen of Swansey-Neck, by the name of Slade, who died of the small 
 pox on board "the British prison-ship in our harbor. And many 
 others who had the misfortune to fall into his hands, never after 
 were permitted to return. 
 
 Crosson's character had become so notorious, and public indigna- 
 tion so excited, that measures were taken for his apprehension. — 
 But securely sheltered under the protecting wing of British power 
 by day, no prospect of his capture appeared, unless it could be ef- 
 fected when engaged in his depredations at night. Accordingly, a 
 boat was fitted out at Little-Compton, called a shaving mill, com- 
 manded by Lemuel Bailey of that town, for his capture. Nor was it 
 long before he found himself a prisoner. He was conveyed to 
 Providence under a strong guard, but when he arrived there, such 
 was the public feeling of indignation against him, that with great 
 dilficulty the guard could protect him from popular violence. 
 
 After having been in prison for several months in that town, by 
 some means (supposed to be by the influence of a bribe) he escaped 
 from jail and again appeared iti Newport. When the British evac- 
 uated the Island, Crosson went off with them, and probably consid- 
 ered it safe to remain with them, as he never afterwards returned to 
 Newport. 
 
 Among the reckless associates of Crosson, was a man by the 
 name of Gouldsborough. He landed his party at Little-Compton, one 
 evening, near the place where a lad by the name of Taggart, son of 
 Judge ^Villiam Taggart, Sen. and brother of the late Judge Tag- 
 gart, of JMiddletown, was stationed as a sentinel. The inhuman 
 Oouldsborough seized and murdered young Taggart on the spo^ 
 
52 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 had seized and drove within the lines, all the stock, cows,. 
 oxen, he, he could find on the Island. Sheep, there 
 were none, having all been previously stolen. 
 
 The same day, (at night) on which the French fleet 
 came in, the British withdrew their troops from the 
 North end of the Island, and took up their position on 
 the heights, about two miles from Newport. Their line 
 extended from Coddington's Cove to Easton's beach ; 
 the whole distance being defended by breast works and 
 redoubts. Beside which, they had a line still nearer the 
 town, running from the West of the North mill^ down to 
 the house now occupied by Mr. Joseph Perry, on the 
 Gibbs estate. 
 
 On the following morning, the American army landed 
 on the North end of the Island, without opposition, and 
 took possession of the neighboring heights. The army 
 was composed of militia, continental troops, and volun- 
 teers, commanded by Generals Sullivan, Green, Glover, 
 and the Marquis de La Fayette, supposed to number 
 from ten to fifteen thousand men. 
 
 On the afternoon of the same day that the Americans 
 landed on the Island, the British fleet of twenty-five sail, 
 was discovered standing in for Newport. They came to 
 ofl" Point Judith, for the night, but a sudden change of 
 wind favoring tlie Count the following morning, he stood 
 out to sea with his whole squadron. Lord Howe, after 
 some unsuccessful manoeuvering to get the weather-gage 
 of the French fleet, put to sea, followed by Count D'- 
 Estaing, and both fleets v^ere soon lost sight of in the dis- 
 tance. The storm which had already commenced, con- 
 tinued to rage with increasing violence for several days, so 
 that no general action was obtained between the fleets. — 
 Both, however, were greatly damaged by the storm. 
 
 The Languedoc, of ninety guns, commanded by Count 
 D'Estaing, had neither masts nor bowsprit standing, and 
 several others were in a similar situation. The American 
 troops encamped on the North part of the Island, suflered. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 53 
 
 not less than the ships. Such was the violence of the 
 tempest, attended with a poweiTuJ rain, that by the night 
 of the 12th, not a tent or marquee remained standing. — 
 Many horses and several of the soldiers perished by the 
 severity of the storm, and the whole army was in the 
 most wretched and deplorable condition. And in ad- 
 dition to their own personal sufferings, the greater part 
 of their ammunition was either destroyed or greatly 
 damaged by the storm. 
 
 The 14th, the storm having subsided and the day 
 being serene and warm, the American army spent in 
 drying their clothes, &lc., and in making ready for their 
 future operations. On the following morning, they took 
 up their line of march in three several divisions: one on 
 the East road, one on the West, and the third through 
 the centre of the Island, and possessed themselves of the 
 heights, about one and a half miles from the British lines. 
 Gen. Sullivan quartered about five miles from Newport, 
 at what is now called the Gibbs farm. Gen. de La 
 Fayette quartered on the East side of the Island, at what 
 was then called the Boiler garden farm, about the same 
 distance from Newport. Gen. Green quartered in Mid- 
 dletown, on the farm now owned by Col. Richard K. 
 Randolph, of this town. 
 
 The British had thrown up a large fort, the remains 
 of which are still visible a little to the North and East of 
 the house of George Irish, Esq. and directly opposite on 
 Houeyman's hill, at a distance of a little more than a 
 mile, the Americans had thrown up a fort and other 
 works, and by the 20th, they had opened two four gun 
 batteries; and by the 2.3d, had mounted seventeen pieces 
 of heavy artillery, two ten inch mortars, and three five 
 and a half inch howitzers. 
 
 From these works, on either side, was kept up a con- 
 tinual cannonading by day, and throwing of bombs by 
 night, by which many were killed on both sides. No 
 intelligence was received and nothing was known of the 
 5* 
 
54 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 disabled and wrecked condition of the fleets, until about 
 a week after the storna, when the French fleet was seen 
 at a distance, standing for Newport. 
 
 At 7 o'clock, P. M., the Marquis de La Fayette, and 
 other officers, went on board to consult with the French^ 
 officers, on measures for the vigorous and successful pros- 
 ecution of the expedition, and prevail witli them imme- 
 diately to enter the harbor. But their eftbrts were without 
 success, and about 12 at nighi, they left the ships and re- 
 turned on shore. The conduct of the Count, in refusing a 
 compliance with the request of the American officers, when 
 conquest appeared so easy and victory so sure, w?s most 
 severely censured. But when it is considered that his 
 instructions were positive from the Court of France, in 
 case of disaster, and that his officers unanimously signed 
 a protest against entering the harbor in their disabled 
 condition, this censure, at least in a very great degree, 
 must appear to have been unmerited and severe. 
 
 The militia raised for this expedition, were drafted 
 only for three weeks ; one half of which, were on ser- 
 vice, and the remainder were to hold themselves in read- 
 iness to succeed these at the expiration of that time, if 
 called for. Within twenty-four hours after the French 
 fleet sailed for Boston, between two and three thousand 
 volunteers from Boston and other parts of New-England, 
 left the army and returned home. And many of the 
 militia, whose term of service had now expired, returned, 
 while those that were to succeed them, came on with 
 reluctance, and not more than half their number was 
 ever supplied; so that the American army was greatly 
 reduced. 
 
 In this situation, without a naval force to protect or 
 succor them, the possibility of a successful retreat was 
 now the only desideratum. But it was deemed prudent, 
 not hastily to abandon their present position, lest they 
 slioald thus encourage the pursuit of their foes, and haz- 
 ard the honor of a successful retreat. They still main- 
 tained their post, until the night of the 28th, when about- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 55 
 
 1*2 o'clock, the army began to move toward the North. 
 It had been decided in a council of war, to retreat to the 
 North end of the Island, secure a communication with 
 the main, and wait until information should be received 
 from the French fleet in Boston. 
 
 Gen. de La Fayette was dispatched with a message 
 to Count D'Estaing, to ascertain whether tb.e assistance 
 and co-operation of the fleet could be expected, and to 
 solicit its speedy return. Tlie Count could not consent 
 that the fleet should return, but promptly oflered to 
 march his troops from Boston, to the assistance of the 
 American -forces on Rhode-Island, if requested. At 
 day-light, the retreat having been discovered by the 
 British, they took up their march in pursuit. 
 
 About six miles from Newport, the regiment in ad- 
 vance, commanded by Col. Campbell, was separated in- 
 two divisions and pressed forward in pursuit, one division 
 retaining the road, the other the open field to the left. — 
 They advanced without opposition or obstruction, until 
 they approached a wall running from the West a little to 
 the North of Sampson Sherman's house. Here the 
 Americans had lying in ambush under the wall, a piquet 
 guard of between three and four hundred men, who were 
 not discovered by the enemy, and who were ordered not 
 to fire, until the word was given by the commander ; 
 again load and fire with the greatest possible expedition, 
 and then continue their retreat. 
 
 The orders were strictly obeyed, and the command to 
 fire was not given, until the enemy were within half gun 
 shot, when they poured upon them such a flood of death, 
 as not only to check the advancing foe, but throw them 
 into the utmost confusion, giving the guard sufficient time 
 again to fire and make their retreat, with but very little 
 loss. 
 
 Col. Campbell had several balls pass through his 
 clothes, and his horse killed under him. At one of the 
 field pieces, every man was shot down at the first fire. — 
 In the rear and at a distance of not more than half a 
 
56 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 mile, the fifty-fourth and two Hessian regiments were 
 advancing, but so unexpected and fatal had been the 
 work of that moment, and so rapid the retreat of the as- 
 sailants, that they arrived too late to render their dying 
 companions the least assistance. 
 
 The main body of the American army had gained and 
 taken possession of Butts' hill, on the Northern part of 
 the Island. It has generally been supposed, even at this 
 time, had Gen. Green's advdce been taken, a most signal 
 victory might have been achieved, over the pursuing 
 enemy. His advise was overruled, however, and the 
 enemy pressed onward toward the American lines. 
 
 They advanced near the left wing of the American 
 army, but were repulsed and driven back by General 
 Glover, when they retired and took possession of Quaker 
 hill, about a mile from the position occupied by the 
 Americans. A continual skirmishing was kept up be- 
 tween the two armies, during this and the following day, 
 and frequently whole regiments were engaged in the 
 deadly strife at once, and the same spot of ground was 
 frequently taken possession of, and abandoned by both 
 belligerent parties. 
 
 The last and most severe skirmish during the action, 
 was an attempt made by the Briiish on a redoubt. In pos- 
 session of the Americans. A reinforcement was sent to 
 their relief, who arrived just in time to prevent the suc- 
 cess of the enemy, and just as they were making a third 
 and desperate effort to carry the redoubt. They were 
 repulsed with considerable loss, and in great confusion 
 precipitately retreated, leaving many of their slain and 
 wounded on the field of battle. After this action, the 
 firing of the musquetry ceased, but the firing of the artil- 
 lery still continued on both sides. 
 
 One grand object of the American commander in 
 planting himself on these heights, and of maintaining so 
 long, the sanguinary conflict, was to secure the removal 
 of the baggage and heavy stores of war, which was briskly 
 going on in the rear, while the roar of cannon and the 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 57 
 
 Storm of death were raging in the front. The sentinels 
 of both armies were stationed at a distance of not more 
 than seventy rods from each other, so that it required no 
 small degree of generalship to cover the design of retreat 
 from the suspicion of a watchful enemy, and render that 
 retreat triumphant and successful. 
 
 On the 30tli of the month, a number of tents- were 
 built in full view of the enemy, and the whole army were 
 apparently engaged in fortifying and strengthening their 
 present position. After the going down of the sun, they 
 built a large number of fires, extending nearly across the 
 Island, to lull the enemy into security, and cover from 
 suspicion their intended retreat. 
 
 As soon as the surrounding darkness favored the de- 
 sign, the tents were struck, and the troops with the artil- 
 lery, horses and stores of war, moved to the North, em- 
 barked in their flat bottomed boats, and were all safely 
 landed on the main, before the dawn of day. The brave 
 and generous de La Fayette, who returned from Boston 
 at the moment our troops were landing, was very greatly 
 disappointed in not having been permitted to share the 
 penis of the action. Anticipating such an event, he had 
 rode the distance of seventy miles in about six hours. — 
 Nor could he be prevented from passing over to bring off 
 the piquet and other parties, which covered the Ameri- 
 can retreat. 
 
 Tliis he effected with such consummate prudence and 
 self-possession, that not a man was left behind, nor the 
 slightest loss sustained. This retreat, notwithstanding the 
 fiilure of the expedition, reflected the highest honor on 
 the American commanders, and the wisdom and skill by 
 which it was executed, was applauded even by the Brit- 
 ish ofHcers themselves. 
 
 The British held possession of the Island until the 
 autumn of 1779, when Sir Henry Clinton, at New- York, 
 anticipating an attack upon that place by the combined 
 forces of America and France, dispatched a number of 
 transports to bring off the troops from Rhode-Island, to 
 
58 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Strengthen his forces at Mew- York. They embarked on 
 the 25th of October, and arrived at New- York on the 
 27th. On the day the Island was evacuated, orders 
 were issued by the British Commander, that the inhabi- 
 tants of Newport should keep within their houses during 
 the time the royal troops were passing through the streets, 
 to the place of their embarkation, on penalty of death. — 
 This injunction was strictly complied with, so that those 
 who had the curiosity to see the invaders of their peace- 
 ful shores march through the streets, stole a glance at 
 them through the crevices of their windows and doors. — 
 They burnt all the barracks at Fort Adams, and the light 
 house at Beaver-tail. They carried off w^ith them the 
 town records, consisting of the books of registry of deeds, 
 the records of the town-council, the court of probate, &lc. 
 w^iich in their passage to New^-York, were unfortunately 
 sunk with the vessel which carried them away, near Hurl 
 Gate, and were under water for several hours, before 
 they were recovered. When they were afterward re- 
 turned to Newport, they were in a damaged condition ; 
 but had they been copied immediately on their recovery, 
 many valuable documents might have been preserved. — 
 But having been neglected, they are now in a dilapidated 
 and ruined state, and of very little use. 
 
 The possession of the island lor three years, by a 
 strong and powerful foe, who treated its inhabitants as 
 rebels against the authority of their King, and conse- 
 quently claiming the divine right of his Majesty, to what- 
 ever the royal troops should })lease to possess, reduced 
 the inhabitants to the greatest poverty and distress. 
 
 During that period, they had cut down and consumed 
 all the flourishing groves of forest trees, with many of the 
 most valuable orchards, and numerous ornamental trees, 
 which beautified and adorned the Island, so that the in- 
 habitants were entirely destitute of fuel. The winter, 
 also, of 1779-80, was one of the most severe in the 
 memory of man. The rivers were frozen over from the 
 Island to the main, and the people of Newport were re- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 5t) 
 
 duced to the greatest distress. Wood in the winter of 
 1779-80, was sold in this town at the enormous price of 
 ^20 per cord. In adtUtion to the distress occasioned by 
 the scarcity of fuel, provisions were also equally scarce, 
 the crops having been either destroyed or greatly dam- 
 aged by the preceding August storm ; so that corn was 
 sold at four silver dollars per bushel, and potatoes at two 
 dollars per bushel. To relieve the wants of the suffering 
 poor, a tax of £2,000, lawful money, was voted for the 
 purchase of corn ; and donations v/ere also solicited from 
 other towns. Tiverton made a donation of wood, and 
 other towns of provisions. 
 
 During the possession of the Island by the British, the 
 freemen of Newport had held their town-meetings for 
 choice of representatives in General Assembly, in Provi- 
 dence, agreeably to an act of that body, granting them 
 permission to do so. Middletown and Portsmouth held 
 their town-meetings in Tiverton, for the same purpose. — 
 But after the evacuation of the Island by the enemy, the 
 General Assembly passed an act empowering the town of 
 Newport to resume their corporate powers and choose 
 town officers, providing every person should be excluded 
 from voting, who had in any wise aided the enemy. — 
 The first meeting of the freemen for the choice of officers, 
 was held at the Friends' meeting house, Nov. 1779. 
 
 On the 10th of July, 1780, the French fleet of seven 
 sail of the line and five frigates, with a large number of 
 transports, and an army of six thousand men, arrived at 
 Newport, to the great joy of the inhabitants. The fleet 
 was commanded by the Chevalier de Ternay, and the 
 army by Lieut. Count de Rochambeau. The town was 
 illuminated, and the arrival of the fleet and army greeted 
 with the fullest demonstrations of gratitude and joy. — 
 Complimentary addresses were made by a committee of 
 the General Assembly, then in session, both to Admiral 
 de Ternay, and Count de Rochambeau, to which they 
 gave the most spirited and patriotic replies. 
 
 In July, it having been ascertained that a large naval 
 
@Q HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 and land force were destined against this town, the inhab- 
 itants associated and formed tliemselves into companies,, 
 both for the common defence, and also that the disafFect-- 
 ed might be known. The town was divided into four- 
 districts, and by a vote of the freemen, the inhabitants; 
 were required to meet and sign articles of association;; 
 and those who should not appear at the places designa-- 
 ted in the several districts, were to be deemed as enemies' 
 of their country ; and all persons refusing to take upi 
 arms against the enemy, were to be sent out of town. — 
 It was voted that a copy of the list of disaffected per- 
 sons ordered to be forwarded to the council of war, be 
 also sent to Gen. Heath, that if the Briti;.h fleet and 
 army arrive before any return is received from the coun- 
 cil of war, he may know what persons the town requests 
 should be removed from the Island. The list sent to, 
 the council of war, was called the " Black list," em-- 
 bracing the vote of the town, that such persons be sent^ 
 immediately from the Island, as ininiical to the United] 
 States. The militia from Connecticut and Massachusetts 
 were ordered to the defence of Rhode-Island. The ex- 
 pedition was however abandoned by Sir Henry Clinton, 
 even after having sailed from New- York with a large 
 fleet, and an army of eight thousand men, as far as, 
 Huntington Bay, on Long- Island, much to the disap-j 
 pointment and grief of our magnanimous allies, who were^ 
 prepared to give him a most warm and hearty reception.] 
 
 The Admiral de Ternay died soon after his arrival at! 
 Newport, and was buried with military honors, in Trinity j 
 Church yard, where a slab on the Norih side of thei 
 Church, was afterward erected to his memory. | 
 
 In March, 1781, General Washington arrived at New-j 
 port. He passed over irom the main, by Connanicutj 
 ferry, and landed from his barge at the head of Long-j 
 wharf. As he passed the French fleet lying back ofi 
 the fort, they fired a salute, and the army was drawn ^ 
 up in order for his reception at the Long-wharf. — ^ 
 They formed in two lines extending from the house 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 61 
 
 >f William Vernon, Esq. at the South end of Clark- 
 treet, to the Parade, thence to the West end of Long- 
 ^harf. Washington marched up between the two lines, 
 eceiving the wannest congratulations of his fellow-citi- 
 iens, and the same honors from his generous allies, which 
 hey said they paid their king. The town was illumin- 
 ,ted the evening after his arrival at Newport. This was 
 he first interview he had enjoyed with the French offi- 
 ;ers, and it is said, here Washington and Count D'Rocham- 
 )eau laid their plans for an attack upon New- York, 
 vhich was disconcerted by the arrival of a large fleet and 
 irmy to the assistance of Sir Henry Clinton, under the 
 command of Admiral Rodney. 
 
 About this time. Admiral D'Barras arrived at Boston, 
 md succeeded to the command of the French squadron 
 It Newport. It was soon after decided in a council of 
 var, held at Weathersfield, Con., by General Washing- 
 on, Count D'Rochambeau and other distinguished of- 
 icers, that the troops on Rhode-Island (with the excep- 
 ion of about five hundred to guard the works,) should 
 mmediately march for the North River, to join the 
 \.merican army. 
 
 During the whole period the French army was quar- 
 
 ered in Newport, such was their strict regard to the 
 
 ghts and property of the inhabitants, that the whole 
 
 mount of damage done by them, would not exceed one 
 
 mndred dollars. 
 
 The surrender of Lord Cornwallis and army to the 
 inited forces of America and France, on the 19th of 
 October, 1731, decided the destiny of the revolution, 
 nd was virtually the close of the war. For although 
 everal places of importance were still in the possession 
 f the enemy, yet their days were numbered, and their 
 lestiny sealed. On the 4th of March, 1782, the British 
 'arliament in the House of Commons passed a resolu- 
 ion, declaring all as enemies to his Majesty and his 
 ylajesty's kingdom, who should advise to the longer con- 
 inuance ol the war in America. Preliminaries of peace 
 6 
 
52 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 were entered into at Paris, in Nov. 1782, and a defini- 
 tive treaty, in which Great Britain acknowledged the 
 sovereignty and independence of the United States, was 
 signed in September, 17S3. 
 
 During the war of the revokition, ahhough Newport 
 being in possession of the enemy, had but few privateers 
 engaged in the deadly strife, still she furnished a number 
 of distinguished naval commanders, and a greater number 
 of marines, perhaps, than any other town in New-Eng- 
 land, in proportion to her size and population. 
 
 It is supposed by those who lived in times that tried 
 men's souls, that Newport probably furnished a thousand 
 men for the naval service in that war, and that one hall 
 of these fell into the hands of the enemy, and died on 
 board a man of war, the Fortune prison in England, or 
 the old Jersey prison-ship, which for the loathsomeness 
 and terror of 'its dungeons, compared with the Blacky 
 Hole of Calcutta. . 
 
 The naval commanders in that war, were John Grimes 
 Benjamin Pierce, Joseph Gardiner, William Dennis 
 James Godfrey, Remembrance Simm.ons, Thomas Stacy 
 Ohver Read, Capt. Bently, Samuel JefFers, John Cogg- 
 shalle, William Finch, Capt. Jaquays, James Phillips. 
 Ezekiel Boroughs, John Murphy, Isaac Freeborn, Wil- 
 ham Ladd, Joseph Sheffield, and Capt. Gazzee. These 
 either sailed from Newport previous to its possession by 
 the enemy, or subsequently, from other ports of New- 
 England, the West Indies, he. 
 
 The privateers, though small in numerical power and- 
 force, yet they constantly annoyed the enemy, took man j 
 valuable prizes, and achieved some splendid victories.— 
 Capt. Oliver Read, of this town, justly deserves a place 
 in the history of those times. No sooner was intelli- 
 gence received that the invaders of his country hac 
 commenced their march of death in the environs of Bos- 
 ton, than he left the peaceful retirement of home, anc 
 hastened to the rescue. He offered his services to hi; 
 country as a volunteer, and joined the American troopi 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 63 
 
 in the neighborhood of Boston. But the dull monotony 
 of the camp was neither suited to the character nor habits 
 of Capt. Read. He soon left the army and sailed as 
 the commander of a privateer. 
 
 His bold adventurous spirit exposed him to great dan- 
 gers, and during the continuance of the war, he was 
 often in the power of his foes. But the same merciful 
 Providence which watched over and directed the destiny 
 of that event, watched over and preserved this bold and 
 fearless patriot. After having been several times taken 
 prisoner, and sufl^ered some ungentlemanly treatment 
 from liis foes, he solemnly protested, if ever he command- 
 ed another vessel, to make atonement for the insults re- 
 ceived. He was no sooner released from his confine- 
 ment, than his friends purchased and fitted him a new 
 and well built brig, called the Rochambeau. Jn this 
 brig, Capt. Read achieved several victories, and took 
 many valuable prizes. But he was destined to see his 
 favorite brig in the possession of his foes, and himself 
 again a prisoner of war by the chicanery of one of his 
 youtliful companions, who was a loyalist ; or in the com- 
 mon parlance of that age, a tory. Capt. Read and his 
 companions were carried to New- York, and from thence 
 transferred to the Jersey prison-ship. 
 
 In the floating dungeons of this Aceldama, where dis- 
 ease and death reigned throughout every apartment, 
 Capt. Read resolved not to remain without attempting 
 his escape, if he perished in the attempt. He communi- 
 cated his designs to several of his fellow prisoners. — 
 Capt. Isaiah Cahoone and Capt. John Tower, of Provi- 
 dence, with one or two others, who, with the same dar- 
 ing intrepidity, resolved to share the fate of Capt. Read. 
 The only plan of escape which afforded the least hope 
 of success, was to seize the boat of the prison-ship, and 
 make their escape under the guns of the vessel. 
 
 This plan, hazardous and full of danger as it was, was 
 finally agreed upon, and they waited only for an opportu- 
 nity to offer itself, when, at a concerted signal, they were 
 
54 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 to attempt its execution. After waiting with impatience 
 for several days, Providence seemed to smile upon their 
 design, and grant them a favorable opportunity of at- 
 tempting their escape. Just before night, the boat of the 
 prison-ship returned from shore, and unloaded her stores 
 of provision, when, at the given signal ofCapt, Read, his 
 companions leaped after him into the boat, cut away her 
 ropes and made for the shore, amidst a shower of balls. 
 
 The darkness of night and the violence of a snow 
 storm, which at that time commenced, prevented the 
 pursuit of their enemies, and they fortunately landed on 
 Long Island, during the night. Capt. Read soon re- 
 turned to Newport, with a heart burning with indigna- 
 tion, especially against his old school fellow, Crandall, 
 the tory. It is said that when Read was delivered by 
 Crandall, to the officers of the Jersey prison-ship, he cast 
 a withering look at that reckless being, and says, " A 
 short life to one of us. If we meet again, and meet 
 again we shall, one of us dies." 
 
 Capt. Read was soon in command of another vessel, 
 of about an equal force with the Rochambeau, which was 
 now commanded by the infamous Crandall. It was not 
 long before she was descried, although newly painted 
 and disguised. Read prepared for action, and as he ap- 
 proached her, hoisted American colors ; being hailed, he 
 answered by a broad-side, and at the same time, showed 
 himself to the astonished Crandall, who supposed him 
 safely lodged in the Jersey prison-ship. 
 
 The conflict lasted for several hours, until almost every 
 man on boad the Rochambeau, was either slain or wound- 
 ed. And when taken possession of, the lion heart even 
 of Capt. Read, was deeply affected. There lay the 
 headless body of the treacherous Crandall, surrounded by 
 his fallen companions, while the deck was literally cov- 
 ered with human gore. Capt. Read again entered his 
 native port, accompanied by his favorite Rochambeau. — 
 The brig was immediately repaired and fitted for sea, 
 when her bold commander again sailed on another cruise. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. (35 
 
 Capt. Read having learned off Sandy Hook, that the 
 brig Spy, of Providence, had been taken by his Majes- 
 ty's ship Lion, of 64 guns, and ordered to Newport, re- 
 solved, if possible, to retake her. 
 
 Accordingly, he moored his v\essel in safety, and kept 
 on the look out, near the Hook. The Spy soon came in 
 sight under Britsh colors, cast anchor, and waited for a 
 pilot. Capt. Read with a few brave fellows to man his 
 boat, came along side and offered his services as a pilot 
 to conduct them to New-York. His services were readily 
 accepted, and he took his post at the helm. 
 
 The wind flavoring his design, he put her head for his 
 native town, and let her drive ; nor was the trick dlscov- 
 ed until it was too late. For as they were approaching 
 near the place of destination, the prize master says to the 
 pilot, ' Sir, we are going to New- York, are we ?' The 
 pilot very respectfully bowing, answered laconically, ' no 
 Sir, no. We are going to Newport.'* 
 
 George W. Babcock, of Narragansett, who sailed from 
 Newport, distinguished himself as a naval commander, 
 and fought some of the most bloody and obstinate battles 
 during the war. In the spring of 1779, he sailed from 
 Boston, and on the 16th of May, he fell in with, and 
 captured (after an obstinate engagement,) a British pri- 
 vateer, called the Tartar, a few days from Cork. 
 
 The Tartar mounted twenty- six carriage guns, with a 
 complement of one hundred and sixty-two men. Capt. 
 Babcock commanded the Mifflin, of twenty guns, and a 
 complement of one hundred and fifty men. But having 
 previously taken and manned several prizes, the actual 
 number in the encasement could not exceed one hundred 
 and twenty men. The crew of the Mifflin, were prmci- 
 pally from Newport and Narragansett. Her first Lieut. 
 Mr. Timothy Coggesball, was an inhabitant of this 
 Island. 
 
 * The above account of Captain Oliver Read, although principally 
 derived from tradition, is believed to be substantially correct. 
 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 The batt'e raged with increasing violence for several 
 hours, at a very short distance, and before the deadly- 
 conflict was hushed, the vessels were so near each other, 
 that they could readily jump from one to the other. — 
 But the British flag finally came down, and Capt. Bab- 
 cock took possession of the Tartar. Two days previous 
 to this engagement, he had fldlen in with and captured 
 the British store ship Elephant, which was conveying to 
 England, a large number of invalids, both officers and 
 privates. When Capt. Babcock approached the Ele- 
 phant, and demanded that her colors be struck to an 
 American privateer, her proud and haughty commander, 
 although he knew he could make no efl:ectual resistance, 
 refused to comply. 
 
 It is said that Babcock reasoned with him and remon- 
 strated against the unnecessary effusion of blood, his ob- 
 stinacy would inevitably involve, for several minutes be- 
 fore he ordered his men to fire. The engagement lasted 
 but a few moments before the flag of the Elephant was 
 struck ; but those moments proved fatal to her comman- 
 der, who fell, with six of his crew by his side. 
 
 Tlie success of Capt. Babcock and his crew, had near- 
 ly proved fatal to them. The number of tlieir prisoners 
 had now so increased, as to render their situation far 
 more hazardous than the roar of the British cannon. The 
 only alternative of safety that presented itself, was, the 
 dismission of a large number of them. Accordingly, af- 
 ter having received a bill from the British oflicer, ac- 
 knowledging the receipt of so many prisoners of war, 
 Capt. Babcock put them on board a prize ship, and left 
 them to pursue their voyage. The Mifflin after the 
 engagement sailed for France, and the Tartar was sent 
 to Boston, where she subsequently arrived in safety. 
 
 On the return of peace, the town of Newport was in 
 ruins. The storm of war had beat heavily upon her, and,, 
 to use the language of Dr. Waterhous% " she resembled 
 an old battered shield, long iield up against the common. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 57 
 
 enemy." While the British troops had possession of the 
 town, they converted most of the meeting-houses and ' 
 other public buildings into hospitals, barracks, he. so 
 that literally they had made the house of God a den of 
 thieves. They tore down the pews and the pulpits of 
 some of the meeting-houses, beside otherwise greatly 
 injuring them. They took down the bells of the Con- 
 gregational meeting-houses, and carried them away. The 
 places of worship were in a state of dilapidation and ruin, 
 so that it might well have been said at that time, 
 
 ^- Flow are the seats of worship broke ! 
 They tear the buildings down ; 
 And lie that deals the lieaviest stroke, 
 Procures the cliief renown." 
 
 The only place of worship that had escaped their de- 
 predations, was the Episcopal Church. 
 
 In addition to the destruction of property in public 
 buildings, many private dwelling-houses were either 
 greatly injured or totally destroyed. According to the 
 estimate of a committee appointed by the General Assem- 
 bly, for that purpose, it appears that the loss sustained 
 by the inhabitants of Newport, in the destruction of dwel- 
 ling-houses and other property, amounted to £124,798 
 135. od. silver money. This estimate includes the loss 
 of private property, sustained by individuals only. By 
 an account of the number of inhabitants in Newport, ta- 
 ken by order of the General Assembly in 173*2, there 
 were at that time 4912 whites, and 618 colored inhabi- 
 tants, including 69 Indians ; making the whole popula- 
 tion 5530. This estimate, compared with that made by 
 order of the General Government in 1774, shows a de- 
 crease of the population of this town during the war, of 
 3679. That estimate gave to Newport a popidatlon of 
 7917 whites, 1246 blacks and 46 Indians ; making a sura 
 total of 9209. And this was supposed to fall considera- 
 bly below the actual number, being underrated for the 
 purpose of escaping greater requisitions for men and mon- 
 ey. If, as is supposed, Newport once numbered 11,000 
 
(38 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 inhabitants, about one half that number was dispersed by 
 the revolution. The population of Providence was then: 
 only 4321. Mr. Bull says, "The town of Providence, , 
 from the time it was burned or nearly destroyed, in King ; 
 Philip's war, had been constantly recovering, but at first . 
 very slowly ; for tradition says, that for sixty or seventy ^ 
 years after that war, the town of Providence had but lit- 1 
 tie more than recovered her former size. At the time , 
 we have arrived at (viz. 1774) the town of Providence ' 
 was much increased in population, business and wealth. 
 Its trade, commerce and manufactures had assumed a vig- 
 orous appearance, and every indication of future enlarge- 
 ment, even before the revolutionary war. That war, by 
 drawing from Newport much of the wealth, the industry, 
 the commerce, the commercial capital, and commercial 
 intelligence of the town, contributed to the fortune, growth 
 and prosperity of Providence. Situated on a navigable i 
 river, w^iich was unapproachable by an enemy, she en- 
 joyed greater security than most other commercial towns ' 
 during the revolutionary struggle, and with that security 
 came innumerable other advantages. 
 
 In Philip's war, much of the strength and capacity of 
 the town of Providence, removed and settled in Newport, 
 which was abundantly repaid in the war of the revolu- 
 tion. Owing to those two circumstances, the ancient 
 families of both tiiese towns are in a greater or less de- 
 gree related by blood to each other." 
 
 But the return of peace brought with it the cheering 
 prospect of better times ; and the inhabitants of Newport, 
 who were left at the termination of a long, and to them, 
 disastrous war, were animated by the consideration that 
 America was disenthralled, regenerated and free. Inspired 
 by the cheering prospects of the future, they rose up 
 amidst the wide-spread ruin around them, and the canvas 
 of her merchant ships again whitened the ocean, speed- 
 ing their way to foreign ports, or returning laden with 
 products of other climes. 
 
 But the fortune of war had so greatly diminished the 
 
I HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 69 
 
 wealth and enterprise of Newport, bestowing on Provi- 
 dence and JNew-York, those immense resources of her 
 former power, and for the want of other advantages en- 
 joyed by those places, Newport has never been able to 
 regain her fomier comparative importance. Providence 
 had enjoyed a large and extensive country trade^ and the 
 numerous streams of water in its vicinity being soon em- 
 ployed in moving machinery for the manufacture of cot- 
 ton cloths, gave that town a decided advantage over 
 Newport. 
 
 In 1784, Newport was incorporated as a city, and on 
 the first day of June, of that year, the first choice of city 
 officers was had. This form of government was, how- 
 ever, soon abandoned, and the old form of town govern- 
 ment returned to, in March, 1787. 
 
 After the Colonies had shaken off the yoke of British 
 oppression, and driven from their shores the invading foe, 
 it became necessary to form a system of government, a 
 civil compact or general government, embracing the 
 great interests and common welfare of the several Colo- 
 nies. But, in order to effect this, it became requisite 
 for each to surrender a portion of their power to the gen- 
 eral government. And in conformity to a resolution of 
 the general Congress, all the Colonies except Rhode- 
 ji Island, chose delegates to meet at Philadelphia, in gen- 
 . eral Convention, for the purpose of deliberating upon 
 - and forming a Constitution of federal government. 
 I Owing to the state of party feelings in Rhode-Island, 
 at that lime, we were not represented in that body. The 
 motion made in General Assembly for the appointment 
 of delef;ates to set in general Convention, was lost by a 
 majority of 23 against it. After a form of government 
 : was agreed upon by the Convention, and transmitted by 
 I them to Congress, recommending that the same be sent 
 \ to the several States for their sanction, and that they sev- 
 : erally call Conventions for that purpose, the Legislature 
 of this Stale thought proper, instead of calling a Conven- 
 
70 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 tion, to submit it to the freemen of the several towns, to 
 be acted upon by them in town-meeting. 
 
 In the preamble to the act of the General Assembly, 
 referring it to the several towns, they say, "And whereas 
 this legislative body, in General Assembly convened, 
 conceiving themselves representatives of the great body 
 of the people at large, and that they cannot make any 
 innovations on a Constitution which has been agreed on, 
 and the compact settled between the government and 
 governed, without the express consent of the freemen at 
 large, by their own voices individually taken in town- 
 meeting assembled." This mode of decision in town- 
 meetings was strongly opposed by representatives from 
 the commercial towns, but to no effect. 
 
 At a meeting of the freemen of Newport, held agreea- 
 bly to the act of Assembly on the 4th Monday in March, 
 178S, the day appointed for the several towns in the State 
 to hold town-meetings to consider the proposed Constitu- 
 tion, the business of the meeting was prefaced by the 
 Moderator, by reciting the acts of government which 
 were referred to the decision of the people. 
 
 The Constitudon was then read, and the Moderator 
 stated the proceedings of the General Assembly upon it, 
 since it had been transmitted to them. He also inform- 
 ed the town of the uniform conduct of their representa- 
 tives, in endeavoring to obtain the appointment of a Con- 
 vention ; after which, several gentlemen entered into an 
 investigation of the act of Assembly, altering the mode 
 of decision from that recommended by the general Con- 
 vention to Congress ; and while they paid all possible 
 respect to the Legislature who passed the act, the prin- 
 ciple on which the act was founded, was reprobated in 
 the most unqualified terms. 
 
 The meeting appointed a committee to draft instruc- 
 tions to our representatives, to endeavor to have a Con- 
 vention called. The meeting was composed of between 
 three and four hundred freemen, yet eleven persons only 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 71 
 
 voted on the question. 1 en against and one in favor of 
 the Constitution. In Providence, only one person voted, 
 and he in the negative. In Warwick and Greenwich, 
 the federahsts or friends of the Constitution entered a 
 protest against the alteration of the mode of decision, as 
 illegal and unprecedented. In Bristol and Little-Comp- 
 ton, there was a majority in favor of the Constitution. — 
 The other towns generally gave their voice against it. 
 
 The majority against the Constitution throughout the 
 State was large, as the Federalists, generally declined 
 giving their votes in town-meeting. On counting the 
 votes in General Assembly, they stood 2708 nays and 
 237 yeas, and a committee was appointed to draft a let- 
 ter to the President of Congress, enclosing the returns, 
 which letter stated the reasons for adopting a mode dif- 
 ferent from that recommended by the General Conven- 
 tion, conceded a deficiency in the confederation, and ex- 
 pressed a willingness to grant Congress unlimited power, 
 for regulating commerce, collecting impost, excise, he. 
 
 The opposers of the Constitution were the uniform 
 supporters of the paper money system, which they knew 
 must cease, on adopting the Constitution. This, to- 
 gether with a jealousy entertained that the General Gov- 
 ernment would possess too much power, and if adopted, 
 they must rolinquish some privileges now enjoyed, kept 
 this State so long from coming into the Union, greatly to 
 the dissatisfaction of the commercial and business men of 
 the State. This union was not effected until 1790, and 
 not until by acts of Congress, the navigation of Rhode- 
 Island was placed on a footing with foreign commerce, 
 exacting foreign duties and tonnage from our vessels. 
 
 These acts, however, were not strictly enforced by 
 Government, who listened to the petitions of our mer- 
 chants and the prayers of the General Assembly for relief, 
 by the suspension of said acts, from time to time. In 
 January, 1790, an act passed in General Assembly for 
 callinfT a Convention of the State, which met in Newport 
 
72 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 the following March, when the Constitution was agreed 
 to, and the State came into the confederacy. 
 
 The paper money system was formerly, if not now, a 
 matter of party warfare. Governors were elected or 
 turned out of office, as the different interests happened to 
 prevail. The commercial part of the community were 
 always opposed to the system, as it tended greatly to 
 embarrass trade, and by its depreciation and constant 
 fluctuation, great injustice grew out of the system. Many 
 took advantage ot the laws, making it a tender at par, to 
 pay debts in depreciated money ; and creditors who had 
 parted with their gold and silver, Vv'ere obliged to receive 
 this money in return for their debts. 
 
 In 1710, the then Colony of Rhode-Island commenced 
 the issue of paper money, to defray the public expenses 
 of the war of that year, and after that period, new emis- 
 sions were made from time to time, as circumstances re- 
 quired. Sometimes paper w^as issued to replenish the 
 treasury, sometimes to loan the people on mortgage, until 
 the increasing amount issued, caused it almost constantly 
 to depreciate in current value ; and as the money de- 
 creased in value, the emissions were increased, until about 
 1749, the General Assembly was restricted by Parlia- 
 ment from making any more, except under certain limi- 
 tations. The various emissions from time to time, were, 
 as the time for which they w^ere issued expired, called in 
 and sunk, it generally being made redeemable in some 
 given time. It has been estimated that in 1748, there 
 was in circulation in this State, in what was called old 
 tenor, £500.000. By a report of a committee to the 
 General Assembly, in 1749, they made the outstanding 
 bills at that time, -£320,444. 2. 3 1-2. 
 
 By a report of a committee to the General Assembly, 
 in 1764, in answer to the enquiry of the Lords Commis- 
 sioners of trade, it appears there was then in circulation, 
 £40,000 in bills issued to carry on the war, equal to 
 £30,000 sterling ; about two thirds of which sum must 
 be called in and sunk in a year from that time, after 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 73 
 
 which they say, £13,000 only of the hills issued to de- 
 fray the expense of the war, will be in circulation, and 
 these, with the small remainder of old tenor bills that 
 shall be outstanding, will come to a final end in 1767. 
 
 By an act of Assembly, Sept. 1770, ihe circulation of 
 the old tenor bills was prohibited. They were to be 
 brought into the treasury and exchanged for treasury- 
 notes, at the rate of £8 old tenor, for one dollar. In 
 May, 1775, the State having voted to raise troops, issued 
 £20,000 in bills on interest at 2 1-2 percent, and made 
 them a tender for all debts, 6s. 9d. to the silver ounce. — 
 In August of this year, the Continental bills, of which 
 there w^re beginning to be large emissions by Congress, 
 w^ere made a tender at 6s. per dollar. 
 
 Emissions of paper were now frequently made by the 
 Colony, and those persons who should undervalue the 
 bills, were declared enemies to the public weal, and every 
 possible exertion was made, during the revolutionary 
 war, to sustain their credit and keep up their value. In 
 
 1776, a committee of the New-England States recom- 
 mended them to emit no more bills of credit, unless abso- 
 lutely necessary ; but to tax or borrow, and if they did 
 emit money, to issue bills on interest at 4 per cent. The 
 General Assembly approved this plan, and ordered 
 £40,000 to be hired in notes payable in two years. In 
 
 1777, they ordered £50,000 lawful money to be hired, 
 and notes given on interest for the same, at 4 per cent. 
 
 These notes at first were made a legal tender, but was 
 afterward repealed, and all contracts were to be paid in 
 specie. In 1778 and 1782, acts were passed for consol- 
 idating the paper money, and ordering all notes and bills 
 to be brought into the treasury, and interest calculated at 
 6 per cent, from June, 1778, when they were struck out 
 of circulation, and new notes given on interest. 
 
 On the return of peace, in 1783, there was very little 
 
 gold and silver in circulation, and nothing to sup[)ly its 
 
 place, as a circulating medium. It was customary for 
 
 the merchants to pay the mechanics and laborers in their 
 
 7 
 
74 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 employ, in tea, sugar, coffee, he, which they were 
 obhged to take to market and exchange with the farmers 
 for provisions. And so difficult was it to raise money, 
 that the farmers suffered greatly in having cattle taken 
 from them, and sold for payment of taxes. 
 
 This State, from its local situation, was exposed dur- 
 ing the war, to the frequent incursions of the enemy. — 
 These incursions were repelled chiefly by the militia oi 
 Rhode-Island, under the direction and at the expense (ini 
 the first instance) of the State. " By reason of whichj 
 Rhode-Island incurred a much larger debt than perhaps 
 any of her aister States, in proportion to her estimated 
 rate in the valuation of the United States."* A commit- 
 tee appointed by the General Assembly to inquire into 
 the state of the public securities due from the Stale, re-i 
 ported a debt of £153,047. 15. 9 1-2, of which £106,- 
 976. 11. 3 1-2, was on interest at 6 percent, for treasury 
 notes issued for soldiers' wages — depreciation of soldiers' 
 wages, debts due for confiscated estates, for money loan- 
 ed, &:c. Sec. ; and £46,071. 4. 6. of which was on inter- 
 est at 4 per cent, and was for debts due from government, 
 in 1777. 
 
 In May, 1786, the paper money party having prevail- 
 ed and chosen their candidate for Governor, he, an act 
 was passed for emitting £100,000 lawful money, in bills 
 of credit, and making the same a legal tender at par, 
 for the payment of debts. The 6 percent, debt was 
 consolidated by a scale of depreciation to real money, at 
 6 shillings per dollar, and by an act of Assembly, was to 
 be paid in the paper emission of 1786, at its nominal 
 value ; although that had already depreciated to 48^. for 
 a dollar. It was proposed to consolidate the 4 per cent, 
 debt at 40 for 1, and payable in the same emission at its 
 nominal value. 
 
 In October, 1789, the value of bills emitted in 1786, 
 was made 15 paper dollars for one of silver. But gold 
 
 * Report of a Committee to the General Assembly. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 75 
 
 and silver being very scarce, and considering tlie imprac- 
 ticability of discharging debts in specie, it was enacted 
 that real estate of not less value than £40, and personal 
 property within the State, might be substituted in the 
 payment of debts under certain restrictions. The Gov- 
 ernor, in his message to the General Assembly, in Oct. 
 1791, speaking of the State debt, says, " This debt was 
 wholly incurred during the late war, in the common de- 
 fence of the nation." 
 
 " After peace took place, it was found by experience 
 impracticable to discharge it in the ordinary mode of taxes 
 in gold and silver, recourse was had to paper money ; 
 this was issued in 1786. The holders of State securities 
 were required to receive it in payment on penalty of for- 
 feiting the whole amount of their respective demands. — 
 Owing to the unhappy divisions that prevailed, it suffered 
 an unusual depreciation, but payments in paper were 
 raade to nearly the amount of £79,000, and securities to 
 the amount of about £48,000 were lodged in the Gene- 
 ral Treasury, in consequence of the requisition of the 
 Legislature for bringing them in for the paper money. 
 
 The specie value of the payments thus made in paper, 
 was only about one sixth part, or perhaps less, of the 
 nominal value, from the great depreciation of the paper 
 money. And finally at the rate of about 15 for I, it be- 
 came indispensably necessary for the Legislature to inter- 
 pose. And as an appreciation of the paper at par, in the 
 greatly depreciated state, would have been productive of 
 as much, or perhaps more injustice, than its depreciation, 
 the Legislature had no alternative but to arrest it as it 
 was ; to repeal the tender and declare that it should finally 
 be redeemed at the rate of 15 for 1. And an act for 
 this purpose was passed in October, 1789. 
 
 In August, last year, Congress assumed 21,500,000 
 dollars of the debt of the several States, including in the 
 assumption, 200,000 dollars of the debt of this State, and 
 as the sum assumed is charged by the United States to 
 the State, from which it is assumed, if the Legislature 
 
JQ HISTORICAL discourse:. 
 
 bad not interposed, those who did not comply with the- 
 requisition for receiving the paper money, would have 
 received the whole benefit of this assumjition, and a real- 
 ization of the greatest part of their securities, while those 
 that did comply, would not only lose five-sixths of their 
 demands, but must have contributed their full proportion 
 to the paying the whole amount of the securities, which 
 bad been confiscated as before meniioned." In obedience 
 to acts of the General Assembly of this State of January 
 and June of 1795, making provision for the transfer of 
 the stock of the United States belonging to this State to 
 the individual creditors thereof, the General Treasurer 
 reported as due for certificates issued for various kinds of 
 debts incurred during the revolution, and for consolidating 
 the paper money and securities issued for paper money, 
 and for sinking the 4 per cent, notes, and including 
 notes issued previous to the revolution, Slc, the sum 
 of $503,594 76, of which 5-6 or f 419,662 30, was 
 issuable m certificates for funded stock of the United 
 States, and 1-6 or $83,932 46, in State certificates un- 
 provided for. 
 
 In February, 1803, the General Treasurer reported 
 the above $83,932 46, together with additional claims 
 brought in, and allowed by the State from time to time, 
 making in all a registered State debt of $163,163 71. — 
 Which debt was afterward from time to time reduced, 
 until June 1801. By his report, it appeared there was 
 a balance of principle and interest then due, of $120,949 
 04. And in a subsequent report in 1807, he reported 
 $10,680 14, more of said balance as paid. But a large 
 proportion of said balance, remains to this day, unpaid. 
 
 Rhode-island, like most of her sister States of New- 
 England, was formerly a slave-holding State. The Afri- 
 can slave-trade was extensively carried on by the people 
 of Newport, and much of her wealth in former times, was 
 derived from this trade. Most of the families were slave- 
 holders, and owned more or less of this kind of property. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 77 
 
 In 1784, the General Assembly passed an act, author- 
 izing the manumission of negroes, mulattoes, &ic., and 
 provided that no persons, negroes, or mulattoes, born in 
 ihe State, after the first day of the year 1784, shall be 
 slaves for life. The Assembly also repealed the clause 
 contained in an act passed in 1774, permitting slaves 
 brought from Africa to the West Indies on board any 
 vessel belonging to tliis then Colony, and that could not 
 be disposed of in the West Indies, to be brought to this 
 State ; and provided that in future no negro or mulatto 
 be brought into this State to be sold or disposed of as a 
 slave. 
 
 The Friends of New-England, as a Society, interested 
 themselves to accomplish the abolition of slavery, and 
 when taken into consideration by the people of Rhode- 
 Island, it was found not to be congenial with our free in- 
 stitutions. 
 
 The late Dr. Samuel Hopkins, of Newport, some years 
 before the revolutionary w^ar, raised his voice against this 
 traffic in human blood, and in a sermon preached by 
 him, publicly advocated its abolition. Situated as he 
 was, in the midst of a population deriving much of their^ 
 wealth from this business, he nobly dared to show the 
 people their transgression, and the house of Israel their 
 sins. Nor were his efforts unavaihng. He so far suc- 
 ceeded as to induce many of the members of his Church 
 to free their slaves : and finally as a body to pass resolu- 
 tions disapproving the trade, and declaring that they 
 would not tolerate it. 
 
 In 1787, the Legislature of Rhode-Island passed an 
 act to prevent the slave-trade from bein^ carried on from 
 this State, and for the encouragement of the abolition of 
 slavei-y altogether, with in it. 
 
 Rhode-Island is justly entitled to the honor of success- 
 fully contending with the mother country, in the manu- 
 facture of cotton cloths, and operating successfully the 
 first machinery, by water power, in this country. The 
 
 7* 
 
73 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Rev. George S. White, has recently published a memoir 
 of Samuel Slater, Esq. and a history of manufactures, 
 from which we are made acquainted with the early his- 
 tory of manufacturing in Rhode-Island, and the discour- 
 agements and disadvantages it had to contend with in its 
 infancy. The following account of the manufacture of* 
 cotton in its commencement and progress, is from that 
 work : — 
 
 " The State of Rhode-Island justly claims the honor 
 of being one of the earliest seats of the mechanic arts, and 
 of manufactures on this side the Atlantic. It was the in- 
 variable and settled policy of Great Britain, to keep her 
 Colonies dependent upon her for every article she possi- 
 bly could, with which she could supply them. This 
 policy prevented the introduction of machinery and all 
 mechanical operations and improvements. Chatham 
 said, " He would not have the Americans make a hob- 
 nail." It was this that occasioned a great part of the 
 sufferings of the American army, during the war of the 
 revolution. So entirely dependent had we been on Eng- 
 land, for supplying our wants, that being without domes- 
 tic manufactures, our troops often suffered for clothing 
 and other necessaries of life. For many years after the 
 settlement of this country, our people were employed in 
 bringing their lands into a state of cultivation, and no at- 
 tention was paid to manufactures. And when at last a 
 few coarse and imperfect articles were manufactured, we 
 were viewed by Great Britain with a jealous and suspi- 
 cious eye, and she immediately adopted a rigid and sys- 
 tematic course of restrictions, on Colonial manufactures. 
 
 In 1719, the -House of Commons declared, ''That 
 the erecting of manufactories in the Colonies, tended to 
 lessen their dependence on Great Britain." When we 
 had achieved our independence and taken our stand 
 among the nations, a new market was opened for all 
 commercial countries, as well as England, and the man- 
 ufactures of those nations were crowded into the United 
 States ; and the products of our soil being called for by 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 79 
 
 Europe, the activity of our commerce caused our mer- 
 chants to flourish. 
 
 These, by furnishing a market, enriched the farmers, 
 and enabled them to give great prices for European and 
 India goods, and nothing of consequence was done in do- 
 mestic manufactures. From an account of manufacturing 
 cotton in Rhode-Island, furnished Mr. White by William 
 Anthony, we learn that about 178S, Daniel Anthony, 
 Andrew Dexter, and Lewis Peck, all of Providence, en- 
 tered into an agreement to make what W'as then called, 
 *' Home-spun cloth." The idea at first, was to spin by 
 hand, and make jeans with linen warp and cotton fil- 
 hngs. 
 
 But hearing of a model of machinery imported from 
 England, which was at Bridgewatcr, iVIass., where at- 
 tempts were then making to manufacture ; drawings of 
 this were obtained, but which were soon laid aside, the 
 model being imperfect, and said to be taken from one of 
 the first of the kind built in England. They then pro- 
 ceded to build a machine of a different construction, cal- 
 led a jenny ; a model of which was brought from Eng- 
 land to Beverly. This jenny had 23 spindles, which 
 was finished in 1787, and set up first in a private house, 
 but afterward was removed to tiie Market-House cham- 
 ber, in Providence. 
 
 Joshua Laidley, of Providence, then built a carding 
 machine for cotton, from a draft from Beverly. It con- 
 tained eight heads of four spindles each, making thirty- 
 two spindles, worked by hand with a crank. In 1788, 
 Joseph Alexander and James M'Kerris, arrived at 
 Providence, from Scotland. They were weavers, and 
 understood the fly shuttle. They were employed to 
 weave corduroy, one at Providence, the other at East- 
 Greenwich, and a loom built under the direction of Mr. 
 Alexander, was put in operation in the Market-House 
 chamber, in Providence. This was the first fly shuttle 
 ever used in Rhode-Island. 
 
 The spinning frame which was obtained from the 
 
go HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Bridgevvater model, and which had been laid aside, was 
 carried to Pawtucket and attached to a wiieel propelled 
 by water. The work was too laborious to be turned by- 
 hand, and the machine too imperfect to be turned by 
 w-ater. It was soon after sold to Moses Brown, of Prov- 
 idence. Thus as the machinery was worked by hand, 
 the manufacture was imperfect, and little could be done. 
 
 About the time this machinery was put in operation, 
 Herman Vandouser, a German, came to East-Greenwich 
 and undertook the business of calico printing, that being 
 his trade. His object was, to print for the people gener- 
 ally. The calico looked much like that imported from 
 India in that day, and not much, if any, inferior to that 
 cloth. It was, however, found to be cheaper to import, 
 and they were given up. 
 
 So imperfect w^as all the machinery in use in America 
 previous to the year 1790, as to preclude the manufacture 
 of cotton cloth, or cotton yarn for warps, and it was 
 thought desirable to import cotton yarn from India ; but 
 the machinery was inadequate, and its operations deficient 
 and expensive. Under such embarrassments it w^as im- 
 possible for American manufactures to compete with for- 
 eign goods, introduced by British agents and American 
 merchants, even when they received legislative aid, as was 
 the case at Beverly, Mass. Every attempt to spin cotton 
 w^arp, or twist, or any other yarn by water power, until 
 1790, had totally failed. Massachusetts had made ma- 
 ny attempts, incipient and imperfect, at manufacturing 
 cotton. 
 
 Aware of the importance of better machinery, which 
 they knew was in successful operation in England, they 
 had endeavored to obtain a model of the Arkwright pa- 
 tent, but were unable, in consequence of the heavy and 
 severe penalties imposed by the British government on 
 the exportation of mechanism. At this gloomy period in 
 the history of American manufactures, a great and im- 
 portant change was now to succeed, when all the old, 
 imperfect machinery was to be laid aside, and the long^ 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Qi 
 
 desired superior Arkwright machinery was to take its 
 place. 
 
 Samuel Slater was born in the town ofBelpar, in Der- 
 byshire, Enghind, ihe 9th of June, 1768. Wlien about 
 fourteen years old, ho went to live with .Tcdediah Strutt, 
 Esq. a partner of Sir Richard Aikwright in tlie cotton 
 spinning business, witii whom Mr. Slater continued until 
 1789. During four or five of the last years, his time 
 was solely devoted as a general overseer, both as respects 
 making machinery and the manufacturing department. 
 In 1789, he left England and came to New-York. 
 
 After an int;fiectual attempt to procure employment, 
 he addressed a letter to Moses Brown, of Providence, 
 stating what he thought could be done in machinery, 
 offering his services, wliich were accepted, and he came 
 to Providence in 1790. He did net bring with him from 
 England, any model, drawings or writings, of any des- 
 cription, except his indentures to Mv. Strutt, which he 
 concealed about him, for fear of being stopped from leav- 
 ing England. He did not let any of his friends know of 
 his intention, and not until he was ready to embark, did 
 he drop a letter into ti^e Post-Office, informing them of 
 his destination. He came to this country without rec- 
 ommendation and without patronage, depending entirely 
 on his own memory and knowledge of machinery, with a 
 full and decided plan to construct and erect the Ark- 
 wright machinery in the United States; and without the 
 aid of any one, who had ever seen such machinery, did 
 actually, from his own personal knowledge and skill, put 
 in motion the whole series of Arkwright patents ; and 
 he put them in such perfect operation, as to produce 
 yarn and cotton cloth of various descriptions, equal to 
 any article of the kind produced in England at that time. 
 So complete was his success, notwithstanding all the dis- 
 advantages he labored under, that in fourteen months 
 from the time he commenced his labors, IMoses Brown 
 informed the Secretary of the Treasury, that machinery 
 and mills could be erected within one year, to supply the 
 
99 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 whole United States with yarn, and render the importa- 
 tion unnecessary. 
 
 Mr. Slater claims to have established the first Sabbath 
 school in New-England. He introduced Sunday school 
 instruction in his mill, a system which had obtained in 
 the mills of Strutt and Arkwright, previous to the time 
 Mr. Slater left England. These schools, the first of the 
 kind in America, were copied and extended with the 
 factories, and ultimately prompted establishments of a 
 similar character in our seaports." Sabbath schools were 
 first introduced in Providence from Pawtucket in 1815. 
 They were first considered charity schools, and but few 
 children, save from the poorest classes of the community, 
 could be prevailed on to attend ; and for the instruction 
 of these, their teachers received a regular compensation. 
 Subsequently, several religious denominations embarked 
 in the Sabbath school enterprise. But this, like all oth- 
 er benevolent and moral enterprises in its infancy, had a 
 fiery ordeal to pass. Many good men hesitated, and even 
 entertained conscientious scruples concerning its influence 
 on the proper observance of the Sabbath, and the civil 
 institutions of our country. Legislators and statesmen, 
 with feverish political sagacity saw, or imagined they 
 saw, in this enterprise, a union of church and state ; and 
 the whole system was condemned, as a system of priest- 
 craft and fanaticism. But God has silenced every objec- 
 tion, and stamped the broad seal of heaven on this holy 
 and benevolent enterprise. 
 
 Now it has become, in the estimation of the patriot, 
 the philanthropist and statesman, no less than the 
 Christian, the public guardian of the Sabbath, and the 
 saviour of our country. Who, that values the blessings 
 of civil and religious h^eedom, can dwell on the transport- 
 ing fact, without the sincerest emotions of gratitude to 
 God, that on each succeeding Sabbath, more than a mil- 
 lion of the children and youth of this country are brought 
 under the influence of Sabbath school instruction — under 
 the influence of principles, which not only teach, but 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. g3 
 
 qualify them, to discharge their duty to themselves, their 
 country, and their God. 
 
 More than tliirty thousand teachers and fifty thousand 
 scholars have been hopefully bon verted to God, in this 
 country, through the instrumentality of Sabbath schools ! 
 What a mighty moral influence is constantly going forth 
 from this institution, to purify this nation from their 
 sins. What an army of holy, evangelical ministers 
 have been raised up here, who now stand on the high 
 places in Zion. What a host of self-denying mission- 
 aries of the cross first caught the celestial fire of love 
 to the dying heathen, within the hallowed walls of this 
 sacred institution. From this nursery of piety and mor- 
 als, we are to look for a race of men, whose minds 
 shall not only be cultivated by science, but imbued 
 with the spirit' and principles of truth. J\Ien who shall 
 feel the power, and act under the influence, of moral 
 principle, in the discharge of their duty to themselves, 
 their country and their God. Men, whose influence 
 shall counteract the rapid growth of infidelity, the de- 
 secration of the Sabbath, the increase of Romanism, 
 and guard with unyielding fidelity the constitutional 
 rights of the people. ]\Ien, who shall maintain unim- 
 paired, those great principles of civil and religious free- 
 dom, bequeathed us by our ancestors as a legacy of 
 blood, and save the ark of our national covenant from 
 the polluted hands of aspiring political demagogues. 
 
 " Most of the cotton manufacturing establishments in 
 our country from 1790 to 1809, were built by men 
 who had either directly or indirectly drawn their know- 
 ledge of the business from Pawtucket, the cradle of 
 American manufactures. Our manufactures have had 
 to contend with very great difficulties, the greatest of 
 which, however, has been the want of encouragement 
 from the Americans themselves, who preferred foreign 
 manufactures to those of their own country. . 
 
 The war of 1812 did not diminish, but rather in- 
 crease this desire ; and on the return of peace, in 
 
g4 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 1815, the country was flooded with every description 
 of foreign goods, which reduced the price of domestic 
 manufactures at least one third of their previous value, 
 and greatly discouraged our infant establishments, 
 some of which were ruined, and many companies fail- 
 ed, involving their enterprising owners in bankruptcy. 
 To the undaunted perseverance of a few of those es- 
 tablishments, amidst the wide-spread ruin around them, 
 we are indebted for the present progress and triumph 
 of our improved manufactures. 
 
 By the introduction of the latest and most improved 
 machinery, with the advantages of New-England water 
 power, they have survived every shock, surmounted every 
 obstacle, and triumphed over every difficulty. Irish lin- 
 ens and India cottons, which once supplied our market, 
 are now but little known. An immense quantity of cot- 
 ton cloths lire sold at very low prices in all parts of the 
 Union, both plain and printed. Large exportations are 
 made to Soutli America, where they are held in high re- 
 pute, and command the market over British and India 
 goods. 
 
 Samuel Slater, the father of our manufactures, lived to 
 see this astonishing change, and the successful consum- 
 mation of what he had at first introduced by unwavering 
 firmness, under various and complicated discouragements, 
 now unknown. He commenced with 72 spindles, in a 
 clothiers' shop, in Pawtucket ; nor could he find a ready 
 market after he had spun his yarn, at that time, in Amer- 
 ica. 
 
 Previous to 1815, the whole of the weaving was done 
 by the hand-loom, and great quantities of cloth were pro- 
 duced for home consumption. Judge Lyman, of Provi- 
 dence, had attempted to construct the power loom, but 
 his efforts were unsuccessful, and on hearing of a Mr. 
 Gilmore, who had come from England, in 1814, he, with 
 several other gentlemen, employed him to build the 
 power loom and dresser, from patterns which he had 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 85 
 
 brought with him from England ; which he accompHshed 
 to the perfect satisfaction of his employers. 
 
 They were soon introduced into Pawtucket, and Mr. 
 David Wilkinson, an ingenious and enterprising me- 
 chanic of that place, made them as an article of sale. — 
 The hand-loom was immediately superceded, and now no 
 one in the manufacturing districts, thinks of using them 
 any more than the old fashioned one thread spinning 
 wheel." Previous to the revolution, there was an iron 
 foundry in Rhode-Island, which, during the war, was 
 employed in casting cannon. Other branches of manu- 
 factures have been, and still are, carried on lo a great ex- 
 tent in this State. 
 
 Recently, the manufacture of jewelry was extensively 
 conducted in Providence, and great quantities exported. 
 Hats, shoes, leather, he, are manufactured in the State, 
 which, together with her extensive manufactures of cot- 
 ton and woollen goods, afford employment for many of 
 our inhabitants. And for industry, enterprise, and perse- 
 verance, Rhode-Island yields to none of her sister States. 
 
 In 1812, the American Government formally declared 
 war with Great Britain, when Newport was again expos- 
 ed to all the apprehensions of being visited by an invad- 
 ing hostile foe, whose ships of war were frequently seen 
 during its continuance, hovering round her shores. A 
 memorial was sent from this tcwn to the General Gov- 
 ernment, setting forth our exposed and defenceless con- 
 dition, in case of an invasion. 
 
 Our militia and independent companies were all we 
 had to depend upon for protection and defence, for some 
 time after war was declared, the Government having 
 drawn awa}^ the United States troops stationed in the forts 
 of our harbor. But notwithstanding this, the inhabitants 
 were resolved to repel any attempts made by the enemy, 
 and our little forces were ever ready to repair to their posts 
 on any alarm. 
 
 On the 6th of December, the inhabitants of Newport 
 had the satisfaction of seeing the British frigate Mace- 
 8 
 
^ HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 donian arrive in our harbor, a prize to the American 
 frigate United States, Capt. Decatur. 
 
 Her wounded were landed at Coaster's harbor, and at 
 the hospital on that Island, they received every attention 
 which their situation required. At the commencement of 
 hostilities, the British blockaded the coast of America. — 
 At first the Southern coast, but afterward it extended as 
 far North as the East end of Long-lslimd Sound. This 
 gave the ports of Massachusetts and Rhode- Island, the 
 advantages of the neutral trade, until the blockade of the 
 whole American coast. 
 
 Newport, for a while, enjoyed a large share of the 
 trade, and the arrival and departure of the neutral ves- 
 sels, the sale of their cargoes, &ic., gave employment to 
 many of our citizens. The inhabitants of Newport, re- 
 collecting the destruction of their registry during the war 
 of the revolution, took the precaution to send from the 
 Island, the records of the town, made since the revolu- 
 tion. They were deposited with the town of South 
 Kingstown, for safe keeping, where they remained until 
 peace was again proclaimed. The Banks of Newport, 
 also, removed their specie from this town. 
 
 In 1813, Capt. Oliver H. Perry left Newport with a 
 detachment of seamen from the gun boats in this harbor, 
 to take command of the American squadron on Lake 
 Erie, where, on the 10th of September, after a most des- 
 perate engagement, he achieved a splendid victory over 
 the whole British fleet on that lake. When Capt. Perry 
 arrived at the lake, government had neither men nor 
 ships at that place. 
 
 He immediately commenced building a squadron, in 
 which he achieved his victory, and prepared the way for 
 the future success of our Western army. The victory of 
 our fellow townsman was hailed in this town, with the 
 greatest enthusiasm ; and on his return to Newport, he 
 was received with every demonstration of respect. Lieu- 
 tenants William V. Taylor and Daniel Turner, also our 
 fellow townsmen, who were with him in the battle, shared 
 with their gallant commander, in the tribute paid to valor. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 87 
 
 On the 4tli of October, 1813, a small British privateer 
 called the Dart, which iiad been hovering about our har- 
 bor, was seen having in company a sliip, brig, and schoon- 
 er, which she had detained. The revenue cutter 
 Vigilant, Capt. John Cahoone, was manned with volun- 
 teers from this town, and seamen from the gun boats, 
 and went out in pursuit of her. They soon came up 
 with, and carried her, after a slight resistance, and 
 brought her into Newport. The first Lieut, of the 
 Dart was killed. The capture of this privateer was un- 
 questionably the means of saving a large amount of pro- 
 perty from being captured. 
 
 In December, the President of the United States, in a 
 message to Congress, says, " The tendency of our com- 
 mercial and navigation laws in their present state, to favor 
 the enemy, and tiiereby prolong the war, is more and 
 more developed by experience. Supplies of the most 
 essential kind find their way, not only to British ports and 
 Britisli armies at a distance, but the armies in our neigh- 
 borhood with which our own are contending, derive from 
 our ports and outlets, a subsistence attainable with diffi- 
 culty, if attainable at all from other sources. 
 
 Even the fleets and troops infesting our coasts and 
 waters, are by like supplies accommodated and encour- 
 aged in their predatory and incursive warfare." An em- 
 bargo was immediately laid by Congress on all vessels, 
 except neutrals, which were permitted to depart, provided, 
 they carried with them nothing but sea stores. So rigo- 
 rous was the embargo, that coasting from one town to 
 another in the same State, was subjected to the most 
 I strict and severe scrutiny from officers of the revenue. 
 I The crews of the coasting vessels in our harbor, at the 
 time the embargo was laid, shouldered their packs, and 
 leaving their vessels, returned home. The embargo at 
 once put an end to the piosperity and business appear- 
 ance of Newport, which soon relaxed into dulness and 
 inactivity. This monotony, however, was occasionally 
 relieved by an alarm. On the 30th of May, 1814, a 
 
88 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Swedish brig from St. Barts, attempting to violate the 
 blockade, was chased on shore by the British brig of war 
 Nimrod, in the East Passage, on Smith's beach. The 
 next morning the Nimrod came to anchor about a mile 
 from shore, and sent a barge to set fire to the brig, which 
 they effectually accomplished without loss. 
 
 Every exertion was made by the militia of Middle- 
 town, the 3d company from Newport, and a detachment 
 of seamen from the United States flotilla, to prevent it, 
 but having nothing but small arms with them, their efforts 
 were ineffectual. The Nimrod fired about 200 cannon 
 balls, one of which killed Mr. John Smith, of the Mid- 
 dletown militia, and took off the leg of Isaac Bassett, a 
 seaman belondno^ to the flotilla. 
 
 A few days previous to this, the barges of the Nimrod 
 had chased two sloops on shore in the East Passage ; but 
 the militia of Little Compton, having assembled in con- 
 siderable numbers, they were prevented from taking pos- 
 session of them. The sloops were got off, and proceed- 
 ed up the river. 
 
 In June, 1814, the General Assembly passed an act 
 authorizing the town-councils of the several seaport 
 towns, to cause the shipping to be removed from their 
 wharves and harbors, whenever by them it should be 
 thought advisable. The town-council of Newport, ac- 
 cordingly ordered the shipping to be removed from New- 
 port, lest it should be an inducement for the enemy to 
 visit us. 
 
 In July, the Artillery Company of the town of New- 
 port, under command of Col. Fry, took possession of 
 Fort Green, at the North end of Washington-street, on 
 the Point, by an arrangement with the U. S. Govern- 
 ment. Col. Fry was to have the entire command of the 
 ort, and the company to be under the control of the 
 Governor of the State. 
 
 The entrance of the harbor was also garrisoned about 
 this time, by the enlisted State corps, under command of 
 Col. John Wood. These posts were occupied until the 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 89 
 
 proclamation of peace. Tiie news of peace reached this 
 town on the morning of the i4tii of February, 1S15. — 
 The joy of the inha!)itants was expiessed cluiing the day, 
 by the rinL^ing of beHs, the roar of cannon, and the display 
 of the mihtary. In the evening, a most splendid and 
 general illumination of the town took place, and a dis- 
 play of paper lanterns with emblematic devices, suspend- 
 ed in the streets, which notwithstanding the great quan- 
 tity of snow in them, were thoroughly promenaded by 
 almost every man, woman, and child, in the place. — 
 Similar denumstrations of joy took place n nearly every 
 town in the Stale. 
 
 This war, although short in duration, was signalized by 
 a rapid succession of naval victories on the ocean and 
 the lake=? ; and disappointed the predictions of those 
 who asserted that she who sat as queen upon the waters, 
 would in a few months, sweep our infant navy from the 
 bosom of the ocean. But the testimony of the proud 
 mistress of the ocean herself, is the best tribute of respect 
 to the skill of our officers, the valor of our crews, and 
 the magnitude of our power. 
 
 At a meeting of the merchants, manufacturers, ship- 
 owners, and underwriters, in the city of Glasgow, in 
 1814, it was declared by them, " There is reason to be- 
 lieve in the short space of twenty-four months, above 
 eight hundred vessels have been captured by a power 
 whose maratime strength we have hitherto held in con- 
 tempt. I'he number of privateers that infest our coast, 
 and the audacity with which they approach our shores, 
 and their success, is humiliating to our pride." And they 
 further say, " Our nation have declared the whole coast 
 of America in blockade, and it is mortifying that oui: 
 ships cannot traverse our own channels in safety. In- 
 surance cannot be effected, but at an excessive premium."" 
 Rhode-island can justly boast of having furnished a 
 iGreen for her country, in the war of the revolution, who,, 
 in rank and generalship, was second to none, save th& 
 immortal Washington himself. And the war of 181^ 
 3# 
 
90 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 brought forth, and contributed to her country's glory, the 
 mighty energies of her gallant Perry. 
 
 Mr. Hunter, who was then our Senator in Congress, 
 in a speech in the Senate of the United States, on the re-' 
 solutions complimentary of Commodore Perry's victory, 
 said, " While I hold in my hand this resolution, expres-. 
 sive of a nation's gratitude toward this naval youthful 
 Rhode-Island hero, for his deliverance of the West, I 
 can point the other to the likeness of that illustrious 
 Rhode-Island veteran, (alluding to the likeness of Gen. 
 Green, in the Senate) who in the sacred war of the rev- 
 olution, saved the South, and accelerated and ascertained 
 the independence of his country." 
 
 Commodore Perry died in the 34th year of his age, 
 August 23d, A. D. 1819, on board the United States 
 schooner Nonsuch, at tlie moment the schooner was en- 
 tering the harbor of Port Spain, in the Island of Trini- 
 dad. He died of the yellow fever, contracted at Angos- 
 tura, where he had been transacting business for our Gov- 
 ernment. His remains were interred on the 24th, at 
 Port Spain, with every mark of respect, from Sir Ralph 
 Woodford, Governor of Trinidad, and the inhabitants of 
 the place. The body was landed from the John Adams, 
 where it had been removed from the schooner, under a 
 salute of minute guns from that ship. When it reached 
 the shore, the Fort of St. Andrews continued the cere- 
 mony, until the long procession, accompanied by the 
 band of tlie 3d West India regiment, playing the dead 
 march in Saul, reached the burial place. 
 
 After the funeral, the following Card was published by 
 the American officers : — 
 
 " The officers ofthe United States vessels John Adams and Non- 
 such, tender their grateful acknowledgments to the inhabitants of 
 Port Spain, for their kind and respectful attention to the funeral | 
 rites bestowed on the body of their late commander, Commodore ' 
 Perry. The disposition manifested by all classes, was highly in 
 unison with their feelings, and merits their warmest thanks." 
 
 Commodore Perry, at the time of his death, was en- 
 gaged in executing the duties of a *' highly flattering 
 
 I 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 91 
 
 command, involving diplomatic and naval functions of 
 critical nicety and importance." President Monroe, in 
 his message to Congress, in December following, refer- 
 ring to several acts and orders for the protection of our 
 commerce, and the suppression of the slave-trade, says, 
 "In the execution of the duty imposed by these acts, and 
 of high trust connected with it, it is with deep regret I 
 have to state the loss which has been sustained by the 
 death of Commodore Perry. His gallantry in a brilliant 
 exploit, in the late war, added to the renown of his coun- 
 try ; his death is deplored as a national misfortune." 
 
 Soon after the death ol Commodore Perry, the Legis- 
 lature of Rhode-Island by their resolution, requested the 
 Hon. Benjamin Hazard, of this town, to compose and 
 publish his biography, which it is greatly to be re- 
 gretted that gentleman has not complied with. — 
 It is to be hoped, however, that one so eminently 
 qualified to do justice to the subject, both by his literary 
 advantages and his intimate acquaintance with the gallant 
 Commodore, while living, will yet favor his country and 
 posterity, by complying with the request of the Legisla- 
 ture.* 
 
 The remains of Commodore Perry arrived at Newport, 
 from Trinidad, in the sloop of war Lexington, on Mon- 
 day the 27th of November, 1826, and on Monday fol- 
 lowing, the 4th of December, were interred in the com- 
 mon burial place in this town, with the honors due to his 
 rank and character. 
 
 The military companies of Providence, Pawtucket, 
 
 ♦In June, 1818, the General Assembly of Rhode-Island, by their 
 resolve, appointed Benjamin Hazard and William C. Gibbs, Esc|rs. 
 a committee with instructions to collect and deposite in the Secreta- 
 ry's office, all the documents and memorials necessary to preserve 
 entire the history of tiie brilliant evenis achieved by Commodore 
 Perry, on Lake Erie, comprehending the exertions of that officer, in 
 creating as it were, under every discouragement, the means which 
 insured his success ; and also the details of the action — and that ther 
 also request Commodore Perry, in the name of the General Assem- 
 bly, to sit for his portrait to Gilbert Stuart. Commodore Perry ac- 
 cordingly set to Siuart, but Mr. Stuart never finished the picture 
 
92 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE, 
 
 and Bristol, attended the procession, witli the companies 
 of Newport. Tlie Govcumor, and other officers ol' State, 
 with several distinguished naval and military officers, were 
 present, and the vast assemblage of our citizens testified 
 their respect to the character of our fallen fellow towns- 
 man. The State of Rhode-Island has since erected a 
 monument in honor of the memory of this lamented and 
 gallant officer. 
 
 The 23d of September, 1815, is rendered memorable 
 by a most awful and destructive storm, which swept 
 away and laid prostrate, almost every thing in its course. 
 The Newport Mercury says, " The gale commenced 
 early in the morning, at N. E., and continued increasing 
 in violence, ilje wind varying from N. E. to S. E. and 
 S. W., until about 11 o'clock, when it be^an to abate, 
 and about 1 o'clock, the danger from the wind and tide 
 was over." At Newport, the tide rose three feet and 
 a half higher than it had ever been known before. 
 
 Two dwelling houses and nine stores and workshops, 
 on the Long-wharf, were swept away by the violence of 
 the wind and waves; and those that withstood the power 
 of this desolating scourge, were rendered almost untena- 
 ble, by the vessels, lumber, &ic., driving against them. — 
 Several of the stores carried away, contained a consider- 
 able amount of property, nearly the whole of which was 
 lost. 
 
 In one of the houses carried away from the Long-wharf, 
 five persons perished. The wharves on the Point, with 
 most of the stores on them, were carried away.. The 
 wharves also, in other parts of the town, with the stores 
 on them, sustained considerable injury, and every thing 
 moveable on the wharves, was swept away. In some of 
 the stores, the water was four feet deep. A large three 
 story store, containing hemp, flour, &c., was lilted from 
 its foundation and floated into the harbor. The steeples 
 of the first and second Congregational Churches were 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. Q^ 
 
 partly blown down, and the roofs of the Episcopal and 
 first Congregational Churches were partly carried away. 
 
 After the storm, it was found that the out-side of win- 
 dows, in the houses of this town, were covered with a 
 fine salt, conveyed from the ocean tlirough the air. This 
 was also noticed for many miles inland, after the gale. — 
 The shipping in the harbor were driven from their an- 
 chorage, and went ashore. Some lying side of the 
 wharves were lifted on them by the violence of the wind 
 and tide, and left. Four sloops were lifted on the Long- 
 wharf, and a sloop loaded with wood, went over the 
 wharf into the cove. 
 
 The stone bridge, connecting the Island with Tiverton 
 on the main, was greatly injured and rendered wholly 
 impassable. The draw and toll-house were carried 
 away ; a new channel about three hundred feet wide, 
 was made at the West end of the bridge, and where the 
 toll-house had stood, the water was thirty feet deep at 
 low tide. The light-house on Point Judith was swept 
 away, with several other houses, in its vicinity. The 
 Rhode-Island Republican, says, " So great and general 
 has been the devastation of property, that it is found im- 
 possible to give a correct account of the extent of damage." 
 
 Providence suffered severely by the storm ; the tide 
 rising twelve feet higher than spring tides, inundated the 
 streets in various parts of the town. It extended in 
 Westminster-street, a considerable distance beyond where 
 Grace Church now stands ; so that the lives of many 
 families, particularly on the West side, were in the most 
 imminent danger. Vessels were thrown into the streets, 
 men were seen flying in every direction, for protection for 
 tliemselves, or braving the violence of the storm, for those 
 they loved. Many families were driven to the upper 
 rooms of their houses, where with the most fearful ap- 
 prehensions, they listened to the war of the elements 
 without, and witnessed the wide spread havoc around 
 them. Many women and children were rescued from, 
 their chamber windows. 
 
94 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Weybosset Bridge was entirely swept away : everyj 
 vessel but two, in the harbor, were driven from their 
 moorings, and tliirty-five sail were driven on shore at the 
 head of the cove, above the bridge. Scarcely a vestige 
 of the spacious stores which crowded the wharves bor- 
 dering on Weybosset-street, remained, and most of those; 
 South of the market to India Point, shared the same fate., 
 
 The third story of the Washington Insurance office; 
 was severely injured, by being perforated with the bow- 
 sprit of a ship. The Rev. Mr. Williams's meeting- 
 house sustained great injury, and the Second Baptist 
 meeting-house, near the water, was totally destroyed. — 
 It is computed that five hundred buildings, of various de- 
 scriptions, were either greatly damaged or totally destroy- 
 ed in Providence ; and yet amidst this general ruin, two 
 persons only, lost their lives. Bristol, Warren, Wickford, 
 and East Greenwich, also suffered great damage, in ves- 
 sels and buildings. 
 
 The J\ew-England jMem.orial gives an account of a, 
 similar storm on the 15lh day of August, 1635, which 
 was the year before Roger Williams came to Providence. 
 In that gale, the tide also rose to the same height in our 
 river. At Narraganseit, the natives were obliged to 
 climb trees for safety ; but the fiood tide returning before 
 the usual time, many of them were drowned. 
 
 In 1819, the town of Newport commenced the erection 
 of the Newport Asylum, on Coaster's Harbor Island, 
 which, when completed, was put under the immediate 
 charge of nine commissioners, three of whom go out of 
 office every year, and others are chosen to fill their places. 
 The commissioners have entire control of the Asylum 
 and Island, with the management of its affairs. Previous 
 to building the Asylum, the cost to the town of Newport 
 for the support of the poor, was about ^'7000 a year. 
 Since its establishment, that expense has been reduced 
 to about $ iOOO. The keeper of the establishment man- 
 ages the farm for the commissioners, and takes care of the 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 95 
 
 poor, for a stipulated salary. The produce of the farm 
 and the manufaciures meet, in part, tlie expense of the 
 estabhshment, which expense varies from about 3500 to 
 $1000 per annum, as more or less inmates are therein, 
 and the price of provisions rises or falls. 
 
 In 18^22 the Rhode-Island Historical Society was in- 
 corporated, for the purpose of collecting papers, manu- 
 sciipts and documents, relative to the history of the Slate, 
 and to preserve those which record the j^assing events. 
 It is to be regretted, that much of the history of Rhode- 
 Island contained in manuscripts, &z,c. is irrecoverably lost, 
 as well as much traditionary information, which has died, 
 as one and another of our aged fellow-citizens have de- 
 scended to the grave. Many facts, however, that are 
 valuable to the future historian, have been rescued by the 
 exertions of the Society, from sharing a similar fate ; and 
 it is their care to preserve and transmit to posterity, all 
 that is interesting of our own times. The Society of late 
 have -maintained an interesting and valuable correspon- 
 dence, with the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries 
 at Copenhagen, and from the reception of some impor- 
 tant documents from them, they have reason to suppose 
 they may derive important aid irom that Society, in elu- 
 idating the early history of this country. They have 
 also lately received propositions from the Royal Academy 
 Df Sciences at Lisbon, soliciting the establishment of a 
 correspondence and an interchange of transactions. The 
 Society ha\e two cabinets, one at Providence and one 
 at Newport ; and it should be the endeavor of every cit- 
 zen to aid them in their efforts, by depositing with them 
 all such papers and manuscripts in their possession as will 
 throw light on the history of the State and facilitate 
 the objects of the Society. 
 
 The newspapers, those depositories of incidents and 
 Bvents of daily occurrence, were they carefully preserv- 
 ed, would present a complete history of the civil, political, 
 moral, religious, agricultural and commercial affairs of the 
 State. 1 am informed that a regular file of the newspa- 
 
96 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 pers of this town cannot be found farther back than 1787," 
 Would it not be well for the printers to furnish the Cab- 
 inets with a copy of each of their papers, as they art 
 printed, so that hereafter regular files may be preserved] 
 
 In March, 1825, the freemen of Newport decided by 
 vote to establish free schools in the town, and a commit- 
 tee in May following, recommended to erect two school- 
 houses, to obtain the Church school-house, and establist 
 three free schools in the town. In 1820, a committee 
 of the town reported on a resolution of the General As- 
 sembly of this State, calling on the several towns for in- 
 formation on the subject of free schools, and recommend- 
 ed that the town instruct their representatives in Genera] 
 Assembly, to unite their efforts to procure an act of the 
 Legislature for such a general system of public schools, 
 as in their wisdom they may devise. 
 
 On the 14th of July, 1826, the corner stone of thei 
 town school-house No. 1, was laid by Lieut. Gov. Charles 
 Collins. The Rev. Mr. Gammell offered a very appro- 1 
 priate prayer on the occasion. A committee was appoint- j 
 ed in April, 1826, to investigate and inquire into money 
 said to he due from the town, for, or on the account o) 
 school lands. In their report they say, " The under- 
 signed, a committee of said town, appointed on the 3d ol 
 Sept. 1825, to inquire into the evidence of the title ojj 
 the town of Newport to the Newtown or school lands, od| 
 the subject of which lands a former committee reported; 
 on the 16th of May last, from which report and other 
 representations then made, some of the freemen were in- 
 duced to believe that the town received the aforesaid land 
 as a gift, on condition to apply the whole income to the 
 education of the youth of said town, and that the town 
 was, in law and equity, bound for the faithful perform- 
 ance of the same ; and as the town had sold most of the 
 lands in question soon after the revolutionary war, to pay 
 the debts of the town, they must now make good by tax- 
 ation the trust to them committed by the donor. It was 
 also reported by that committee, that the town was 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 97 
 
 indebted to the said education fund, in the sum of 
 $51,283 31. 
 
 The coniniittee, after detailing sundry acts and resolu- 
 tions of the town, relative to the said Newtown or school 
 lands, gleaned from the old mutilated records of the town, 
 among which is a report of a committee made to the town 
 in 1763, which committee say, " Upon examining the 
 town records, we found tliat the said land was purchased 
 by the town of one Bartholomew Hunt, the Hth day of 
 December, 1G61, for which they gave him in exchange 
 a lot of one hundred acres now lying in Middletown." 
 They say, " Thus it appears that the town in the year 
 1661 exchanged one hundred acres for the tract since 
 called Newtown or school land, being the property in 
 ? question. If your committee were allowed in any con- 
 jecture respecting the hundred acres exchanged, they 
 ^submit the subjoined extract from Calender's century ser- 
 mon, acknowledging, at the same time, that it is but a 
 connection of remote and detached circumstances, resting 
 as much on possibihties as probabilities. 
 
 " Mr. Lenthall was admitted a freeman here, August 
 6th, 1640, and August 20th, Mr. Lenthall was by vole 
 called to keep a public school for the learning of youth, 
 and for his encouragement there was granted to him and 
 his heirs, one hundred acres of land, and four more for an 
 house lot. It was also voted, that one hundred acres 
 should be set forth and appropriated for a school, for the 
 encouragement of the poorer sort to train up their youth 
 in learning, and Mr. Robert Lenthall, while he continues 
 to keep school, is to have the benefit of it. — Century 
 Sermon, pages 62, 63. 
 
 In IMarch, 1827, the town passed an act to establish 
 a school fund, and appointed three commissioners of said 
 fund, one to go out every year, and a new one to be 
 chosen in his place; who are to receive all donations and 
 bequests hereafter given for public schools, as also the 
 bequest of the late Constant Taber ; likewise all monies 
 jeceived for licenses, auction tax and estates taken by the 
 9 
 
98 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 town for want of known heirs, and directed that the re- 
 mainder of the said Newtown lots be sold, and the pro- 
 ceeds placed in the fund. 
 
 During the January session of 1829, the General As- 
 sembly of Rhode-Island appropriated ten thousand dol- 
 lars annually, for the support of public schools, to be 
 paid over to the several towns, according to their respec- 
 tive population, under the age of sixteen years ; and 
 authorizing the several towns to raise by tax in each year, 
 as the majority of the freemen in town-meeting shall judge 
 proper, a sum not exceeding double the amount to be 
 received out of the General Treasury. But one of the 
 schools proposed by this town, has as yet been establish- 
 ed, viz. the Mill-street school. 
 
 As early as the year 1800, Providence estabhshed at 
 the expense of the town the system of public schools, for 
 the instruction of all the children of seven years old and 
 upward. This judicious measure has been the means of 
 introducing into useful life in all the departments of busi- 
 ness, hundreds of young men, who are now useful citizens, 
 and who without this means of education, would have 
 grown up in ignorance.* Since the organization of their 
 city government, primary schools have been established 
 in the several w^ards of the city, for smaller children, 
 taught by females. 
 
 In 1826, July 4th, Major John Handy read the Dec- 
 laration of Independence from the steps of the State- 
 House in Newport, that being the place where fifty years 
 before, it was read to the people by the same gentleman. 
 The steps were decorated with an arch of flowers. Ma- 
 jor Handy addressed the assembled multitude as follows : 
 
 *By a late act passed by the City Council, the number of pub- 
 lic schools is- to be increased^ a High school established, the sal- 
 aries of all the teachers are to be raised, and other regulations 
 adopted, for placing the schools in that city in the best possible 
 condition. By this wise and judicious measure, the facilities for 
 acquiring a good education will be extended to all the children 
 in the city. The act is to go into operation in September next- 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 99 
 
 *' My respected fellow-citizens, at your united request, 
 I appear before you in this public station, at an age when 
 it would seem advisable that I should remain a silent 
 spectator of the performances of this day, a day which 
 half a century past, secured to us our independence and 
 prosperity ; and no nation more prosperous ! My own 
 feelings on this occasion I have sacrificed, to gratify your 
 wishes. The recollection of past scenes of the last fifty 
 years, rushes in succession on my mind, with a hope and 
 belief that the mantle of charity will be thrown over my 
 imperfections, and under that impression 1 shall proceed 
 to the performance of the part required of me." 
 
 After the Declaration was read, a hymn was sung in 
 the tune of old hundred, the whole multitude uniting 
 their voices with a fervency and zeal which gave it a 
 most sublime and happy effect. 
 
 In 1827, the Newport Association of Mechanics and 
 Manufacturers appointed a committee to receive dona- 
 tions, in books or otherwise, lor the purpose of establish- 
 ing a library for the use of the members, and the appren- 
 tices of members. For more than thirty years, the funds 
 of this Society, although never extensive, have been in- 
 variably and zealously devoted to the most beneficial 
 purposes. This Association, as far as its resources would 
 permit, has clothed the naked, fed the hungry, and instruct- 
 ed the ignorant. It has ever been rich in disposition to 
 do good, given to hospitality, and distributing to the ne- 
 cessities of the indigent. 
 
 On the 9th of June, 1832, the Asiatic Cholera made 
 its appearance at Quebec, in Low^er Canada, and pro- 
 gressed so rapidly, that by the morning of the 12th, eighty 
 cases had occurred, more than sixty of which had proved 
 fatal. It has been remarked, that of all the pestilential 
 scourges that have ever afflicted our race, the Asiatic 
 Cholera, in some of its characteristics, was the most re- 
 markable. This dreadful disorder first made its appear- 
 
100 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 ance in August, 1817, at Jessore, a considerable city 
 about 100 miles to the Northward of Calcutta. After 
 desolating some of the fairest portions of Asia, it pene- 
 trated the Northern part of Europe, and sweeping over a 
 great part of that continent, reached t)ie British Isle. 
 
 It has been justly said of tliis disease, that " It has 
 mastered every variety of climate, has passed mountains 
 and swept over seas, proving equally fatal amid the burn- 
 ing sands of Arabia and on the frozen shores of the while 
 sea; and in the space of less than fillteen years, has 
 swept off more than fifty millions of the human race." 
 This dreadful disorder, two or three years previous to its 
 appearance on this continent, was scarcely known to ex- 
 ist by a great portion of the American people. It first 
 began to attract attention here, when it was known to 
 have reached England ; and its destructive ravages in 
 Paris created alarm ; but the hope was entertained that 
 the Atlantic would prove a barrier to its approach. But 
 when that barrier was passed, and it was knowm that this 
 destroying angel had begun his march of death on this 
 continent, a general consternation prevailed through tijo 
 land. It soon reached Albany and New- York from Can- 
 ada, and shortly spread dismay and death among the 
 inhabitants of many of our cities. At the June session 
 of the Legislature of Rhode-Island, of that year, the As- 
 sembly recommended a public fast: the preamble of the 
 act says, " Whereas that scourge to the human race, the 
 Asiatic Cholera, hath made its appearance on this conti- 
 nent, and as no human exertions can effectually resist 
 the approach of this threatening pestilence, which walk- 
 eth in darkness and wasteth at noon day, it becometh us 
 humbly and devoutly to acknowledge our dependence 
 upon, and to implore the aid of Him in whose hand our 
 breath is, and whose mercy endureth forever ; therefore, 
 resolved, that Thursday the 5th day of July next be, 
 and hereby is set apart, as a day of humiliation and pray- 
 er to Almighty God, that he would stay this plague, and 
 avert the appalling visitations of his judgments," 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. jqj 
 
 But God was better to the people of New-England 
 than all their fears, and this overflowing scourge passed 
 over them, and but few of the inhabitants fell under its 
 power. In Newport and Providence, only a few cases 
 occurred. And it was remarked that the health of our 
 cities, other than this disorder, was better than what is 
 usually the case, the same season of the year. 
 
 Newport within a few years past, has greatly advanced 
 in business and prosperity. Many public and private 
 buildings have been erected, and estates purchased by 
 gentlemen from New- York and other places, who make 
 this place their summer retreat ; and the application of 
 steam to machinery has enabled her to embark in the man- 
 ufacture of cotton and woollen cloths. There are now 
 two large cotton mills in successful operation, which to- 
 gether move about 12,000 spindles, and manufacture 
 about 40,000 yards of cloth per week. 
 
 Another large brick mill is in successful progress, cal- 
 culated to run 7,000 spindles; and will soon be in opera- 
 tion. There is also another cotton mill of 1,000 spindles, 
 at present suspended. One establishment is also engaged 
 in the manufacture of woollen goods. These, together with 
 I an iron foundry, recently established, and the extensive 
 fortifications commenced by Government in 1825, for the 
 i security of our harbor, still in progress, have contributed 
 ; to increase the population and business of the town. 
 
 In reviewing the history of the past, and especially of 
 our own loved Rhode-Island, who is so blinded as not to 
 recognise the footsteps of Omnipotence, and trace on the 
 pages of her history, the finger of God ? Two centuries 
 only have passed away, since this whole Western hemis- 
 phere, from the shores of the Atlantic to the vast Pacific, 
 presented a dark, cheerless, and interminable wilderness, 
 where wandered the footsteps of the untutored savage and 
 the prowling beast of prey. 
 
 Now, from the shores of the Atlantic to the banks of 
 9* 
 
TLQ2 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 the majestic Mississippi, we behold smiling villages, splen- , 
 did and populous cities rising up before us, rivaling the ' 
 proudest in the old world. We have seen the almost 
 countless tribes of powerful warlii<e savages, melting 
 away before the march of genius, industry, and enterprise. 
 Here in our own loved " Eden," two centuries ago, the 
 lonely pilgrim gazed upon the Indian wigwam, the in- 
 struments of savage warfare, and listened to the horrid 
 yell of barbarism. Yes, on this consecrated spot, where 
 now stands the temple of the living God, in which our 
 fathers worshipped, and where we have listened to songs 
 of salvation and joy, was once heard the deep-toned 
 agony of the expiring captive, and the exulting shout of 
 his barbarous tormentor. 
 
 Where now are the original inhabitants, the native 
 " lords of this soil ?" Is the little remnant of the Narra- 
 gansetts, now under the protection of the State, all that 
 remains of this once noble race of men ? And are the 
 few acres of land in Charlestown, now in possession of 
 this remnant, all that is left to them of their ancient do- 
 main? Canonicus, Myantonomo, friends and benefactors 
 of the Colony, thy nation is now no more; simple sons 
 of the forest, the land of thy fathers has passed into the 
 possession of the descendants of those men, whom when 
 weak, defenceless, and distressed, ye clothed, fed, and 
 protected. And thou too, mighty Philip, who fell fight- 
 ing for thy native sod, the graves of thy fathers, thy 
 wives and children, and thy own loved Mount Haup, 
 the white man's foot now presses the soil, once trodden 
 by thee. 
 
 From the report of a committee on Indian affairs, in 
 Rhode-Island, made to the General Assembly in 1833, 
 '' It appears that the whole number of all grades and con- 
 ditions of the once numerous and warlike tribe of Narra- 
 gansetts, (the only tribe now existing in the State) at 
 that time, was one hundred and nijiety-nine. Of this 
 number, only seven were of genuine Narragansett blood, 
 (several of whom have since died ;) fourteen were half 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 103 
 
 bloodj and one hundred and fifty-eight, of different grades 
 less than lialf hlood, and twenty foreigners, who iiave no 
 connection with tlie tribe, except by marriage and other 
 promiscuous intercourse." Tliese were represented by 
 the committee at that lime, as being in the most wretched 
 and abject condition. Tlie Legislature of the State has 
 since interposed its authority to protect them from the 
 cupidity and depredations of strangers, and guide them in 
 peace to the graves of their fathers. 
 
 It ought by us never to be forgotten, but inscribed upon 
 our hearts, and transmitted to the remotest generation, 
 that Rhode-Island was a settlement for conscience sake ; 
 that our fathers here sought an asylum of rest, not only 
 for themselves, but for the oppressed of all nations. — 
 Their original compact, their acts of legislation, and the 
 uncompromising firmness with vvhich they maintained the 
 most unlimited toleration and liberty of conscience, fully 
 demonstrate that the first settlers of Rhode-Island, as Mr. 
 Callender very justly observes, "fled not from religion, 
 order, or good government, but to have liberty to worship 
 God and enjoy their own religious opinions and belief." 
 
 The same principle that induced the first settlers of 
 New-England to escape from the oppressive power of 
 the lords bishops in England, induced the first settlers 
 of Rhode-Island to escape from the persecuting spirit of 
 the lords brethren in Massachusetts. The great princi- 
 ples of civil and religious freedom seem to have been in- 
 scribed by the Author of our being, on the temple of the 
 human heart. Liberty is the spontaneous language of 
 the soul. Every attempt to suppress or control the free 
 and unrestricted exercise of Its own volitions, is an act of 
 violence on the laws of our moral nature, and a tyranny 
 against which, it has a right to rebel. And how long 
 soever the human mind may be chained to the iron car 
 of civil or religious despotism, still its inherent, uncon- 
 querable spirit scorns to bow in servile homage, and sighs 
 to breathe its native air of freedom. 
 
104 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 It has ever been the policy of despotic governments, to 
 secure the weahh and talent of the kingdom, in support 
 of the crown. Conscious of the invincible energies of 
 mind, when enlightened and matured by science ; that! 
 the perpetuity of the throne was dependent on the pros- 
 tration of intelligence among the people, property was 
 secured to titles, and science poured her cheering beams 
 on the mind of none, but such as were entitled to offi- 
 ces within the gift of the Crown. 
 
 We might also advert to a policy still more degrading 
 and hostile to the dignity and happiness of man. The 
 ambitious and aspiring priest invaded the dominion of the 
 soul, and claimed, as the minister of God, absolute juris- 
 diction over the creeds and consciences of men. Clothed 
 with ecclesiastical authority, revelling in the smiles of 
 popular favor, and acting under the protection of consti- 
 tutional power, he exerted an influence by appealing to 
 the passions of degraded, abject mortals, infinitely more 
 to be dreaded than that of the tyrant, who claimed do- 
 minion over the physical energies of man. Unconditional 
 submission was demanded, by imposing creeds and spirit- 
 ual embargoes. Every deviation from the established 
 usages of the church, awakened the unmitigated ven- 
 geance of these watchful guardians of her interests. — 
 Every attempt of reformation, or the kindest and gentlest 
 reproof of violated powder, w\is taxed with heresy and re- 
 bellion, and served as the watch-word of bigotry and su- 
 perstition, to nerve the arm and light up the fires of per- 
 secution. 
 
 From this tribunal there was no appeal. Here the plea 
 of mercy died away unheard. Here the arm of justice 
 became powerless. She peopled her inquisitorial dun- 
 geons with the bravest and noblest of her sons, who dared 
 to dispute her infallibility and usurped power. And such 
 was the spirit from which the pilgrim fled, an exile from 
 his home, and sought on the rock of Plymouth, the 
 shores of New-England, a soil congenial with the spirit 
 of religious freedom struggling in the human soul. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 105 
 
 But educated as they had been, under a form of gov- 
 ernment, whose settled policy had pronounced uniformity 
 as indispensable to the perpetuity and prosperity of the 
 church, it is not surprising that the great principles of re- 
 ligious freedom should have been but imperfectly un- 
 derstood, and the spirit of religious toleration but imper- 
 fectly improved. The people were not prepared for the 
 development of those great principles, which have since 
 so universally obtained throughout the States of this con- 
 federacy. 
 
 There was but here and there a mind sufficiently ma- 
 tured to comprehend, or sufficiently elevated and inde- 
 pendent to advocate, the principles of civil and religious 
 freedom to their proper and legitimate extent. It was 
 reserved for the banished WiliiamSj and the proscribed 
 and persecuted Clarke, to proclaim to the world that 
 Jesus Christ was king d^ facto in his own kingdom, and 
 that the civil magistrate has no jurisdiction over, and no 
 right to interfere with the creeds or consciences of men. 
 
 Rhode-Island, although slandered and reviled by the 
 early historians of New-England, for her want of unifor- 
 mity in the Christian faith, has lived to witness the tri- 
 umph of truths first taught by our exiled sires, and the 
 universal prevalence of her own peculiar views of reli- 
 gious toleration throughout the whole extent of our 
 country. The sentiments slie then adopted and defend- 
 ed, stand forth before the world an imperishable monu- 
 ment of the wisdom, purity, and integrity of the men 
 who planted the Colony of Rhode-Island. Loaded with 
 obloquy, contempt, and scorn, Rhode-Island stood forth 
 amidst surrounding darkness, in all the peerless majesty 
 of truth, a beacon to guide to the haven of repose, the 
 persecuted and oppressed of all nations. The hallowed 
 influence of her principles has leavened this mighty na- 
 tion, and neutralized, if not subdued, the dark malignant 
 spirit of bigotry and superstition, of religious intolerance 
 and persecution. Here no haughty, ambitious and aspir- 
 ing priesthood, revels in the smiles of popular favor. 
 
106 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. | 
 
 clothed with imperial authority to invade tlie dominion 
 of the soul, enforcing their absurd and surperstitious dog- 
 mas, by the instruments of torture, the horrors of the in- 
 quisition, or the immolating fires of persecution. 
 
 In was in Rhode-Island, man first breatlied the pure 
 untainted air of freedom, and claimed the undisputed, 
 unrestricted right to worship God according to the dic- 
 tates of his own conscience, unmolested. Nor was the 
 spirit which planted the ensign of religious freedom in 
 Rhode-Island, tlie spirit of fanaticism ; the wild ebulitions 
 of a feverish and distempered imagination, but of enlight- 
 ened reason and sanctified intellect ; the holy aspirations 
 of mind, influenced and controlled by principles no less 
 commanding than the benevolence of God, which, like 
 the overflowing light of heaven, settles down upon every 
 object capable of its reception. 
 
 Our venerable predecessors not only asserted the right 
 to know, but to argue freely any question involving the 
 life, liberty, or happiness of man, and carefully threw 
 around them the only sure bulwark of defence, the free- 
 dom of speech and of the press. It was to enjoy these 
 rights, the first comiiiunity of civilized man was planted 
 in New^-England, and for asserting and maintaining them, 
 the first settlers of Rhode-Island were banished, disfran- 
 chised, and proscribed by the advocates of uniformity in 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 That uniformity which has marked the history of the 
 church, in her unhallowed amalgamation with the world, 
 has ever been hostile to the simple republican principles 
 of Rhode-Island ; hostile to the development of intellect, 
 the aspirations of genius, and the freedom of speech and 
 of the press. 
 
 Among the earliest records of legislation in Rhode- 
 Island, we find an act guarding the right of private opin- 
 ion, and of free discussion. In the preamble to which 
 they say, " That to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude 
 his power into the field of opinions, and restrain the pro- 
 fession or propagatloji of principles, on the supposition of 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 107 
 
 their ill tendency, is a dangerous fallacy, which at once 
 destroys all religious liberty ; because he of course being 
 judge of that tendency, will make his own opinions the 
 rule of judgment, and approve or condemn the sentiments 
 of others, only, as they shall square with or differ from 
 his own ; that it is time enough for the rightful purposes 
 3f civil government, for its oflicers to interfere when prin- 
 ciples break forth into overt acts against peace and good 
 order — and finally, that truth is great and will prevail, if 
 eft to herself; that she is the proper and suflicient antag- 
 onist of error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, 
 unless by human power disarmed of her natural weapons, 
 free argument and debate." 
 
 Nor were these riglits, nor any part of them relinquish- 
 ed by our venerable predecessors, when they entered the 
 confederacy. They surrendered no inalienable right ; 
 they made no compromise of the liberty " to know, ut- 
 ter, and argue freely," any of the great principles of civil 
 and religious freedom on which the Colony was founded. 
 And when Rhode-Island subscribed to, and adopted the 
 Constitution of tlie United States, the voice of freedom 
 echoed from the Iialls of her convention, proclaiming, 
 
 That there arc certain natural rights of which men, 
 when they form a social compact, cannot deprive their 
 posterity ; among which, are the enjoyment of life and 
 liberty, with the means of acquiring, possessing, and pro- 
 tecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness 
 and Safety. That all men have an equal, natural, inalien- 
 able right to the exercise of religion, according to the 
 dictates of their own conscience. That the people have 
 
 right to freedom of speech and of writing, and publish- 
 ing their sentiments ; that freedom of the press is one of 
 the great bulwarks of liberty, and ought not to be viola- 
 ted. 
 
 " Under these impressions," say they, '^ and declaring 
 that the rights aforesaid cannot be abridged, and that 
 these declarations are consistent with the Constitution, 
 we the said delegates, in the name and in the behalf of 
 
108 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 the people of the State of Rhode-Island and Providencef 
 Plantations, do by these presents assent to and ratify said 
 Constitution." Such were the principles of our sires, 
 and such the principles of their sons. They never blush- 
 ed to own themselves the bold uncompromising advocates^ 
 of human rights: of freedom of speech and of the press;; 
 the right to know, utter, and argue freely, any questionsj 
 involving the life, liberty, and happiness of man. 
 
 And never may the future historian of Rhode-Island i 
 record the degeneracy of her sons. As Rhode-Island I' 
 was the first to assert, so may she be also the last to de- 
 sert the great principles of civil and religious freedom i 
 advocated by the fathers of this Colony, and defended by 
 the persecuted and banished Williams, whose grave, like 
 that of jMoses, is unknov/n to this day. 
 
 Under the hallowed and dignified influence of these 
 principles, we have seen this people rise up from a few 
 feeble, dependent, and defenceless Colonies, to indepen- 
 dent greatness ; contending successfully with the proudest i 
 nations of earth, in agriculture, commerce, and manufac- 
 tures; in intelligence, industry, and enterprise. Our 
 prosperity as a nation, has been unexampled in the his- 
 tory of the world. 
 
 And for much of our national prosperity and glory, we 
 are indebted to the great principles of liberal legislation 
 adopted as the basis of civil government, by the fathers 
 of Rhode-Island. The principal glory of our nation is, 
 that her government is the government of the people. A 
 people acknowledging no sovereignty, independent of 
 themselves. A people claiming the unrestricted right 
 " to' know, utter, and argue freely," every question of 
 popular legislation. If such has been the prosperity of 
 the past, who can justly conceive the future destiny of 
 this people, and the influence they are destined to exert 
 on the nations around them ? 
 
 But let us not be beguiled by the deleterious influence 
 of national prosperity, nor lulled into security with the 
 fond expectation that the inestimable blessings by us now 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 109 
 
 enjoyed, will be perpetuated without an enlightened, vir- 
 tuous, and sanctified public sentiment ; unless God shall 
 be honored by us, and his law be written on our hearts. 
 If our national prosperity shall lead us to forget God — 
 the God in whom our fathers trusted, amidst the dangers 
 of savage warfare, and the perils of the revolution, and to 
 whose gracious Providence they ascribed the achieve- 
 ment of that glorious event — an Ichabod will be written 
 on our national escutcheon, and the day of our calamity 
 be at hand. 
 
 Should the period ever arrive in our history, when the 
 government of this country shall cease to be the govern- 
 ment of the people, when our rulers shall not legislate for 
 the people, and the people tamely bow to the dictation 
 3f party, we may trace in that subserviency, mortifying 
 proof of a departure from the original principles of Rhode- 
 Island, and an alarming apostacy from the spirit that 
 iwelt in the bosom of our sires. And are there not fear- 
 'ul indications of an apostacy from those principles? Is 
 t not perceived in the vu'ulence of party warfare ? In 
 he almost entire absence of moral principle, in the elec- 
 ive franchise? In the blood that stains the halls of our 
 lational legislature, and the impunity with which the 
 constitutional rights of the people are invaded ? Do not 
 hese things indicate disease in the body politic ? A dis- 
 3ase which nothing can remedy, but the healthful and re- 
 leeming influence of enlightened, sanctified public opin- 
 on. 
 
 The members of our national legislature are merely 
 he agents of the people, and are properly an index of 
 mblic opinion. The character of our national legislature 
 s the character of the people ; for the government is 
 mphatically the government of the people. So long as 
 mblic sentiment is corrupted and debased, so long we 
 hall live under a corrupt administration, whoever be the 
 lominant party. But let public sentiment be purified, 
 nd our rulers will be pure. No doctrine was ever more 
 allacious than that advanced by distinguished statesmen 
 10 
 
no HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 of the present age, that as we are now in the enjoyment 
 of the most free and popular government on earth, noth- 
 ing is wanting to perpetuate the blessings of that govern- 
 ment, but to keep the people properly enhghtened on 
 their civil, political, and religious rights, as freemen ; 
 than which nothing can be a more dangerous and fatal 
 heresy. For however indispensable intellectual cultiva- 
 tion may be to the proper exercise of the elective fran- 
 chise, still our only hope is in God. If he delight in us 
 as a people, our inheritance shall be perpetuated ; but if 
 we forsake him and turn away our ear from hearing the 
 law, the day of our calamity is at hand, and the thingSi: 
 that come upon us make haste. I 
 
 The history of every form of popular government be- 
 fore us, established by the most enlightened and polished 
 nations of earth, affords the most indubitable evidence 
 that no people ever yet possessed sufficient intelligence 
 or virtue, independently of the controlling and sanctifying 
 influence of our holy religion, long to enjoy the blessings^ 
 of a free and popular government ; that all the politica^i 
 sagacity and boasted talent of this nation, cannot secure ^ 
 the perpetuation of our free institutions, nor to us the 
 constitutional rights of freemen, unless based on the deep 
 and broad principles of moral righteousness, recognised in 
 the immutable law of the Lord. 
 
 Should our rulers ever adopt in the administration ol 
 our government, the maxims of carnal policy and selfish 
 expediency, instead of the eternal, immutable principles 
 of right, and not be rebuked by the voice of the people, 
 the crown will have fallen from our heads and our glory 
 will have departed. Then shall we proclaim to the 
 world that we have fallen from the high and elevated 
 principles of our sires, and by that apostacy, rendered 
 ourselves unworthy of the blessings of a free and inde- 
 pendent government. i 
 
 No people under heaven can dwell on the pages o$\: 
 their own history, with more supreme satisfaction, than 
 
 
I 
 
 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. i\\ 
 
 the people of this Slate. Rhode-Island is emphatically 
 ihe birth-place of freedom — 
 
 ^' The liome of the brave and the land of the free." 
 
 Here man first breathed the pure, untainted atmosphere 
 h^ civil and religious freedom. Rhode-Island justly 
 ^laims, and is entitled to tiie honor of establishing a form 
 of government in which the great principles of religious 
 toleration and liberty of conscience were fully recognised 
 land secured, while all other States and kingdoms of the 
 iworld condemned it as the delusive dream of visionary 
 land disordered minds. The principles adopted by the 
 founders of Rhode-Island, and which shall perpetuate 
 their name from generation to generation, were so exclu- 
 Isively original, so entirely beyond the ordinary range of 
 thought in that age, that we feel less disposed to censure 
 3 than to pity those early historians of New-England, who 
 seem to have been incapable of appreciating the prin- 
 ciples of Rhode- Island, or of doing her justice. 
 
 Dr. Mather, of Massachusetts, but little more than a 
 
 century ago, says, " Rhode-Island was occupied by Anti- 
 
 nomians, Anabaplists, Quakers, Ranters, and every thing 
 
 I else, but Roman Catholics and Christians ; and if any 
 
 j man has lost his religion, he may find it in this general 
 
 I muster of opinions ; in this Gawzzim of New-England, 
 
 !l this receptacle of the convicts of Jerusalem, and the out- 
 
 ! casts of the land." But could that great and good man 
 
 I again visit our earth, witness the triumph of truth over 
 
 bigotry and superstition, the universal prevalence of 
 
 I those very sentiments for advocating which, he styles 
 
 I tliose venerable men '' the convicts of Jerusalem and the 
 
 outcasts of the land," think you no sigh of regret would 
 
 stray away from his bosom, that he dipped his pen in gall 
 
 when writing of those men, whom ages yet unborn, shall 
 
 delight to honor? 
 
 They planted their feet on the eternal, immutable prin- 
 ciple of right, and shielded by the purity of their motifs, 
 the rectitude of their own conscience, they stood as im- 
 
112 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 movable as the rock on the sea shore, where the waves^ 
 dash and the storm spends its violence in vain. And al- 
 though such were the sectarian prejudices of the age in 
 which they lived, and such the devotion of the early 
 historians of New-England to the golden calf of uniform- 
 ity, that many false and malicious slanders are recorded 
 against them, yet succeeding generations have long since 
 done honor to their memory. 
 
 Their features are not indeed left on the glowing can- 
 vas, nor their form and stature given to the marble. — 
 No splendid sepulchral monument perpetuates their fame, 
 nor even points the passing stranger to the green sod 
 where sleep the mouldering ashes of the illustrious dead ; 
 yet their names are inscribed on monuments more dura- 
 ble than parian marble, and their memory shall live till 
 time itself expires. 
 
 To the members of this Church,* permit me to say, 
 beloved brethren, the recollections of the past should 
 remind us that the flood of time will soon bear us onward 
 to the bosom of eternity, and ought to awaken in our 
 hearts the liveliest sentiments of gratitude and praise to 
 God, for his paternal and watchful care over the interests 
 of this ancient Church. Those venerable men whose 
 names not only stand on our records, as her founders, 
 but on the long, living annals of fame, with succeeding 
 generations, have passed away ; yet for nearly two hun- 
 dred years, God has never left himself without a witness 
 in this Church. There are, it is true, on the pages of 
 her history, striking illustrations of this truth, that God 
 has set the day of adversity over against that of pros- 
 perity. She has often been dressed in sackcloth, and 
 tears have been on the cheek of the daughter of Jerusa- 
 lem. God has often chastised us for our sins, yet his 
 
 * The First Baptist Cliurch. This discourse was delivered in the SL 
 meeting-house of the INJorth Baptist Church of Newport, as our ' 
 own house was supposed inadequate to convene the people, and the 
 use of that house being kindly offered for the occasion. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 113 
 
 loving kindness he has not taken from us, nor suffered 
 his faithfulness to fail. 
 
 As the fathers have slept, from age to age, God has 
 raised up others to supply their places and stand before 
 him in the courts of his holiness, to vindicate the honor 
 of his name, and magnify the riches of his grace. The 
 original founders of this Church were pre-eminently pion- 
 eers of liberty. They were men of independent great- 
 ness and dignity of soul — men who claimed the right to 
 think — to think as men — and thinking, dared to speak. — 
 Men who scorned to bow in obsequious homage to the 
 superstitious dogmas of an aspiring priesthood, although, 
 enforced by penal sanctions and legislative power. 
 
 They denied the jurisdiction of the civil magistrate 
 over the creeds or consciences of men. They proclaim- 
 ed that Jesus Christ was king in his own kingdom ; the 
 Holy Scriptures his revealed will, and the only rule of 
 moral character and conduct for every human being. — 
 They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and suf- 
 fered fines, imprisonment, and stripes, rather than sacrifice 
 the testimony of a good conscience, in compromising the 
 truth of God, with the inventions or doctrines of men. 
 
 Such were the men, and such the principles of the 
 men who had the honor of planting the standard of the 
 cross in this then inhospitable and savage desert, and of 
 constituting the first visible Church of Christ on this 
 Island of the sea. In the character and example of 
 these venerable men, we have constantly before us, all 
 that is lovely and of good report, in the meek and hum- 
 ble spirit of the Christian, and all that is dignified and 
 commanding in the patriot and statesman. 
 
 It becomes us, my brethren, seriously to inquire wheth- 
 er we cherish the spirit and emulate the example of our 
 sires. Whether we sustain the character of independent 
 thought and judgment, as did the original founders of this 
 Church. Do we cultivate the same liberality of feeling, 
 the same unbounded charity toward all men, which shines 
 conspicuously on every glowing page of their history r 
 10* 
 
|:14 HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 Do we as conscientiously regard the rights of others, as 
 our own ? While we bow with reverence to the supreme 
 authority of the Holy Scriptures, as our only rule of faith 
 and practice, and deny that any man, or body of men 
 possess the right to legislate for us, or prescribe to us the 
 forms and modes of religious worship, let us be slow to 
 tax with heresy the opinions of others, who differ from us 
 in the circumstantials of religion. 
 
 Let that sublime and exalted sentiment,, worthy alone 
 of the men who uttered it, still live in this Church,. 
 " That truth is the only and sufficient antagonist of error ; 
 that she has nothing to fear from the conflict, if left to 
 herself; that truth is great and will prevail, unless by 
 human power disarmed of her natural weapons, free argu- 
 ment and debate." A departure from the original princi- 
 ples of democracy and religion, as here taught by our 
 sires, has been the prolific source of all the mobocracy,' 
 misrule, and persecution, which have stained the pages of 
 our nation's history. 
 
 Here, my brethren, may the dark, malignant spirit of 
 bigotry and superstition, never find a residence, nor the 
 throne of relentless persecution ever be erected. Let us 
 never be influenced to invade the rights of others, by an 
 unmanly subserviency to the dictations of party, the 
 bhnd zeal of sectarianism, nor bow in servile homage to 
 popular opinion. As the Pastor of the First Baptist 
 Church in Newport, I should blush for my degeneracy 
 from the principles and spirit of the original founder of 
 this Church, if I did not plant my feet firm on the broad 
 principles of free discussion ; and blush for the degene- 
 racy of my brethren, if they did not sustain me in dis- 
 cussing any question, involving the life, liberty, and hap- 
 piness of man. 
 
 No principle of truth and righteousness seeks the dark- 
 ness of concealment, nor fears the scrutiny of free inquiry 
 and of public opinion ; and no sentiment in religion or 
 politics, is worthy our confidence and support, my breth- 
 ren, which dreads investigation. Finally, brethren, let 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. II5; 
 
 as " Study the things that make for peace, and things 
 whereby one may edify anotlier." Cuhivate " the unity 
 of the spirit in the bonds of peace," and " if it be possi- 
 
 [ ble, as much as lieth in you, hve peaceably with all men ; 
 
 I and the God of love and peace shall be with you." 
 
 Men, brethren, and fathers, we are reminded by the re- 
 
 !i collections of the past, that the time of our departure is 
 
 ;! at hand, and that the season of our mortal probation will 
 soon be closed. What we do for ourselves, our country, 
 or our God, must soon be done. Not a solitary individ- 
 ual of all that lived on this favored Isle one centur) ago, 
 remains to this day. One after another has passed away, 
 till all are gone. And but very few of those venerable 
 men, who lived in times that tried men's souls, who 
 shared in the perils and conflicts of the revolution, have 
 survived the onward march of time, and mingle with us 
 in the devotions of the day. 
 
 Soon the multitude before me, with the speaker, will 
 have descended to the tomb, and our places be occupied 
 by a new troop of succeeding pilgrims. Let us remem- 
 ber, however diversified our political and religious opin- 
 ions, we belong to the same great family of man, posses- 
 sing the same common frailties, and requiring the same 
 common sympathies. As Christians, belonging to the 
 same redeemed family, which is to act so conspicuous a 
 part on the great theatre of Heaven, let us put on as the 
 elect of God, bowels of mercy, and cultivate that chanty 
 which thinketh no evil, and is not easily provoked : 
 charity which suffereth long, and is kind : charity which 
 never faileth. 
 
 Let us remember, we live not for ourselves alone, but 
 for posterity and for God. On this beloved Island, two 
 centuries ago to-day, the lonely pilgrim planted the tree 
 of civil and religious freedom. Here they consecrated an 
 altar,^ for the persecuted and oppressed of all nations ; 
 under the broad and wide-spreading foliage of this hallowed 
 tree, and before the shrine of this consecrated altar, we 
 are permitted to bow before the God of our fathers to-day, 
 
jjg HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 and none to molest us or make us afraid. O may the 
 blessings bequeathed by our sires, and claimed as the 
 inheritance of their sons, be transmitted by us to posterity 
 untarnished, undiminished, and unimpaired. Amen. 
 
 Rhode-Island, the land where the Exile sought rest, 
 Thou Eden, where wandered the Pilgrim oppress'd : 
 Thy name be immortal ! hero man was made free. 
 The oppressed of all nations found refuge in thee. 
 
 Here freedom's broad pinions our fathers unfurled, 
 An ensign to nations, and hope to tho world; 
 Here both Jew and Gentile have ever enjoyed, 
 The freedom of conscience, in worshipping God. 
 
 Here those ever-loved men, who for conscience tow'rd God, 
 Were banished and exiled fiom kindred and blood ; 
 Were hailed by the red man, the wanderer's friend. 
 And before the Great Spirit, in harmony bend. 
 
 Rhode-Island, thou home of the brave and the free, 
 All nations shall pay their glad tribute to thee ; 
 And while distant ages roll silent along, 
 Thy fame shall be chanted in story and song. 
 
 This day shall be honored till freedom expires, 
 We'll dwell on the name and the deeds of our sires ; 
 For the blessings bequeathed us, thej purchased so dear, 
 The tribute we offer, is gratitude's tear. 
 
 No roar of the cannon salutes the glad morn, 
 When man was enfranchised and freedom was born ; 
 But the incense we offer, more grateful shall rise, 
 It flows from the heart, and ascends to the skies. 
 
 Great Father of Nations, before thee we bow, 
 Accept our thanksgiving, thy blessing bestow ; 
 O guide us till labor and sorrow shall cease. 
 To the grave of our fathers, then bring us in peace. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 m 
 
 TO THE 
 
 HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES, 
 
 ON 
 
 RHODE-ISLAND. 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 The founders of the First Baptist Church in Newport, which wa« 
 also the Second Baptist Church in New-Eugland, were the first set- 
 tlers of the Island, and were organized soon after their settlement in 
 Newport. The Rev. Mr. Dumont, in his brief notice of the Con- 
 gregational Churches in Newport, on the authority of Dr. Styles' 
 MSS. claims this Church as Congregationalist and Pedo-baptist, 
 from its organization in 1C40, until 1644, when it became Baptist. — 
 But from the history of New-England, from 1G30 to 1G49, by John 
 Winthrop, first Governor of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, it ap- 
 pears virtually to have been Baptist from 1G40. He, (Governor 
 Winthrop) says, " In 1G38, Mr. Coddington (who had been an as- 
 sistant from the first coming over, of the government, being with 
 his wife, taken with the fanatical opinions) removed to Aquiday 
 Island, in the Narragansett Bay. Those who were gone with Mrs. 
 Hutchinson to Aquiday, fell into new errors daily. At Providence 
 things grew still worse, for a sister of Mrs. Hutchinson, the wife of 
 one Scott, being infected with Anabaptistry, and going last year to 
 live at Providence, Rlr. Williams was taken (or rather emboldened) 
 by her to make open profession thereof, and accordingly was re-bap- 
 tized by one Holyman, a poor man, late of Salem : then IMr. Wil- 
 liams re-baptized him, and some ten more. They also denied the 
 baptizing of infants, and would have no migistrates. 
 
 " 1G39, the people of Aquiday or Aquedneck, gathered a Church 
 in a very disordered way ; for they took some excommunicated per- 
 sons, and others who were members of the Church of Boston, and 
 Bot dismissed. 
 
^<^Q APPENDIX. 
 
 " The Church of Boston sent three brethren with letters to Mr. 
 Coddington, and the rest of our members at Aquiday, to understand 
 iheir judgment in divers points of religion, formerly maintained by 
 all, or divers of them, and to require them lo give account to the 
 Church, of their unwarrantable practice, in communicating with 
 excommunicated persons, &c. When they came, they found that 
 those of them who dwelt at Newport, had joined themselves to a 
 Church there, newly constituted, and therefore refused to hear them 
 as messengers of our Church, or to receive the Church's letters." 
 
 From this extract, it appears that this Church, from its organiza- 
 tion, rejected infant baptism, the supervision of the civil magistrates, 
 &c., and was in fact, a Baptist Church. 
 
 Dr. John Clarke, a learned and pious man, whose name will be 
 pronounced with veneration from age to age, was its first Pastor. — 
 The first house erected to the worship of God in this town, was 
 built by this Church, soon after its organization, and stood at a place 
 now known by the name of " Green end." 
 
 In 1651, Mr. Clarke, with two of his brethren, Obadiah Holmes 
 and John Crandall, went to visit an aged brother by the name of 
 Witter, in Lynn, Mass. Being invited by Mr. Witter lo speak lo 
 him and friends, the word of life, Mr. Clarke, while preaching a 
 sermon from Rev. iii. 10, at the house of his friend, was arrested by 
 a warrant issued by Robert Bridges, justice of the peace, on Lord's 
 day, July 20, 1651, and on the S2d of the same month, was commit- 
 ted to the common prison, in Boston ; and on the 31st of that month, 
 by order of the Court of Assistants, held in Boston, Mr. Clarke and 
 brethren received the following sentence, viz: Mr. Clarke pay £20, 
 or be severely whipped; Mr. Holmes, £30, or be whipped; and 
 Mr. Crandall, £5, or be whipped ; and this alone for conscience to- 
 ward God, in differing from their brethren in Massachusetts, on the 
 subject ofinfant baptism. 
 
 None sufFei'ed the whipping, but Mr. Holmes, who received thirty 
 stripes, with the greatest imaginable severity. But from his own 
 narration of the affair, to his friends in London, he could rejoice 
 that he was accounted worthy to suffer for the Lord Jesus, and 
 found that as his day was, so his strength was also. 
 
 Mr. Clarke, in the course of his trial, defended himself and breth- 
 ren, with so much ability, that the Court was greatly embarrassed. 
 And during his subsequent imprisonment, he addressed a letter to 
 •the Court, staling that as they had condemned the faith and order. 
 
APPENDIX. 221 
 
 which he held and practised, and after passing sentence upon him, 
 had said, that he couJd not maintain the same, against their minis- 
 ters, and ollering him liberty to dispute with them, he accepted the 
 oiler. 
 
 Mr. CLarke requested the Court to appoint the time when, and the 
 persons with wliom, he was to dispute, in the same public place 
 where he was condemned ; and doubted not, he says, '' ihat in the 
 strength of the Lord Jesus Christ, he should be able to demonstrate 
 his faith, out of His last will and testament, to which, nothing is to 
 be added, and from which, nothing is to be taken awav-" 
 
 Mr. Clarke also desired the Court, if his request should be grant- 
 ed, that an order or decree to that effect, might be signed by the 
 Secretary, as a public act of the Court by which he had been con- 
 demned. The request was granted, a decree issued, and a time ap- 
 pointed for the debate. But among all his persecutors, not one of 
 them had moral courage enough to meet him, at the time and place 
 appointed, and the debate was not had. 
 
 After several communications fiom Mr. Clarke, and replies from 
 the Court, he was released from prison; not by any comproniise of 
 the truth on the part of Mr. Clarke, nor by the clemency of his 
 persecutors, but by the interposition of his friends, in the payment 
 of his fine. Before he left Boston, he addressed a note to the hon- 
 orable body by which he had been condemned, assuring tiiem that 
 if the preliminaries entered into for a public debate, were strictly 
 adhered to, he was ready at any time signified by the Court, to 
 come from Rhode-Island, and test the truth of his sentiments, by 
 the word of God. 
 
 In November of the same year, Mr. Clarke, in company with Mr. 
 Williams, went lo England, as agent ofthe Colony of Rhode-Island, 
 where he continued until 1GG4. He remained in England, to watch 
 the interests of the Colony, and was instrumental in procuring the 
 Charter of 1663, which, down to the present, has secured to the 
 people of Rhode-Island, the blessings of civil and religious freedom, 
 and is therein mentioned, as follows, '■ Whereas, we have been in- 
 formed by the humble petition of our trusty and well beloved sub- 
 ject, John Clarke, on the behalf of Benedict Arnold, &c." While 
 in London, Mr, Clarke wrote his narrative of the sufferings of 
 Obadiah Holmes. This book is now very scarce, and nearly out of 
 print. Mr. Benedict says, it is the only piece of his writings which 
 has come down to us. 
 
 Mr. Clarke died on the 20th of April, 1676, in the 66th year of hi* 
 11 
 
X22 APPENDIX. 
 
 age. Mr. Backus says, he was born October 8th, 1609, married the 
 daughter of John Harges, Esq. of Bedfordshire, England. In a 
 power of attorney, signed by them, May 12ih, 1656, he styles him- 
 gelf John Clarke, physician of London. His first wife died without 
 issue. His second wife was Miss Mary Fletcher, who died April 
 19lh, 1072, leaving an only daughter, who died at the age of 11 
 years. His third wife was widow Sarah Davis, who survived him. 
 Mr, Clarke, according to his request, was buried between his two 
 wives, in the burial ground on the West side of Tanner-streetr 
 which lot he gave the Church. He left also an estate of considera- 
 ble value in the hands of trustees, empowered to choose their succes- 
 sors, for the relief of the poor and the education of children, accord- 
 ing to instructions given in his will ; which instructions are, " That 
 in the disposal of that which the Lord hath bestowed upon me, and 
 with which I have now entrusted you, you and your successors 
 shall have special regard and care, to provide for those that fear the 
 Lord ; and in all things and at all times, so to discharge the trust 
 which I have reposed in you, as may be most for the glory of God, 
 and the good and benefit of those for whom it is by me especially in- 
 tended." 
 
 Mr. Obadiah Holmks was the second Pastor of this Church, and 
 was called to that office very soon after Mr. Clarke sailed for Eng- 
 land. In him, the Church found a bold and fearless advocate for 
 truth, a faithful and indefatigable Pastor ; which office he continued 
 to discharge until in 1682, he was removed from the scene of his 
 suff'erings and toils, by death, in the 76th year of his age. He lies 
 buried on the Holmes farm, in Middletown, where a tomb is erected 
 to his memory. Mr. Holmes was educated at the University of 
 Oxford, England, and seems to have been well adapted to the limes 
 in which he lived — times which tried men's souls. The name of 
 Holmes has now become extinct on this Island, but his descendants 
 in the male line, are still numerous in New-Jersey. Some of liis 
 descendants in the female line, are still living in Newport. His 
 nearest descendant on the Island, is the wife of Henry Bull, Esq. of 
 this town. 
 
 After Mr. Holmes' death, the Church seems to have been without 
 a Pastor, until about the year 1690, when Mr. Richard Dingley 
 became their Pastor. He continued with them only four years, 
 when he left and went to Charleston, South Carolina. After Mr. 
 Dingley left, the Church being few in number, and without any one 
 to administer to them the word of life, they concluded to sit under 
 
APPENDIX. 103 
 
 the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Hiscox, of the Sabbatarian Church. 
 In 1711, this little band were again permitted to go up to the Zion 
 they loved, and sit under the ministry of the Rev. William Peck- 
 ham, who was ordained to the pastoral care of the Church that 
 same year. Mr. Peckham continued faithfully to discharge the 
 duties of his office, until the increasing infirmities of age rendered 
 assistance indispensable to his own happiness, and the prosperity of 
 the Church. 
 
 In May, 1718, it appears from the records of the Church, that a 
 Mr. Daniel White was received to her fellowship by a letter 
 from a Church in England, and was soon after invited by the Church, 
 to assist Elder Peckham, in the discharge of his ministerial services. 
 Hut he proved a most unfortunate acquisition to the Church ; for he 
 soon created or headed a faction, which subsequently (after nearly 
 two years of great trial) resulted in a division of the Church, and 
 the establishment of a separate meeting, under the administration of 
 Mr. White. In 1724, a meeting-house was erected for Mr. White, 
 in which he continued to hold meetings for abo;it four years ; when 
 having but one individual member of his Church left, he sold the 
 raeeting-liouse, and left the place. 
 
 In 1725, the Church invited Mr. John Comer to become the col- 
 league of Mr. Peckham, which invitation he accepted, and entered 
 upon the duties of his office the following spring. Mr. Comer was 
 a man of talents, and eminently successful as a minister of Jesus, — 
 Under his ministry the number of the Church was increased from 
 seventeen to fifty-one. He also commenced the records of tlic 
 Church, and to him we are indebted for much of her early histoig^. 
 But the prosperity and happiness of the Church, under Mr. Comer's 
 administration, was soon interrupted by a sermon delivered by him 
 on Lord's day, Nov. 17, 1728, in which he maintained the doctrine 
 of imposition of hands on baptized believers, as indispensable to 
 Ciiurch membership and communion at the Lord's table. This dis^ 
 course gave great uneasiness to the Church, and finally resulted in 
 the separation of the Pastor and his flock. On the 8th of January, 
 1729, Mr. Comer was dismissed from his pastoral charge, by letter. 
 The records of the Church say, that " 3Ir. Comer was dismissed, 
 not so much on account of the doctrine maintained, in the offensive 
 discourse, as the spirit in which it was delivered and defended." — 
 But whatever fault Mr. Comer committed in preaching or defend- 
 ing the doctrine of that sermon, was amply and nobly atoned for, 
 by the Christian spirit manifested by him, when about to leave 
 
124 • APPENDIX. 
 
 Newport. For, unwilling to leave the Church over which he had 
 once exercised the office of a Pastor, without seeking a reconcilia- 
 tion, he requested them to call a Church meeting; at whicfe on the 
 28th of June, 1731, he acknowledged his error to the Church, and 
 humbly asked them to forgive him; which acknowledgment was 
 received in ihe same spirit of Christian meekness, by the Church; 
 and after a pleasant interview, which was conducted as became the 
 disciples cf the meek and lowly Jesus, and each producing all the 
 papers wJiich had been written on either side, for the purpose of 
 destro3ing them, and after a most fervent and affectionate prayer 
 by Mr. Comer, they parted with their late Pastor in love and peace. 
 The sixih Pastor of this Church, was the Rev. John Calender, 
 nephew of the Rev. Elisha Calender, of the old Baptist Church, in 
 Boston. Mr. Calender was a native of Boston, and received his 
 education at Harvard University, in Cambridge. He graduated at 
 an early age, united with the Baptist Church in Boston, and was 
 soon afier licensed to preach the Gospel. He accepted the invita- 
 tion of this Church to become their Pastor on the 4th of July, ]731, 
 and on the 13th day of October following, was set apart to that 
 office, by fasting and prayer, and the imposition of hands. The 
 Churches of Boston and Swanzey, by .their ministers and messen- 
 gers, were mvited to participate in the services. , 
 
 On the 21st of June, 1732, Mr. William Peckham was ordained 
 to the. ofuce of a Deacon. And as their beloved and venerable Pas- 
 tor, Elder William Peckham, sen. by reason of his advanced age 
 and infirmities, could not be present to officiate at the ordination, 
 unless held at his house, it was decided by the Church, that the 
 ceremony should be performed there. After the ordination, and by 
 the special request of Elder Peckham, the Lord's supper was ad- 
 ministered. After which, dissolving in love, at the tender recollec- 
 tions which pressed upon him, that ancient and venerable man of 
 God, with eternity just before him, rose to give his last farewell, 
 and pronounce his dying blessing on the Church. The congrega- 
 tion was overpowered with the sweetly oppressive blessedness of 
 the divine presence and glory. No language could adequately ex- 
 press the moral grandeur of that solemn and imposing scene. To 
 gee that venerable and beloved Pastor, whose faithfulness and de- 
 votion to their welfare, they had witnessed for so many years, now 
 standing on the verge of eternity, and breathing out the most fervent 
 
APPENDIX. 125 
 
 invocation lo God, for tlieir future prosperity, was a scene inex- 
 pressibly thrilling and interesting.* 
 
 Mr. Calender's ministry in this Church, during a period ofalmost 17 
 years, was very evidently attended with the approbation and blessing 
 of God. For by his prudent, judicious, and aflectionate conduct as a 
 Pastor, his familiar and endearing intercourse with the people of 
 his charge, togellier with tlie faithfulness and zeal with which he 
 preached to them the word of life, the Church enjoyed great 
 quietness and rest; w^alked together in the fear of the Lord, in 
 the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and was multiplied. 
 
 Like his Divine Master, Mr. Calender was poor in this world's 
 goods, but rich in faith, and heir to an inheritance incorruptible, 
 undefiled, and that fudeth not away. His passage through this 
 vale of tears, though not protracted to great length, was one of 
 adversity, sickness, and pain. But with a mind elevated and 
 subdued by the controlling and sanctifying influences of our holy 
 religion, he traced in his afflictions, the kindness of a Father's 
 love, and met the ills of life, with patient resignation and 
 Christian hope. His departure from the toils and sorrows of 
 earth, to that rest which remains for the people of God, was on 
 the 2()th of January, 1748, in the 42d year of his age. If that 
 life be long, which answers life's great end; if wisdom be grey 
 hairs and an unspotted life, old age; then did this truly good man 
 come down to his grave, full of years. Mr. Calender not only 
 lived to secure the reputation of the scholar and gentleman, but 
 what is infinitely more valuable, the reputation of a liberal minded, 
 pious and devoted Christian. 
 
 In March, 1738, he preached his celebrated Historical Sermon, 
 embracing the civil and religious afiairs of the Colony, from the 
 commencement of the first settlement on the Island, to the close of 
 the first century. This Discourse does honor to Mr. Calender, and 
 the Church over which he presided. It breathes the same spirit of 
 religious freedom and liberality of sentiment, that immortalized the 
 names of Clarke, Coddington, and their associates. His discourse, 
 occasioned by the death of the Rev. Nathaniel Clapp, Pastor of the 
 First Congregational Church in Newport, with several others, 
 preached on special occasions, was published. 
 
 His remains lie in the common burial place, in Newport., in about- 
 
 ♦ I find no record of Elder Pcckham's death. 
 11* . 
 
126 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 a North East direction from the gate, in Farewell-street, where a 
 tomb has been erected, with an inscription, by Dr. MofFett. The 
 tomb erected to the memory of the beloved Calender, is now much 
 decayed and fallen down. It should be the immediate care of 
 the First Baptist Church in Newport, to see that it be repaired : 
 that generations yet to come, may point the passing stranger to 
 the spot, where sleep the mouldering ashes of that good man, who 
 wrote the first and as yet, the only History of Rhode-Island. 
 
 Mr. Calender was succeeded in the pastoral office of the Church, 
 by the Rev. Edward Upham, who continued with them for more 
 than twenty years, when by death he was removed from his labors, 
 to that rest that remains for the people of God. 
 
 The eighth Pastor of this Church, was the Rev. Erasmus Kel- 
 LEY. He accepted the call of the Church, in 1771, and continued in 
 the faithful discharge of his duty, until 1778, when the meeting- 
 house being used as a barrack for the troops of his sacred majesty, 
 King George, he removed to Warren. But in a few months, the 
 enemy followed him to that place and burnt the house in which he 
 resided, and destroyed his valuable furniture. After which, during 
 the continuance of the war, he resided with his family in Pennsyl- 
 vania, his native State. In 1784, Mr. Kelley returned to Newport, 
 and resumed his pastoral labors among his flock. But they were 
 however, of but short continuance, for on the 7th of Nov. follow- 
 ing, he was removed by death. 
 
 The ninth Pastor was the Rev. Benjamin Foster, D.D. Mr. 
 Foster commenced his labors with this Church on the first Sabbath 
 of January, 1785, and on the 5th of June following, was installed to 
 the pastoral office. Three years after, he received and accepted 
 a call from the First Baptist Clmrch in New-York, to become their 
 Pastor, and removed his family to that place, the autumn of the 
 same year. He continued his labors in that Church, with great 
 fidelity and success, until his death. He died of the yellow fever, 
 August, 1798. Mr. Foster was a man of superior intellect, and of 
 high literary attainments. Mr. Benedict says, in the Greek, 
 Hebrew, and Chaldean languages, he left few superiors. 
 
 The following is the inscription on his tomb-stone, in the Baptist 
 burial ground, in the city of New-York : — " As a Scholar and 
 Divine, he excelled : as a Preacher, he was eminent : as a Christ 
 ian, h© shone conspicuously : in his piety, he was fervent. The 
 Church was comforted by his life, and now laments his death." 
 
APPENDIX. • 127 
 
 In 1789, the Rev. Michael Eddy received and accepted the 
 call of the Cliurch, to become their Pastor, the duties of which 
 office, he continued to discharge for almost half a century. In 
 1833, sickness and the increasing infirmities of age, pressing heavily 
 upon him, the Rev. James M'Kenzie, a native of Newport, and 
 formerly a member of the Church, was invited to become the col- 
 league of Elder Eddy, in which station he continued for one year, 
 when he left to take charge of the Fourth Baptist Churcli in New- 
 port. Mr. Eddy departed this life on the 3d day of June, 1835, in 
 the 75tli year of his age, respected and beloved by his Church and 
 congregation, and by the inhabitants of Newport, with whom he 
 had lived for so many years. 
 
 During Mr. Eddy's ministry, the Church was frequently blest 
 with seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The 
 years of 180G-8-1G, and 20, will long be remembered, as years of 
 the right hand of the Most High. In that of 1820, more than one 
 hundred were added to the Church. During Mr. Eddy's labors of 
 love, in this Church, he baptized more than five hundred ; many 
 of whom have been removed by death, and others remain unto this 
 day. 
 
 The present Pastor of the Church was installed March 11th, 
 1835. In the retrospect of the past, we can say, God has been our 
 refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. And 
 although our prospects have been sometimes dark and gloomy, yet 
 He has ever been ready to bless, and we have often sung, " Lo ! 
 this is our God I we have waited for him ; he will save us — this is 
 the Lord, we have waited for him ; we will be glad and rejoice in 
 his salvation." 
 
128 * APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE B. 
 
 In 165G, twenty-one members of the First Baptist Church iir' 
 Newport, withdrew themselves, and formed the Second Baptist 
 Church in this town. These brethren objected to the original 
 Church, in her use of psalmody, restraints upon the liberty of 
 prophecying, and holding the laying on of hands a matter of in- 
 difference, which they regarded as binding on all believers. 
 
 The first Pastor of this Church, was the Rev. William Vaughn, 
 who continued with them till his death in 1G77. 
 
 The second was the Rev. Thomas Baker, who subsequently 
 settled in North-Kingstown, lie was succeeded by the Rev. John 
 Harden, who died in 1700. 
 
 The fourth Pastor was the Rev. James Clarke, nephew of Dr. 
 John Clarke. He was assisted in the discharge of his pastoral du- 
 ties by the Rev. Daniel Wightjian, wiio succeeded him in that 
 office, in 1704. 
 
 In 1729, Mr. John Comek became a member of ihis Church, and 
 as Mr. Wightnian was now aged and infirm, the Church invited 
 Mr. Comer to assist him in the ministry. And although he remain- 
 ed with the Church a short time only, his labors were greatly blest 
 in the edification ofthe Church, and the salvation of sinners. The 
 Lord gave him many souls, as seals of his ministry, and stars in his' 
 future crown of rejoicing. 
 
 Mr. Clarke died in 173C, aged 87 years. After the death of Mr. 
 Cylarke, the Church invited JMr. Nicholas Evers to become the 
 colleague of Mr. Wighlman, in which he continued until Mr. 
 VVightman's death, in 1750. Mr. Eyers died in 1759. Previous to 
 his death, for several years, he had enjoyed the labors of one of his 
 own flock, as an assistant in the ministry; one whom he had point- 
 ed to the Lamb of God, as the only Saviour; one whom he had 
 buried with Christ in baptism, and fed with knowledge and under- 
 standing. This was the Rev. Gardiner Thurston*, who at the 
 death of Mr. Eyers, succeeded to the pastoral charge of the Church. 
 Mr. Thurston continued to discharge the duties of a minister of 
 Jesus Christ, with great faithfulness and success,, for more than forty 
 years, when the increasing infirmities of age pressed heavily upon 
 him, and he applied to his beloved flock, to procure an assistant. 
 
APPENDIX. 129 
 
 to relieve Jiim from some part of Jiis arduous labors. He was as- 
 sisted for a few months by the Rev. Thomas Dunn. After liim, 
 by the Rev. Wili.i.^m Peckham, a licentiate, and member of 
 the Churcli. 
 
 In 17!)1), the Rov. William Collier, of Boston, was invited 
 to labor in the Church, as the assistant of Mr. Tiiuiston. But 
 in 1801, the venerable man of God knowing that tlie time of 
 his departure was at hand, earnestly entreated liis people to 
 procure a Pastor, and release him from the responsibilities of his 
 charge Accordingly, in JMay of that year, he was permitted to 
 witness the scttlcdient of tlie Rev. Joshua Bradley, as his suc- 
 cessor in the pastoral office. Mr. Tliurston died the following 
 year, aged 82. " The memory of the just is blessed." 
 
 Mr. Bradley continued to labor with this Church, for about 
 six years, when he removed to Connecticut, to the great grief 
 of his flock. IJis labors were signally blessed of Gud, in the 
 conversion of souls ; and during his ministry, the Church enjoy- 
 ed great prosperity, and great accessions were made to her num- 
 bers. 
 
 In October, 1807, the Rev. Mr. Gibson became their Pastor; 
 which office he held till March, 1815, when he requested and 
 received a discharge from the pastoral charge of the Church. 
 
 The Rev, Samuel Wydown was his successor, who continued 
 with the Church until 1817, when the Rev. Mr. Elton was invi- 
 ted to become its Pastor, and was ordained to that office, Junellth, 
 of the same year. Under the ministry of Mr. Elton, the Church 
 continued to prosper, and during the year 1820, more than one 
 hundred were added by baptism. In 1822, Mr. Elton (having re- 
 ceived a call from the Baptist Church' in Windsor, Vermont.) re- 
 quested a dismission, which v/as reluctantly granted, by his affec- 
 tionate people. 
 
 Mr. Elton was succeeded in the pastoral office by the late lamen- 
 ted Gammell, December 10th, 1823. Mr. Gammell's career was 
 short, (but brilliant ;) for on the 31st of May, 1827, he suddenly 
 expired, in the full hope of a glorious immortality. His death was 
 not only very deeply afflicting to his family, and the Church of God, 
 but lamented by thousands who had with pleasure hung upon his 
 lips, as the ambassador of Heaven, and listened to the impassioned 
 eloquence of his soul. 
 
 On the 27th of September following, the Rev. John O. Choclis 
 
130 APPENDIX. 
 
 was inducted into the pastoral office of the Church, by the usuaa 
 ceremony of ordination. On the 3d of January, 1833, Mr. Choules 
 tendered his resignation as Pastor of the Church, which resignatiom 
 was accepted on the 25th of the same month. ' 
 
 In December, 1833, Rev. John Dowling was called to take the; 
 pastoral charge of the Church, which call he accepted, and on thei 
 27th of March following, he was publicly recognised as their Pas^ 
 tor, by installation. On the 20th of July, 183C, Mr. Dowling ten-i 
 dered his resignation, in order to take the pastoral charge of thd 
 West Baptist Church, in the city of New-York, which resignation! 
 was accepted. j 
 
 The present Pastor, Rev. Timothy G. Freeman, was invited loi 
 become the Pastor of this Church, on the 15th of January, 1837/ 
 which invitation he accepted, and was set apart to that office, oni 
 the 16th of March following, by the imposition of hands and of, 
 piayer. 
 
 This Church has recently erected a very large and splendid' 
 house of worship, which together with the organ, independent of 
 the lot, cost nearly eighteen thousand dollars. 
 
APPENDIX. 131 
 
 NOTE C. 
 
 The exact time when the Society of Friends or Quakers, formed 
 themselves into a body for Church government, cannot now be ex- 
 actly stated. When William Leddra and Marmadukc Stevenson 
 came to Newport, in the year 1G58 or 9, they found their brethren 
 here; and Daniel Gould, the first minister they have any account 
 of in Newport, went to Boston with them, whom they hanged, and 
 severely whipped Gould at the carriage of a great gun, as appears 
 by his account written by himself, and published in the year 1700 
 
 The first records of the monthly meeting, commenced in the 
 year 1C7C. But it is evident that they were formed into a Society 
 previous to that time, as John Burnyeat, a minister here from Eng- 
 land, speaks in his journal of attending a yearly meeting in New- 
 port, as early as the year 1C71, and George Fox, the following year, 
 IC72, which was held at the house of William Coddington. The 
 irst records of the yearly meeting commence in the year 1G83, by 
 ill which, a tradition existing among them appears to be true, that 
 the first records were burned in the house in which they were kept, 
 ind accounts for their not being able to determine the exact time 
 hey were founded as a Society. 
 
 In early times, the Society was very large, about one half the 
 DOpulation in 1700, being of that persuasion, and in that year they 
 3uilt the present meeting-house,* in which they now worship. — 
 There have been many ministers, and other conspicuous members 
 )f that Society, who lived in Newport and its vicinity. The most 
 iistinguishcd ministers who appeared among them, were Daniel 
 Grould, Jacob Molt, John Hewlett, Ebenezer Slocum, Thomas 
 uornell, Samuel Freeborn, William Anthony, Gov. John Wan- 
 ion, Joseph Wanton, Dr. Clarke Rodman, grand-father of the 
 )resent Clarke Rodman, John Casey, Christopher Townsend, Joseph 
 Mitchell, Isaac Lawton, and David Buffum, with many others. 
 
 Mr. Bull says, there was a Friends' meeting-house in Newport, 
 ong before this was built, probably soon after they came to this 
 lountry. It stood on the East side of Farewell-street, opposite the 
 Coddington burial-place — which house was taken down in 1705— 
 indsome of the materials worked into that which is now the Nortli 
 •oom of the present meeting-house, which extends 30 feet North 
 jf the main building. 
 
132 APPENDIX. 
 
 Since the revolutionary war, the Society has decreased in New- 
 port, and on the Island. There are, however, a respectable num- 
 ber, who meet both at Newport and at Portsmouth, and hold regu- 
 lar meetings in the middle of the week. Previous to the war of the 
 revolution, the present house was well filled, above and below; 
 but at that time, many of its most wealthy members removed to 
 other places, and never returned — and it is now remarked, that 
 there are few settlements of Friends in the State of Vermont, and 
 the Northern and Western parts of New-York, where the seed of 
 Rhode-Island is not to be found. And it is now easily shown, that 
 within forty years, more of the Society have removed from the 
 Island, than now dwell upon it. 
 
 This Society, at one period of the settlement, say from 1660, 
 down to I76U, were very influential in the government of the Colo- 
 ny. A large proportion of its Governors and other officers, were of 
 that denomination. Among whom may be enumerated William 
 Coddington, Nicholas Easton, John Easton, Walter Clarke, and 
 Henry Bull, who died the last of the first settlers; and John Wan- 
 ton, Gideon Wanton, and Gov. Hopkins, were all members of the 
 Society. John Wanton was a very eminent and popular preacher 
 among them. But, it was found that such offices were inconsistent 
 with their profession of religion, and of latter years it is uncommon 
 for them to be elected, where military or criminal questions are in- 
 volved. 
 
 Under the government of this State, they have from the begin- 
 ning enjoyed far greater civil and religious liberty, than in any 
 other. Here, their yearly meeting is held, wiiich brings together a 
 large concourse of that body, from different parts of New-England, 
 and frequently, there are attendants from many other parts of the 
 United States, as well as occasional visiters from England and Ire- 
 land. On these occasions, no people receive a more respectful at- 
 tention, and every class of Christians is glad to see them coming 
 into town, in June, when their annual meeting is held. They have 
 for some time contemplated removing the yearly meeting to some 
 place where there are more of the Society; but it is apprehended, 
 that there is no place in New-England, where their rights and 
 privileges will be better secured, or where thoN mass of the popula- 
 tion will so cordially receive them. 
 
 That part of Newport called Easton's Point, was once wholly 
 the property of the Society of Friends, and till within fijrty or fifty 
 years, was under quit-rent to them. Since that time, they have suld 
 
APPENDIX. 133 
 
 out the greater part of the quit-rented lots. There are, however, 
 some unsold; and about twenty acres that have been used for 
 meadows and gardens, still remain their property. 
 
 The Point was originally the properly of Gov. Nicholas Easton, 
 who, on his marriage with Ann Clayton, gave it by deed to lier, 
 and confirmed it in his will to her, as his wife. In the year 1C94, a 
 certain William Edwards, a member of the Society, gave by wil^ 
 to his executors, who were Daniel Gould, Edward Thurston, Wil- 
 liam James, and John Lurkett, the residue of hi.s estate, for the ben- 
 efit of that Society. With a part of which residue, in the year 
 1698, they purchased of Ann Bull, widow of Gov. Henry Bull, and 
 previously widow of Nicholas Easton, the Point farm, consisting of 
 about sixty-five acres, part of which in 1714, they laid out in house 
 lots, and made a second division in 1725, which they rented out at 
 a very low rate. The Society has the original plat, and regular 
 minutes of the proprietors, ever since. 
 
 13 
 
134 APPENDIX- 
 
 NOTE D. 
 
 The Sabbatariarij or Seventh-day Baptist Church, was constituted 
 in 1671. Several members of BIr. Clarke's Church, entertaining 
 conscientious scruples in regard to keeping the first day of the 
 week as the Christian Sabbath, withdrew from the fellowship of 
 that Church, and organized themselves into a Church, with Mr. 
 William Hiscox as their leader. He died May 24th, 1704, in the 
 6Gth year of his age. 
 
 The second Pastor of this Church, was Rev. William Gibson, 
 of London. He died March 12lh, 1717, aged 79. He was succeed- 
 ed by Rev. Joseph Crandall, who died in 1737. Their next 
 Pastor was Rey. Joseph Maxon. He was ordained as an evangelist at 
 Newport, October 8th, 1732, and preached alternately at Newport 
 and Westerly, serving the Church with great faithfulness, until his 
 death, which occurred September, 1748. 
 
 Elder John Maxson was the fifth Pastor of this Church, from the 
 year 1754, until his death, in March, 1778. 
 
 Mr. Ebenezer David, who was converted in Brown University, 
 during his collegiate course of study, became a member of this 
 Church, and was ordained May 31st, 1775. He accepted the place 
 of Chaplain in the army, in which place he died, near Philadelphia. 
 March 19ih, 1778. 
 
 Mr. William Bliss became their next Pastor. He was admitted 
 a member of the Church, June, 1764, was ordained an evangelist at 
 Hopkinton, December 7th, 1779, and was installed Pastor of this 
 Church, December 25th, 1780. He continued faithfully to dis- 
 charge the duties of his office, until his death, which occurred May 
 4th, 1808, aged 81 years. 
 
 The Rev. Henri Burdick, the present Pastor of the Church, 
 was admitted as a member of this body, January 30th, 1802, and 
 was ordained to the woik of the Gospel ministry, December 10th. 
 1807. 
 
 This Church previous to the revolutionary war, embraced a num- 
 ber of talented and influential men. The Hon. Samuel Ward, who 
 for several years was Governor of Rhode-Island, and a member also 
 of the Continental Congress, belonged to this Church. But the war 
 
APPENDIX. 135 
 
 scattered them, and greatly interrupted their prosperity. Since that 
 time, this Church has never been able to recover her former emi- 
 nence, and for several years past having been but few, if any addi- 
 tions, the Church has greatly decreased, so that its present number is 
 very small. 
 
136 APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE E. 
 
 Of the first settlement of the Jews in this town, we are able to fur- 
 nish only a brief and imperfect history. It is to be regretted that 
 materials for transmitting to posterity the history of that ancient and 
 honorable race of men, who once formed so large and respectable a 
 portion of the population of Newport, have not been preserved. — 
 There is now, in the Town Clerk's office, the copy of a deed (cer- 
 tified by William Coddington, Town Clerk, October 19th, 1677, 
 Book No. 3, page 11, of land evidences) of a certain lot of land, 
 thirty feet square, sold by Nathaniel Dickens, to Mordicai Campan- 
 nall and Moses Packeckoe, for a burial-place for the Jews. This 
 deed is dated Feb. 28th, 1G77, which shows that some of the descen- 
 dants of Abraham found an asylum of rest from oppression and per- 
 secution, on this Island of the sea, at an early period of the settle- 
 ment. How long prior to the purchase of the burial lot, we have 
 no means of ascertaining. The first Jews who settled in Newport, 
 were of Dutch extract, from Curraso, and were not possessed of the 
 wealth, intelligence, or enterprise, which so eminently distinguish- 
 ed those who subsequently settled in this town; which, with the 
 smallness of their number, accounts for the lapse of time from the 
 first Jewish settlement in Newport, to the erection of the Syna- 
 gogue. It is not probable, however, that during all this time, they 
 maintained no regular form of public worship ; and there is a tradi- 
 tion amongst the most ancient people of Newport, now living, that 
 from their earliest settlement here, public religious worship was 
 regularly maintained in private houses. 
 
 Between the years of 1750-60, many families of wealth and dis- 
 tinction came to this country from Spain and Portugal, and settled 
 in Newport, which contributed largely to the intelligence and com- 
 mercial prosperity of the town. Many of them engaged in the mer- 
 cantile profession, and Mr. Aaron Lopez owned more shipping, and 
 was more extensively engaged in merchandise, than any other man 
 in Newport. The present Synagogue was erected in 1762, and 
 dedicated to the God of Abraham, with great pomp and magnifi- 
 cence, according to Jewish custom, December 2d, 1763.* 
 
 * The Synagogue was thronged with worshippers from its erec- 
 tion until the war commenced, and the scriptures were publicly read, 
 and the God of Abraham worshipped in the Hebrew language in 
 Newport, by more than three hundred of the dispersed house of 
 Israel, up to that t'"ip. 
 
APPENDIX. 137 
 
 About this time, 1763, and long after, flourished the distinguished 
 families of Lopez, Rivera, Pollock, Levi, Hart, and their late re- 
 spected priest, Isaac Touro. Abraham Touro, son of the priest, 
 died in Boston, in the year 1822, leaving a fund of 10,000 dollars for 
 the support of the Synagogue and buvifil place, both of which are 
 kept in good order. He also left 5,000 dollars for the purpose of 
 keeping the street in repair, on which they front. 
 
 The revolutionary war, so disastrous to the commercial interest 
 and prosperity of Newport, induced the greater part of them to 
 leave the town; and after the conclusion of the war, the remnant 
 that was left gradually declined, until not an individual now re- 
 mains. Moses Lopez, nephew of the celebrated Aaron Lopez, was 
 the last resident Jew in Newport. A few years previous to his 
 death, he removed to New- York. His remains were brought to 
 Newport, and interred by the side of his brother Jacob, in the 
 burial-place of their fathers. Moses Lopez was a man of no com- 
 mon abilities — an honorable merchant, deep in the mathematics, 
 and of uncommon mechanical skill. He was pleasant and interest- 
 ing in conversation, and an ingenious defender of his religious be- 
 lief 
 
 There is one incident in the history of the late and respectable 
 Jacob R. Rivera, which ought to be recorded as highly honorable t(» 
 himself, and the society of Jews to which he belonged. At one 
 period of his life, he failed in business, in which he was extensively 
 engaged as a merchant ; but after a few years of successful enter- 
 prise, he recovered his fortune, and made a dinner party, to which he 
 invited all his creditors, who, when they sat down at the table, 
 each one found the exact sum of money due him, with the interest 
 calculated to the day. The society of Jews generally, who settled 
 in this town, have left a reputation for integrity and uprightness, 
 which should perpetuate their memory from generation to genera- 
 tion. 
 
 12* 
 
138 APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE F. 
 
 Trinity Church, in Newport, was formed n°ar the close of iho 
 17th century. About the year 1698, the worship of God according 
 to the rites of the Church of England, was commenced in Rhode- 
 Island. The name of the Rev. Mr. Lockyer appears as the fiist 
 Clergyman of the English Church, who performed divine service in 
 Newport, though it is uncertain how long his ministry here was 
 continued. 
 
 In 1702, a handsome Church had been built, linished without and 
 within, containing in all forty -six pews, thirty-six below, and ten in 
 the gallery. The same year, the Church wardens wrote to the 
 Bishop of London, and to the Society for the Propagation of the 
 Gospel in foreign parts, for aid " towards promoting their Church.'' 
 And in 1704, the Society in England -appointed the Rev. James 
 HoNEYMAN, their missionary here, who discharged the duties of his 
 mission with great diligence and success, for nearly half a century. 
 
 In 172-^, the Episcopal congregation in Newport had grown too 
 numerous to be accommodated with seats in the old Church, and it 
 was proposed to erect a new one. The new building which wa."* 
 erected the following year, and has since been lengthened, is the 
 one now occupied by the congregation of Trinity Church, and is in 
 excellent repair. Tiie old Church was given to the people of the 
 town of Warwick, who had no Church of their own. 
 
 For nearly two years, from the latter part of the year 1728, the 
 Rev. Mr. Honeyman derived much valuable assistance from tho 
 celebrated Dr. Berkley, afterward Bishop of Cloyne, then residing 
 on Rhode-Island, a short distance from Newport. During his resi- 
 dence in this vicinity, Dean Berkley preached every Sabbath, and 
 aided the rector in his parochial duties. After he had returned to 
 England, in the year 1733, he presented Mr. Honeyman's congre- 
 gation with a fine toned, excellent organ, which still retains its place 
 in Trinity Church. 
 
 On the arrival of the organ, " at a vestry, held at Trinity Church, 
 in Newport, on Monday the 25th day of February, 1733, the Rev. 
 Mr. Honeyman was desired to draw up a letter of thanks to the 
 ^ev. Mr. Dean, Berkley, for liis generous present of an organ to^ 
 
APPENDIX. 139' 
 
 this Church ; and likewise a letter of thanks to Mr. Henry New- 
 man, for his care about, and shipping the same, in order to be sent 
 to England as soon as conveniently may be." And subsequently, 
 ''at a vestry, held in Trinity Church, in Newport, on Friday the 
 8th day of March, 1733," it was '< voted that the letter of thanks to 
 the Rev. Mr. Dean Berkley, fbr his present of the organ to this 
 Church, and likewise the letter of thanks to Mr. Henry Newman, 
 for his care and trouble in getting the same done, and shipping 
 thereof, drawn up by the Rev. Rlr. lloneyman, is approved of and 
 signed in this vestry, and ordered to be sent home foriljwith." 
 
 The same year, in the month of August following, the thanks of 
 the vestry were returned to Jahlcel Brenton, Esq. for his " generous 
 donation" of the clock now in the tower of this Church. In 1750, 
 the Rev. Mr. Honeyman having departed this life, the Rev. Jere- 
 miah Learning, who had in the year 1718, been received as school- 
 master, catcchist, and assisti<nt minister, was requested to officiate 
 as minister of Trinity Church, until the congregation could be sup- 
 plied with a settled minister. 
 
 The Rev. Thomas Pollen arrived from England in May, 1754, 
 having been appointed by the Society for propagating the Gospel, 
 their missionary for Trinity Church. He was on his arrival, cor- 
 dially welcomed by the congregation, who directed a letter of 
 thanks to the Society, for sending them a minister so satisfactory to 
 them. The pastoral relation so conspicuously commenced, was 
 however of no long duration. For some difficulties arisi.ig be- 
 tween himself and his flock, he decided to leave them in Nov. 1760, 
 little moieTthan six years from his first arrival at Newport. 
 
 Mr. Pollen was immediately succeeded by the Rev. Marmaduke 
 Brown, being unanimously elected to officiate as minister of Trinity 
 Church. A coinmiltee was appointed to write to the Society in 
 England, " desiring their favor in settling him as their missionary 
 to them." On the 18th of January, 17C2, it was voted that the 
 *' Church might be enlarged to the Eastward," provided that thos« 
 gentlemen who were willing to undertake it, would give security to 
 the Church, that they would make tll-e addition without its being 
 any expense to the other members of the Church. The Church 
 was accordingly enlarged, so as to admit of the erection of about 
 thirty additional pews below, besides the corresponding ones in 
 the galleries. The present steeple was buiU ii\ 17G8. 
 
140 APPENDIX. 
 
 A successful application was made to the General Assembly of 
 Rhode-Island, in 1769, for an act of incorporation; and a "set of 
 rules and regulations for the Church," adopted, " agreeable to the 
 charter granted by the Colony." 
 
 Mr. Brown continued his connexion with Trinity Church, until 
 his death, which took place on the 16th of March, 1771. 
 
 After the death of Mr. Brown, the attention of Trinity Church 
 congregation was directed to the Rev. George Bisset, who had 
 since the year 1767, been engaged as schoolmaster and assistant 
 minister. They voted " that the Rev. Mr. Bisset be requested to 
 officiate as minister of the Church, " That a letter be written to the 
 Society informing them of the deatli of their worthy minister, the 
 late Rev. Mr. Brown, and soliciting the continuation of the mis- 
 sion," and " that the Rev. Mr. Bisset be recommended as a suitable 
 person to succeed Mr. Brown and Mr. Honeyman." The Society 
 for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts, refusing to give any 
 further salary to the minister of Trinity Church, his entire support 
 devolved on the congregation, who on the 28th of October, 1771, 
 unanimously chose the Rev. Mr. Bisset for their minister. 
 
 May 11th, 1772, the Rev. Willard Wheeler was chosen as- 
 sistant minister and schoolmaster ; but not giving satisfaction with 
 regard to iiis school, he was allowed to discontinue his services 
 after the 8th of April, 1776. 
 
 After a vacancy of many years, occasioned by the removal of the 
 Rev. Mr. Bisset, who left Newport with the British troops, in the 
 unhappy period of the revolutionary war; a meeting of tiie Trinity 
 Church congregation was held, August 27th, 1786, which resulted 
 in the settlement of the Rev. James Sayre, of Fairfield, Con., as 
 their rector. Mr. Sayer's ministry, though of short duration in the 
 Church, appears from the number of baptisms recorded, and other 
 parochial notices, to have been for a lime at least, very successful. 
 But divisions arising in the congregation, it was brought to a close 
 in a little more than two years, when the Church was again vacant, 
 until the 28ih of December, 1789. 
 
 The Rev. William Smith, of St. Paul's Church, in Narragansett, 
 nt that time succeeded Mr. Sayre, as rector of Trinity Church. — 
 Had Mr. Smith's prudence been equal to his talents and learning, 
 he might, with the divine blessing, have been instrumental in heal- 
 ing the unhappy divisions among his people, and restoring the 
 Church to her former prosperity. The time, however, had not 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 14t 
 
 come for this Church to arise from her depression, and put on tho 
 garments of glory and beauty. Mr. Smith's pastoral charge and 
 residence in JNewport, terminated April 12th, 17<J7; when having 
 informed the congregation that lie had accepted a call to the Church 
 at Norvvalk, Conn., he embarked with his family, " to enter on his 
 new charge." 
 
 If in consequence of the long vacancy and unfavorable changes 
 in society, which had been occasioned by the American revolution, 
 and the unprofitable dissensions which had still more recently oc- 
 curred, the congregation of Trinity Church was in a divided and 
 scattered condition, toward the close of the year 1707, the year 
 1798 commenced under happier auspices, and proved both to the 
 Church and their new rector, the commencement of a " series of 
 years of mutual satisfaction, comfort, and joy. It was on Sunday, 
 the 7th day of January, 1798, that the Rev. Theodore Deiion, 
 afterward Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South 
 Carolina, preached his first sermon in Trinity Church, after he had 
 accepted the ollice of rector. 
 
 Mr, Dehon, a native of Boston, and a graduate of Harvard Uni- 
 versity, had a few days before completed his 21st year; and so favor- 
 able was the impression made by his f rst discourse, *• upon com- 
 mencing the duties of his ministry," that the vestry unanimously 
 requested " the favor of a copy thereof for the press." By the pru- 
 dent, judicious, and conciliating conduct of the rector, the differen- 
 ces and misunderstandings which had so long existed in the 
 Church, were entirely removed. The people became united, and 
 the harmony of the congregation was never again interrupted while 
 he remained among them. Mr. Dehon was occasionally assisted 
 in the duties of the ministry, 1st, by the Rev, Abraham Bronson ; 
 2d, by the Rev. Clement Merriam ; 3d, by the Rev. John Ward ; 
 which last Rev. gentleman also taught the Trinity Church school. 
 
 Mr. Dehon continued in charge of Trinity Church about twelve 
 years, during which time, the parsonage house was repaired and 
 enlarged, the Church school-house was erected, and the vestry 
 room was built at the North East corner of the Church. The piety, 
 talents, and eloquence of this truly Christian niinister, his undimin- 
 ished popularity, and the flourishing state of his congregation, led 
 to repeated calls from other Churches. And in the winter of 1S09- 
 10, to the deep regret of his flock at Newport, Dr. Dehon resigned 
 the charge of their Church, and accepted the rectorship of St. 
 Michael's Church, in Charleston, South Carolina. 
 
142 APPENDIX. 
 
 Trinity Church being again without a rector, the committee ap- 
 pointed, wrote to the lit. Rev. Dr. Jarvis, Bishop of Connecticut, 
 who recommended the Rev. Salmon Wheaion, then assistant 
 minister of Trinity Church, New-Haven, as a suitable person to fill 
 the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of the Rev. Dr. Dehon ; 
 and in July, 1810, he was unanimously chosen rector of Trinity 
 Church in Newport, but was prevented by his engagements at New ■ 
 Haven, from entering upon the duties of his office, until late in the 
 month of October, following. Mr. Wheaton was from Litchfiekl 
 county, in Connecticut, and had five years before, graduated at Yah; 
 College, New-Haven. He happily succeeded in reconciling some 
 difficulties which had arisen among the congregation, while they 
 had no rector; and harmony being restored, the Church continued 
 to enjoy its accustomed prosperity. Measures were immediately 
 taken to establish a '< permanent fund for the better support of 
 Trinity Church," which by subscriptions, donations, and legacies, 
 in a few years, amounted to ten thousand dollars. 
 
 The annual income from this fund has since been applied ac- 
 cording to its original intention. Meetings of the vestry, for trans- 
 acting the business of the Church, have been held monthly. The 
 buildings belonging to the corporation have been kept in good re- 
 pair, and order and regularity have generally prevailed. The con- 
 gregation, though constantly subjected to frequent losses, by the re- 
 moval of many of its valuable members from Newport, gradually 
 increased ; numbers were added by baptism, and many were ad. 
 mitted to the holy communion. 
 
 In 1833, the Episcopalians had become so numerous in Newport, 
 that it was by some thought advisable, to attempt the establishment 
 of a second Episcopal Church, which was shortly after commenced. 
 Trinity Church formed the necleus of the new congregation — nearly 
 thirty families and a still larger number of communicants. She has 
 in a measure recovered from the loss thus sustained, by the acces- 
 sion of other families, and by the addition of other members to the 
 communion. This Church is still under the pastoral care of th« 
 Rev. Dr. Wheaton. 
 
APPENDIX. 143 
 
 NOTE G. 
 
 The First Congregational ChurcJi in Newport was constituted in 
 1720, when Mr. Nathaniel Clapp was ordained its Pastor. In 
 1728, several members of this Church being dissatisfied with the 
 administration of Mr. Clapp, withdrew, and a new Church was or- 
 ganized, under the pastoral care of the Rev. John Adams. 
 
 Mr. Clapp continued the pastoral care of the First Church until 
 his death, which occurred the 30th of October, 1745, in the 78th 
 year of his age. From May, 1740, to June, 1743, Mr. Clapp was 
 assisted in the ministry by the Rev. Joseph Gardiner, as his col- 
 league ; and from June, 1744, to the following May, by the Rev. 
 Jonathan Helyer. 
 
 Mr. Adams was succeeded, in the pastoral office of the Second 
 Church, by Rev. James Searing, on the 21st of April, 1731. 
 
 In October, 1746, the Rev. William Vinal was ordained Pastor 
 of the First Church, and dismissed 1708. 
 
 In October, ]755, Rev. Ezra Styles was ordained Pastor of 
 j tlie Second Church. 
 
 April 11, Rev. Samuel Hopkins was installed Pastor of the 
 First Congregational Church, which office he faithfully continued 
 to discharge until his death, in 1803. The ministry of Dr. Hop- 
 kins was interrupted by the war with Great-Britain. He removed 
 his family at the commencement of hostilities, and in 1776, when 
 the British took possession of the town, he left it, and retired to 
 his family. But in the spring of 1780, he returned, and resumed 
 his labors with his scattered and impoverished flock, with renew- 
 ed zeal and faithfulness. 
 
 During the war, Rev. Dr. Styles had accepted the Presidency 
 of Yale College ; consequently, at the close of the war, the Sec- 
 ond Church found themselves without a Pastor, and continued 
 without a settled minister until the year 1786, when the Rev. Wil- 
 liam Patten was ordained as their Pastor. 
 
 Sept. 12, 1804, Rev. Caleb T. Tenney was installed Pastor of 
 the First Church, and was dismissed in May, 1815. 
 
 In August, 1815, Rev. Calvin Hitchcock was installed over the 
 First Church, and dismissed August, 1820. 
 
144 APPENDIX. 
 
 July, 1821, Rev. Samuel Austin, D. D. was installed Pastor oi 
 the same, and was dismissed in 1826. 
 
 March, 1830, Rev. William H. Beecher was ordained as their 
 Pastor, and dismissed June, 1833. 
 
 Mr. Patten was dismissed from his pastoral charge of the Second 
 Church, in April, 1833, and during the following summer the 
 Churches were united in one body. 
 
 The present Pastor of the Church, Rev. A. HENRy Dumont, was 
 installed Sept. 26, 1833. Soon after the settlement of the Rev. Mr. 
 Dumont, in the pastoral charge of the United Congregational Church 
 and Society in Newport, a new and elegant meeting-house was 
 erected on Spring-street, which, together with the well-known, 
 popular talents of the Rev. gentleman who officiates in that house, 
 secures a large and intelligent congregation. 
 
APPENDIX. 145 
 
 NOTE H. 
 
 In 1758, the Moravians or United Brethren constituted a Church 
 in Newport. The origin of this Church is as follows : In 1749, 
 two Missionaries, Matthew Reutz and George Haske, stopped at 
 Newport, on their way to Surinam. While here, they formed an 
 acquaintance with the Rev. Timothy Peckham, a Sabbatarian 
 preacher, who kindly received them at his house, and introduced 
 them to several pious persons, who desired them to preach to them 
 the unsearchable riches of Christ. This request was complied with, 
 and at their departure, deep solicitude was expressed by their hear- 
 ers, that a teacher from among the Brethren, might be sent to gather 
 a congregation in Newport. 
 
 These Brethren no sooner arrived at their place of destination, 
 than they wrote to Betlilehem, (Penn.) and requested that some of 
 the Brethren at that place, if possible, should make them a visit 
 Soon after, two Bretliren from Bethlehem made them a visit, and 
 others from time to time, until the constitution of the Church, in 
 1758. 
 
 The first Pastor of this Church, was the Rev. Richard Utley. 
 
 The second Pastor was Rev. Thomas Yarrell. 
 
 The third Pastor was Rev. Frederick Smith. 
 
 These were Pastors of the Church, from its constitution until the 
 year 1765. 
 
 The fourth Pastor was the Rev. Lewis Rusmeyer, who held 
 this office from 17GC to 1783. 
 
 From 1785 to 1802, the Rev. Frederick Smith held the pastoral 
 office of the Church. 
 
 The sixth Pastor was Rev. Samuel Towle, from 1803 to 1819. 
 
 His successor was Rev. George G. Miller, who remained with 
 the Church as their Paslor but one year. 
 
 In 1821, Rev. John G. Herman became the Pastor of this 
 Church, the duties of which office he continued to discharge until 
 1823. 
 
 The ninth Pastor, Rev. Charles A. Van Vleck, served the 
 Church from 1827 to 1834. The tenth and present Pastor is Rev . 
 Charles F. Seidel, who commenced his pastoral labors in 1837. 
 13 
 
APPENDIX. 
 146 
 
 NOTE I. 
 
 The Fourth Baptist Church in Newport, was organized June 
 23d, 1783. The original members of the Church, were nine males ) 
 and these were chiefly from the Second Baptist Church in this 
 town, who not feeling satisfied to remain in that Church, withdrew ' 
 and formed this. They had no definite creed drawn up, or expres- 
 sed ; but were established on the broad principle, making Christ- 
 ian experience and character the only indispensable terms of fel- 
 lowship and communion, as appears by a vote passed in church- ; 
 meeting, December 28th, 1783, " we unitedly agree to extend our 
 fellowship to all Christians maintaining a good character, and to 
 receive the bread in communion from the hands of any Gospel min- 
 ister of Christ, in good character." Also, the liberty and duty to 
 prophecy c:- exhort, in all or any meetings of the Church, was most 
 fully recognised and maintained. 
 
 Church-meeting, April 17th, 1794, " Voted, that the duty and 
 privilege of the improvement of gifts, be recognised by the Church, 
 and due attention thereto, mutually recommended in all meetings for 
 public worship, without distinction of lime or place. Ordered, that 
 u record be made of the rights, liberties, and privileges of the 
 Church, agreeable to our first engagement." This Church was 
 decidedly Anti-Slavery. Church-meeting, Nov. 30th, 1783, " after 
 looking to God as usual, unitedly agreed that we could not receive 
 any into our fellowship, nor approbate them to improve in any 
 way, that hold their fellow creatures in slavery during life, when 
 they have not in any wise forfeited their liberty." 
 
 The first ministers in this Church, were Rev. Caleb Green 
 and William Moore, who were ordained Nov. 27th, 1796, and 
 were succeeded by John Okmsbee, a member of the Baptist Church 
 in North Providence. 
 
 Blr. Ormsbee was ordained the 14th of September, 1821, and re- 
 moved to Wickford in 1822. Between this time and 1826, Elderj 
 Green and Elder James Graham preached with them a short time 
 the last being invited to become their Pastor, but was under thej 
 necessity of returning to Beaufort, S. C, in consequence of the de- 
 cease of the minister of the Church in that place. 
 
APPENDIX. 147 
 
 Their next minister was James A. M'Kenzie, who was ordained 
 to the pastoral office of the Church, August 12th, 1830. Mr. 
 M'Kenzie was succeeded by the Rev. Samukl Robbins, of Buxton, 
 Me. November, 1835. 
 
 Mr. M'Kenzie again succeeded to the pastoral office of the 
 Church, in April, 1837, and is the present Pastor. This Church in 
 1829, had become nearly extinct for the want of a Pastor's care and 
 labor, although our beloved brother, Green Burroughs,* wiiose 
 praise is in all tiie Churches, had done all he could to sustain it. — 
 Application was made to the First Baptist Church, for help: when 
 bro. M'Kenzie, Dea. George Tiliey, John Pratt, and Charles Tilley, 
 were dismissed fiom the First Church, and united with them. — 
 Since that time, the Church has gradually increased, both in nume- 
 rical and moral power. 
 
 Their first meeting-house was in Division-street, which they sold 
 to, and is now occupied by our colored friends. The house they 
 now occupy and own, is the Clarke-etreet meeting-house, whidi 
 ihey took possession of, August 30th, 1835. This Church is asso- 
 ciated with the Free Will Baptists. 
 
 ♦ Since deceased 
 
J48 APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE K. 
 
 Previous to the year 1805, Newport was occasionally visited by 
 Methodist Clergymen, having the oversight oi that district of coun- 
 try, in which Newport was situated. Among these were the 
 Rev. Messrs. Garretson, Lee, Cooper, Chapin, Nickerman, Hall, 
 Pickering, Taylor, Bishop, Lyel, Coxe, &c., who, \ve are informed, 
 left fiuits of their labor, which were gathered into the Churches, 
 then established. 
 
 In December, 1805, the Presiding Elder of this district was 
 pleased to send to this place the Rev. R. Hubbarp, who com- 
 menced his mission in the First Baptist meeting-house, under tho 
 pastoral care of the Rev. Michael Eddy. 
 
 Mr. Hubbard finding himself encouraged to proceed, applied for 
 the use of the Seventh-day Baptist house, to be used on the Sabbath 
 until something permanent could be had ; but for some reason not 
 at present known, it was refused. He succeeded, however, in ob- 
 taining the Council Chamber, in the State House, where he con- 
 tinued to dispense the word of life, until his congregation so in- 
 creased, as made it necessary to remove to the Representatives 
 Chamber, in the same building. Here he continued his labors until 
 the Lord graciously opened the way, and gave to his Methodist 
 children the beautiful edifice in which they now worship. This 
 building was erected in 1806, and dedicated and used (though in an 
 imperfect state) in May, 1807. 
 
 It should be borne in mind, that the ministry of this Church is 
 strictly itinerent ; no preacher being stationed for more than one 
 year, and none permitted to remain in charge of the same Society, 
 more than two successive years. This will account for the number 
 of preachers that have officiated in this Church. The first of whom 
 was the Rev. Mr. Hubbard, who continued here two years. He 
 was succeeded by Rev. Messrs. Merwin, Webb, Frost, and Lam- 
 bert, when the latter was succeeded by Mr. Webb, who became a 
 local preacher, and remained with the Church nine years. Mr. 
 Webb then united himself again with the Conference, and was 
 succeeded by Messrs. Mudge, Norris, Puff'er, Tucker, Kent, Lord, 
 Jansen, Ely, and the present Pastor, Rev. Jonathan Cady, under 
 most of whose labors the Lord has been graciously pleased to pour 
 
APPENDIX. 149 
 
 out his Spirit, whicli not unfrequently carried its reviving influen- 
 ces through the whole heritage of God, in this place. 
 
 It is but just perhaps to remark, that in the early days of Method- 
 ism, in Newport, its doctrine being in some respects new or misun- 
 derstood, or perhaps both, was sustained by a large proportion of 
 wealth ; and for some years, was a fashionable place of worship. — 
 But as their doctrines became better understood, and continued to bo 
 enforced with a zeal becoming the faitliful ambassadors of Jesus 
 Christ, there were many who could not bear a bold and discrimina- 
 ting exhibition of the truth, and the congregation somewhat de- 
 creased, until circumstances painful to the Christian community, 
 (over which the Church had no control) transpired, which so divi- 
 ded and subdivided it, as at this day, to leave but few in compari- 
 son with its former number. But God has not forsaken them in all 
 their trials, nor suifered his faithfulness to fail. They are now in- 
 creasing in numerical and moral power. They are a little band 
 closely united in the bonds of Christian fellowship and love, and 
 destined, we trust, to exert a more powerful influence in this com- 
 munity, than in the day of their greatest prosperity. 
 
 There is also a small Church of the Methodist denomination in 
 Poitsmouth, on the North part of the Island, which has a conven- 
 ient house of worship, and is regularly supplied with the ministry 
 fifthe word of life. 
 
 13* 
 
150 APPENDIX 
 
 NOTE L. 
 
 In 1824, several individuals of the people of color, in this town, 
 (among whom was Newport Gardiner, who subsequently died at 
 Liberia,) formed themselves into a religious society, under a written 
 constitution, by the name of the " Colored Union Church and 
 Society, in Newport, Khode-Island." The object of this associa- 
 tion, as seen in the preamble lo the constitution, was their own 
 mutual edification, the prosperity and happiness of their children, 
 and the promotion of the best interests of the people of color, gene- 
 rally. And although they have never enjoyed the labors of a set- 
 tled Pastor, yet, such has been their zeal for the house of the Lord, 
 and such their unceasing devotion to the object of this union, that 
 they have constantly maintained religious worship among them- 
 selves, (when no preacher could be obtained) at least once on each 
 Sabbath, from that time. 
 
 This Society, although small in numerical power, and limited in 
 facilities of prosperity, have persevered with a zeal worthy of the 
 Philanthropist and Christian, until they now occupy and own a very 
 neat and commodious house of worship. Since the purchase of the 
 house in 1835, it has been raised, and a basement story added, 
 which is occupied as a school room, &c. &c. The upper apartment 
 has also been remodeled and undergone a thorough repair, and is 
 furnished with regular slips. There is also among them a society 
 for promoting the education of colored children and youth, called 
 the '' School Fund Association," which sustains an instructress 
 the greater part of the year. God has graciously smiled upon and 
 prospered the work of their hands ; and during the past winter, 
 filled their temple with his presence and glory, subduing the hearts 
 of many among them to the obedience of the faith, while such who 
 had been looking for the salvation of God to come out of Zion, 
 have been made to sing, " Lo ! this is our God; we have waited 
 for him, he will save us. This is the Lord ; we have waited for 
 him ; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation." 
 
APPENDIX. 151 
 
 NOTE M. 
 
 Soon after the extensive woiks at Fort Adams were commenced 
 by the United States in 1823. Newport was occasionally visited by 
 a Roman Catholic Priest, to loolc after the spiritual interests of that 
 class of our population, belonging to the Catholic Church, many of 
 whom had been induced to take up their residence in Newport, by 
 finding employment at the Fort. 
 
 The Rev. Robbrt D. VVoodly. a native ofVirgiuia, was the first 
 Catholic Priest that organized a congregation in this place; for the 
 accommodation of vv'hich, he purchased of E. Trevett, Esq. in 1828, 
 tjie School house in Darney-street, where divine worship was main- 
 tained for several years. Mr. Woodly resigned his charge of the 
 mission in 1831, and was immediately succeeded by the Rev. John 
 CoRRY, who officiated in that congregation, until August, 1837. 
 
 In the spring of 1833, Mr Corry opened a subscription for the 
 erection of a Church, which was commenced the latter part of that 
 - same year, and completed in 183G. The house is spacious and well 
 finished, and occupies a commanding site at the head of Barney- 
 street. The estimated cost of building, lot, &c., was about $4,000; 
 all of whi('h was contributed and paid by the Catholics, at Fort 
 Adams. 
 
 On the 20th of August, 1837, the Church was dedicated under 
 the title of " St. Joseph," by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Fenwick, of 
 Boston, Mass. On the following day, the Rev. Mr. Corry, under 
 whose superintendence the Church had been erected and comple- 
 ted, resigned his charge of the mission, and was succeeded by the 
 Rev. CoNsTANTiNK Lee, the present rector of the Catholic congre- 
 gation, in this town. 
 
 It is but an act of justice, perhaps, for me to say, that although 
 the Catholics most scrupulously and pertinaciously regard their 
 own rights and ceremonies of religious vvorship, yet, they studiously 
 avoid all interference with, and uniformly respect the rights of all 
 denominations in the place. And this feeling toward the Catholics, 
 so for as I have been able to ascertain, is mutual, and reciprocated 
 by every sect of i^n.^estant Christians in the town ; demonstrating 
 that the great principles of religious toleration and liberty of con- 
 
152 APPENDIX. 
 
 science, established on this Island two hundred years ago, aa the 
 basis of the Colony of Rhode-Island, have come down to us unim- 
 paired, and are fully enjoyed by '' peopk of all persuasions." 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Corry, in a letter to the author, speaking of the 
 people of Newport, says, "It is but just for me to add, that 1 have 
 never seen a town in the United States, among whose inhabitants 
 there is less intolerance and religious bigotry. I have for six years, 
 been more or less among them, and during that period, none have 
 denied me the common civilities of life, because I was a Catholic 
 Priest, but always treated me with the greatest respect." And in 
 proof of the practical existence of religious toleration in Newport, 
 he says, " Our Church stood for upward of two years, with its win- 
 dows unprotected by blinds, and during that time, not one pane of 
 glass was broken." The Catholic population of Newport, when 
 suitable appropriations are made by Government, for the vigorous 
 prosecution of the works at Fort Adams, is about four hundred. 
 
APPENDIX. 153 
 
 NOTE N. 
 
 Early in 1833, the Second Episcopal Parish was formed in ihis 
 place, by members of Trinity Church. After the due organization 
 of the Parish, and an app'ication to the Episcopal Missionary Con- 
 vocation of Rhode-Island, the Rev. John West, the present worthy 
 rector of the Church, commenced his labors as the minister of the 
 Parish. On the 17ih of March, 1833^ public worship commenced 
 in the State House ; from which the congregation soon removed to 
 the house of the First Congregational Society, at that time unoccu- 
 pied. A subscription was immediately opened for building a new 
 Church, which as soon as $6,000 were subscribed, was commenced. 
 In June of the following year, the new Church was completed and 
 consecrated. The cost of the building, including organ and furni- 
 ture, together with the lot, was about $17,000. Of this sum, about 
 $11,000 was realized from the sale of i.he pews, and the remainder 
 by a noble act of generosity, contributed and paid by individual 
 members of the corporation. 
 
 The Parish has now a fund of nearly $5,000 in pews, and of 
 the 112 pews in the Church, at least one hundred of them are 
 sold or rented. At the present date, this Parish has been but 
 five years in existence; and the contemplation of its history af- 
 fords many pleasing evidences that the Divine Head of the 
 Church has "poured upon it the continual dew of his blessing." 
 Accessions have been constantly made to the Church, and on an 
 average, the additions to the communion have been about thirty 
 a year. 
 
 This Church from its commencement, has enjoyed great do- 
 mestic tranquillity and peace. No unhappy difference of opinions 
 has arisen among them, resulting in unfriendly dissensions and 
 divisions ; or any ihinii found on the pages of her history, to 
 tarnish the glory and beauty of the Zion of God. The congrega- 
 tion is large, and their attendance on the public and social ser- 
 vices of the Church, worthy of imitation, 
 
 This Church has engaged in the cause of missions, with a liberal- 
 ity and zeal becoming the dignity of the Christian cliaracter, and 
 the magnitude and importance of the great missionary enterprise. 
 Their annual contributions for home missionary purposes in Rhode^ 
 
154 APPENDIX. 
 
 Island, amount to not less than $150, and for foreign missions 
 and other benevolent purposes, their contributions equal, if not 
 excel that sum. 
 
 In the year 1834, a missionary was sent by the Rhode-Island 
 Convocation to Portsmouth, R. I. A Parish was organized under 
 the name of St. Paul's Church. Within one year, a respectable 
 house of worship was erected, and with the aid of about $1200, in 
 contributions from Episcopalians in other places, was entirely paid 
 for; and at the same time, a fund was secured in pews for the sup- 
 port of the minister, amounting to more than one thousand dollars. 
 Tlie labors of a zealous, devoted missionary in that place, have been 
 blessed to the gathering of a respectable congregation, and an addi- 
 tion of about forty members to the communion of the Church. The 
 Rhode-Island Convocation has contributed toward the support of 
 the minister of the Parish, up to the present time, nearly 2000 
 dollars. 
 
APPENDIX. ]55 
 
 NOTE O. 
 
 An association of gentlemen friendly lo Unitarian views of doc- 
 trine, was formed in this town during tlie month of October, 1835. 
 Their earliest meetings for Divine service, were held in the State 
 House. In the course of the following month, they purchased of 
 the Fourth Baptist Society, in this place, the Church in Mill-street. 
 This Church had originally belonged to the First Congregational 
 Church and Society, over which the celebrated Dr. Hopkins 
 presided for many years, ns Pastor. 
 
 A charter was granted to the association, by the General As- 
 sembly of the State, at their January session, in 183C, incorpo- 
 rating them as the " Unitarian Congregational Church," in New- 
 port. Soon after this, the Society commenced rebuilding and re- 
 modelling tlie old house in Mill-street, worshipping in the mean 
 time at Masonic Lodge, in Church-street. The work was com- 
 pleted in the spring of 1836 ; and for elegance, neatness, and 
 taste, in its internal arrangements, is perhaps, unequalled in 
 Rhode-Island. 
 
 The new house, (for only the frame of the old building had 
 been retained, together with the corner stone, bearing the in- 
 scription, *' For Christ and Peace,") was dedicated on the 27th 
 of July, that same year. The Rev. Charlf.s T. Brooks, of 
 Salem, Mass., was called as the first Pastor, in January, 1837, 
 and ordained June 14lh, of the same year. The organization of 
 a Church was begun in the summer of 1837. The communion 
 of the Lord's supper was first administered on Sunday, October 
 3d, and continues to be administered monthly. 
 
156 APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE P. 
 
 There are two Cliurches of the Christian denomination on the 
 Island, one in Middletown, the other in Portsmouth. The 
 Church in Middlelovvn was organized October 14ih, 1828. Their 
 first Pastor was the Rev. Harvey jSullings, who served the 
 Church with acceptance and success, for nearly five years from 
 its constitution. Mr. Sullings subsequently removed to and settled 
 in Bristol, and is now Pastor of the Christian Church in that 
 place. 
 
 Their second Pastor was the Rev. Elijah Macomber, who 
 continued with them until the summer of 1835, when he re- 
 quested and received his dismission. The Rev. James Taylor, 
 the present Pastor of the Church, was his successor. Mr. Tay- 
 lor entered on the duties of his office in this Church, in the 
 autumn of 1835, and his labors have been signally blessed of 
 God, in the conversion of sinners, and the edification of the 
 Church. During his ministry, large accessions have been made 
 to their number, and the Church is now flourishing under his 
 administration. They own a very neat and commodious house 
 of worship, about three miles from Newport, erected soon after 
 the constitution of the Church. 
 
 The Church in Portsmouth was constituted October ICth, 1834. 
 Its first Pastor was the Rev. Zalmon Tobey. His ministry 
 commenced with this people, in April, 1834, and continued for 
 two jeais; during which time, six members were added to the 
 Church. 
 
 His successor in the pastoral office of this Church, was the 
 Rev. John Taylor. He commenced his labors with them on 
 the first day of June, A. D. 1837, and still continues his pasto- 
 ral charge. Mr. Taylor's labors have been blessed in this Church, 
 and during his ministry more than thirty have been added to 
 their number. The house in which they worship, was erected 
 in 1821, by voluntary subscription, and is called the ** Union 
 Meeting-House." It is pleasantly situated on a beautiful emi- 
 nence, in Portsmouth, on the East main road, about half way 
 from Newport to the Stone Bridge which connects the Island 
 with the main land, at Tiverton. 
 
apim:M)IX 157 
 
 rVom tilis brier and impeifwct sketch of the liistorr of Zion, on 
 this Island of ihe sea, wo cannot but feel that a lasting tribute of 
 gratitude and praise belongs to the Great Fathcj: of our being, for 
 the contyued exercise of his faithfulness and love, in perpetuating 
 the exis'.ence and prosperity of the Church, in this town. There 
 has been, and doubtless now is, much in the Church, both in prin- 
 ciple and practice, displeasing to God, and hostile to the true dig- 
 nity and glory of the Churcli. Yet under his gracious smiles, and 
 the broad, expansive principles of Christian benevolence and liber- 
 ality of sentiment here enjoyed, lier prosperity has been such as to 
 coU for devout acknowledgments to iIk; Great Author of all good, 
 from every pious heart. 
 
 It is not among the least distinguislied blessings wliich demand 
 a song of praise, that the same noble and elevated sentiments, the 
 same dignified and exalted spirit which inspired the heart of that 
 little band of lonely pilgrims, who here unfurled the banner of re- 
 ligious freedom two hundred years ago, still glows in the bosom 
 and can be traced in the history of their sons. One hundred years 
 ago this day, from the walls of Zion in this place, the beloved 
 Calender proclaims, " That the Bible contains the religion of 
 Christians, and that the Word of God is a sufficient rule of faith and 
 worship." That " every man's opinions must be taken from his 
 own understanding and judgment, and not from the understanding 
 and judgment of other men." And such it is believed are the sen- 
 timents of this intelligent and enlightened religious community, to- 
 day. We claim, as our birth-right, the most entire freedom of 
 thought and expression, on every question of religion and con- 
 science ; and this right belongs to all ; to the most ignorant, as well 
 as the most intelligent disciple of Jesus Christ. 
 
 But if with all these advantages for becoming extensively ac- 
 quainted with the Holy Scriptures, of knowing the will of God, 
 and of becoming deeply and eminently pious, we neglect the sacred 
 volume, and become insensible to the high responsibilities of our 
 trust, we shall have reason to fear the displeasure of that Divine 
 Being, to whom we are indebted for all our prosperity, and without 
 whose blessing, none can hope to prosper. 
 
 In a community like ours, where each individual enjoys the 
 right of searching the scriptures for himself, and adopting his own 
 mode of religious worship, it is impossible but that (through the 
 imperfection of human judgment) a diversity of opinions in matters 
 of conscience, should be entertained. Uniformity in the circntn- 
 
 14 
 
158 APPENDIX. 
 
 stanlials of religionj is in no respect, the genius of a free and popu- 
 lar form of government. And altliough all the true disciples ol" 
 Jesus perfectly harmonize in the great principles of salvation, yet 
 each denomination of Christians is marked by some peculiarity 
 whicli distinguishes it from another; and perhaps no two denomi- 
 nations can be found, whose forma or modes of worship are exactly 
 and in all respects, alike. It becomes us, therefore, as the disci- 
 ples of Jesus, to cultivate a spirit of mutual concession and forbear- 
 ance. Let us cherish an unwillingness to contend about trifles : 
 and where differences are unavoidable, let us never be betrayed into 
 unjust and uncharitable censures of each other, but in the spirit of 
 meekness, unitedly implore the divine forgiveness, and that God 
 would hasten onward the day when the watchmen shall see eye 
 to eye; when the Church of Christ shall put on the garments o! 
 her majesty and glory, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God 
 
 -^ "■ Thus shall we best proclaim abroad, 
 
 The honors of our Saviour God ; 
 When his salvation reigns within, 
 And grace subdues the power of 5in." 
 
 AMf:x 
 
 i| 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Paf 
 
 Andros Sir Ednuind, 
 American property destro} cd 
 
 at Bristol, Warren, and 
 
 Tiverton, 
 American army occupy R 
 
 Island, 
 
 retreat to 
 
 49 
 
 54 
 
 the North end of R. 1. 
 Americans retreat from the 
 
 Island, 57 
 
 Admiral de Tcrnay, 60 
 
 D'Barras. 61 
 
 American Revolution, 21 
 Approp'ns for pub. schools 
 
 by General Assembly, 1829, 98 
 
 Asiatic Cholera introduced, 99 
 
 Arnold Gen. 40 
 Appendix, 117 to 158 
 
 British vessels attacked 43 
 British fleet enters Newport, 
 
 Dec. 1776, 44 
 evacuate the Island, 
 
 1779, 50 
 burn many liouses 
 
 near Newport, " 51 
 privateer Dart cap- 
 tured, 1813, 87 
 and French Ocetii 
 
 damaged by storm, 52 
 
 — brig Nimrod, 88 
 
 Barton Col. W. his capture 
 
 ofPrescott, 45 
 
 Bull Henry, 9 
 
 Hurgoyno's surrender, 48 
 
 British frigates run ashore, 50 
 i^abcock Geo. W. exploits 
 
 of 65 
 
 Cuddington Willinm., 7 
 
 Claike John, one of tlie firat 
 
 settlers, 
 his services in 
 
 procuring the Charter, 
 Canozjicus, 
 Calender Mr. his century 
 
 sermon, 
 
 offices held 
 
 Page 
 
 14 
 
 by him — his death, 8 
 
 Coggeshall John, 7 
 
 Crosson Wm. a refugee, bic 
 
 exploits, 51 
 
 Colonies taxed by Great 
 
 Britain, 22 
 
 their struggles 
 
 for freedom, 22 
 
 Count D'Estaing arrives at 
 Newport 1778, 50 
 
 D'Rochambeau, 61 
 
 Cotton manufactures in R. 
 
 Island, 77 
 
 Captures of British shipping, 89 
 Colored Union Church and 
 
 Society, Newport, 150 
 
 Christian Churches, Middle- 
 town and Portsmouth, 156 
 Charter of Rhode-Island, 6 
 
 Dennis John, 17 
 
 Disfranchisement of the first 
 
 settlers, 7 
 
 Distinguished men of New- 
 port! 31 to 36 
 
 Debts ofR. Island, 1786, 
 Easton Nicholas, 
 Expedition against (iucbet 
 
 1775, 
 Embargo, its effects on 
 
 Newport, 
 
 74 
 
 39 
 
 87 
 
 
160 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Free Scliools in Newport, 
 
 French fleet arrives at New- 
 port, 1778, 
 
 — expedition against 
 
 New-England, 
 
 fleet return to New- 
 port, 1780, 
 
 Freemen of Newport meet in 
 other towns. 
 
 First Cong. Church, Newp. 
 
 French and Indian War, 
 1758, 
 
 its 
 
 termination 1763, 
 
 First Bap. Chur. in New- 
 port, address to 
 
 Page 
 96 
 
 50 
 
 16 
 
 50 
 
 59 
 143 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 112 
 
 its history, 119 
 
 Fourth Bap. Church, Newp. 146 
 Gaspee destroyed 1772, 25 
 
 Green General, 89 
 
 Great storm, Sept. 23, 1815, 92 
 Gouldsborough, a refugee, 
 
 cruel murder by 
 Gen. Washington arrives at 
 
 Newport, 1781, 
 Gardiner John, 
 General Convention meet in 
 
 Philadelphia, 1787, 
 Great imperfection of Amer- 
 ican machinery, in 1790, 
 Hostilities between the xAmer 
 
 icans and British on R. I. 
 Hopkins Stephen, 
 
 Dr. Samuel, 
 
 Handy Major John, 
 Hunter William, 
 Introductory Remarks, 
 Inscription on John Coggc- 
 
 shall's tomb-stone, 
 Jews in Newport, 
 
 their Synagogue, 
 
 their settlement in 
 
 Newport, 
 Lopez Aaron, 
 Lee Gen. 
 Louisburgh, expedition 
 
 against 16 
 
 Montgomery, Gen. his death, 40 
 Marquis de La Fayette visits 
 
 the French fleet; 54 
 
 Milifia return home. o4 
 
 8 
 29 
 30 
 
 136 
 29 
 39 
 
 Page 
 Myantonomo, 6 
 
 M'Sparran Dr. 12 
 
 Macedonian frigate brought 
 
 into Newport, Dec. 1812. 86 
 Mather Dr. Ill 
 Methodist Church, Newport, 148 
 Manufactures in Providence, 85 
 their early dis- 
 couragements, S3 
 
 their complete 
 
 triumph, 84 
 
 Moravians or United 
 
 Brethren, 145 
 
 Newport, its condition in 
 
 1745, 18 
 
 great prosperity 
 
 in 1773, 28 
 
 , care of her records, 86 
 
 Asylum, 94 
 
 Ass. of Mechan. <^^c. 99 
 
 , her claims to the 
 
 Newtown lands, 96 
 , its condition im- 
 proving, 101 
 
 men furnished by, 
 
 during the war, 62 
 
 naval commanders, 62 
 
 incorporated as a 
 
 city, 1784, 69 
 
 returns to a town 
 
 government, 1787, 69 
 
 Narragansett Indians, 101 
 
 News of peace received at 
 
 Newport, 89 
 
 Preface, 3 
 
 Pocasset, lirst town laid out, 7 
 Peace concluded between 
 
 France and England 1748, 17 
 Privateering from Rhode- 
 Island, 1745, 17 
 Packwood Capt. attack on 24 
 Prescott Gen. anecdotes of 41 
 Parker Sir Peter, 44 
 Party contests from 1758 to 
 
 1767, 19 
 
 Population of Newport in 
 
 1782, 67 
 Providence causes of its in- 
 crease, 68 
 Paper money in R. Island, 72 
 its great depre- 
 ciation in 1789. 75 
 
M)i':x. 
 
 161 
 
 Page 
 Public schools in I'rovidfiice, yS 
 Perry Capt. O. U. 80 
 
 , his death, UO 
 
 , funeral, 91 
 
 Presidents Message of ISl'i, 
 
 ex tract;" from, h7 
 
 Power lo-om, first constructed 
 
 in 1815, 84 
 
 Priestly dominion, 101 
 
 Quakers in Rhode-Island, 12 
 
 four hanged in 
 
 Massachusetts, 13 
 
 Religious toleration in Rhode- 
 Island, 11 
 Rhode-Island — her claims 
 
 of territory, 15 
 
 Hist. Society, i)5 
 
 , settled for 
 
 conscience sake, 103 
 
 why so named, 7 
 
 refuses to adopt 
 
 the U. S. Constitution, 71 
 
 Roman Catholic Church, 
 
 Newport, 151 
 
 Resolutions passed in New- 
 port, 1774, 25 
 Revolutionary war commen- 
 ces 1775, 37 
 Read Capt. Oliver, exploits 
 
 of 62 
 
 Regard for property by the 
 
 French at Newport, 01 
 
 Review of the past, 101 
 
 of the History of 
 
 the Churches, 157 
 
 Shipping removed from 
 
 Newport, 88 
 
 Surrender of Lord Cornwallis,Cl 
 Second Baptist Church, 
 
 Newport, 128 
 
 Society of Friends, Nevvp't, 131 
 Sabbatarian or Seventh day 
 
 Baptist Church, 134 
 
 Second Episcopal Parisli, 
 
 Newport, 153 
 
 Slavery abolished in R. I. 
 
 1787, 77 
 
 Slater Sauniel. 
 
 • establishes the 
 
 first S. school in N. Eng- 
 land,- " f^2 
 
 Sabbath schools — their bles- 
 sed eilects, g^ 
 
 Sloop Liberly, first British 
 
 vessel destroyed, 23 
 
 Spencer Gen Jiis expedition 
 against R. Island, 4/ 
 
 Secret correspondence 
 
 maintained, 48 
 
 ritamp Act, 22 
 
 Skirmish on Rhode-Island, 55 
 
 Spirited m(.'asures taken in 
 Newport, (50 
 
 Troops raised in Newport. 37 
 
 Town records, «&c. of New 
 port carried off by the 
 British, 58 
 
 The town greatly damaged 
 by the British and sufferings 
 of the inhabitants, 59 to C7 
 
 Tax voted to relieve the poor 
 
 of Newport, 
 Tea destroyed in Boston, 
 
 1773, ' 
 Touro Abraham, 
 Trinity Church, Newport, 
 Triumph of Rhode-Island 
 
 sentiments. 
 Unitarian Cong. Church, 
 
 Newport, 
 Ward Samuel, 
 Williams Roger, 
 his services 
 
 in procuring the Charter, 
 Waterhouse Dr. Benj. 
 War declared against Eng- 
 land, 1812, 
 Wallace Admiral, 
 his treaty 
 
 with Newport, 
 
 his attack 
 
 on Bristol, &c. 
 
 driven from 
 
 Newport, 
 
 59 
 
 25 
 
 30 
 
 138 
 
 105 
 
 155 
 19 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 28 
 
 85 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
3477-3