Emanuel Rice, Kent County,..... Silas Weaver, Washington County, • John B. Sheldon. This committee met at Providence, on the 20th of July, and proceeded, according to instructions, to issue a call for the election of delegates, to take place on the 28th day of August following, to attend a convention to be holden at the state house in Providence, on the first Monday of October, for the purpose of framing such a democratic constitution as is guaranteed to every state in the Union by the constitution of the United States, and laying it before the people of the state for their adoption or rejection. The following votes were also passed: Voted, That every American male citizen, of twentyone years of age and upwards, who has resided in this state one year preceding the election of delegates, shall vote for delegates to the convention called by the state committee, to be held at the state house in Providence, on the first Monday in October next. Voted, That every meeting holden for the election of delegates to the state convention shall be organized by the election of a chairman and secretary, whose certificate shall be required of the delegates. Voted, That each town of one thousand inhabitants, or less, shall be entitled to one delegate; and for every additional thousand, one delegate shall be appointed; and the city of Providence shall elect three delegates from each ward in the city. Voted, That the chairman and secretary be directed to cause one thousand handbills to be printed and distributed through the state, containing the call for a convention of delegates. Voted, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the chairman and secretary, and be published. On motion, voted, That this meeting stand adjourned, to meet at this place on the 1st day of September, at 11 o'clock, A. М. In compliance with the foregoing recommendation, regularly-organized town meetings were held in all the towns in the state, on the 28th of August, and delegates were chosen to meet in convention at the time specified to form a constitution. The delegates so elected met in convention at the state house, in the city of Providence, on the first Monday of October, 1841, and proceeded to form a constitution, which they caused to be published and circulated in every part of the state for examination. The convention then adjourned to meet again at the same place, on the 16th of November. The convention assembled according to adjournment, and after making some slight amendments, ordered the constitution, as finally agreed upon, to be again published, and afterwards to be submitted to the people for their adoption or rejection, on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of December following. The convention then adjourned to meet again on the 12th of January, 1842. Perhaps no abler deliberative assembly than that which met to form the People's Constitution ever convened in the State of Rhode Island. The members received no compensation for their services they met and labored for the sole purpose of forming for the people of the state a written constitution, adapted to their condition and wants. The constitution was again printed and freely circulated throughout the state, and on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of December following, regularly-organized, open town meetings were held in all the towns of the state for its adoption or rejection. Never, before or since, was so large a vote polled in the State of Rhode Island in favor of any one object. Every American citizen over twenty-one years of age, who had resided in the state one year previous to the time of voting, was allowed to vote, by indorsing his name on the back of his ballot. Throughout the whole state, these meetings were conducted in a quiet and orderly manner. Every person who voted certified upon his ballot whether he was or was not qualified by statute to vote. Free from all the side issues, which often bias men in party contests, every voter was now at liberty to declare the honest sentiments of his heart. The secretaries of all the town meetings held as aforesaid, preserved and forwarded to the constitutional convention all the ballots which were received in open town meeting; and on the 12th day of January, 1842, the convention reassembled and proceeded to count the ballots so returned, when it was found that 13,944 votes had been given for the constitution, and 52 only against it. Of the whole number who voted, 4960 were freeholders, who were qualified by statute to vote. It therefore appeared that a decided majority, not only of all the male citizens of the state over twenty-one years of age, but also a majority of all the qualified voters, had given their votes for the constitution. From the census of the United States for 1840, it appears, as near as can be ascertained, that the whole number of males in the state at that time over twenty-one years of age, was about 25,000. Now, if we deduct from that number all who were under guardians, the insane, and the idiots, and also those who had not resided in the state one year previous to the time of voting, the whole number of those who were competent to vote would not probably exceed 20,000; and of that number nearly 14,000 voted for the constitution. Again, we find that about 5000 of that 14,000 were qualified to vote, by statute; and by examining the annexed schedule, furnished by the secretary of state, we shall be satisfied that a good majority of all the qualified freemen voted for the constitution. State of Votes for General Officers in the Elections, from 1832 to 1841, inclusive. STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, } I, Henry Bowen, secretary of said state, and keeper of the records and the seals thereof, do certify, [L. S.] that the whole number of votes for general officers, as reported by the counting committee appointed by the General Assembly at the May session, for the years after named, was as follows, viz. : For the year 1832, five thousand six hundred and fifteen. For the year 1833, seven thousand three hundred and one. For the year 1834, seven thousand two hundred and thirty-four. For the year 1835, seven thousand six hundred and seventy-four. For the year 1836, seven thousand one hundred and sixty-eight. For the year 1837, four thousand two hundred and seventeen. For the year 1838, seven thousand seven hundred and forty-six. For the year 1839, six thousand two hundred and seventy-three. For the year 1840, eight thousand two hundred and ninety-two. For the year 1841, two thousand seven hundred and thirteen. All which appears of record. This vote gave the fullest assurance that a very large majority of all the people of the state were in favor of the constitution, and the convention therefore proceeded to declare it adopted, and issued and caused to be published the following proclamation: STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLAN TATIONS. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas the convention of the people of this state, at their last session, in the city of Providence, on the 13th day of January, A. D. 1842, passed the following resolutions, to wit : "Whereas, by the return of the votes upon the constitution proposed to the citizens of this state by this convention, on the 18th of November last, it satisfactorily appears that the citizens of this state, in their original and sovereign capacity, have ratified and adepted said constitution by a large majority; and the will |