We could speak of a State in arms, and, for several years, exposed to continual depredation and alarm. Newport has not recovered from her losses,* and the island will never again see her beautiful groves. Many of the inhabitants of Newport removed to Providence, and experienced the same sympathy and kindness which was extended to the inhabitants of Providence, by Newport, in Philip's war. Rhode-Island history is rich in character and incident, and though I have detained you long, the half has not been told you. At the return of peace, Rhode-Island was exhausted by the strug gle; the State, and many of her citizers, were deeply in debt, with nothing to pay. In this emergency, were adopted those paper money and tender laws, which produced, in their day, so much contention and reproach, but which probably saved us from civil war. From the dissensions which followed, and the distresses of the State, we refused to grant the impost which Congress had requested. We had no lands to look to, for revenue, but depended on com. merce; we wished not to surrender our all, while other States, whose services had been proportionally not so great, were made rich in territory by the result of the contest. This probably prevented Rhode-Island from sending delegates to the Convention which formed the federal Constitution, and caused her to be the last of the thirteen to adopt it. She will now be among the last of the twenty-six to desert it. It is her sheet anchor, and, under God, her best hope. Her early history has taught her the necessity of looking abroad for protection, and, without the protection which the Constitution affords to her commerce and manufacturing industry, she is now sensible she would be as poor as most of her soil, and of no more account than her territorial jurisdiction. * In 1770, the population of Newport was 9,029. Providence then had but 4,321 inhabitants. Seven years after the revolutionay war, in 1790, Newport had 6,716 inhabitants, and Providence 6,380. In these twenty years, Newport lost 2,493, and Providence gained 2,059 inhabitants. The population of Newport, in 1830, was 8,010; and that of Providence, 16,832. So that in 1830, Newport had not so many inhabitants as she had five years before the revolutionary war, by one thousand and nineteen. This gives us a view of only a portion of the losses Newport sustained by the revolutionary war. We trust, her delightful climate, and the power of steam, which has already given an impulse to her manufacturing industry, will soon present us with another picture. The wonder-working power of machinery, so intimately associated with the name of Slater, is among us, and though it cannot enlarge the bounds of the State, it has extended the territory of its citizens, and promises to do for us, in some degree, what it accomplished for our father land, giving to it the ability to subsidize Europe, and contend with Napoleon in arms. But it is not wealth which constitutes a State "No; men, high minded men ; Men, who their duties know, But know their rights, and knowing dare maintain, And crush the tyrant while they rend the chain; These constitute a State." Such have been the men of Rhode-Island, and, if we use our riches to extend the knowledge of these duties and rights, and to counteract the evil tendencies of superfluous wealth, we may hope that such men will continue to inhabit the land of the Narragansett pilgrims. Men of Providence! did the heart of Roger Williams overflow for the mercies here afforded him in the wilderness, and have we no cause for gratitude? On every side we behold evidences of the successful enterprise of our Merchants, Manufacturers and Mechanics. This temple,* erected in 1775, bears testimony to the prosperity of the town at that period, and proclaims the architectural skill and taste, as well as the pious munificence of his† descendants who was * The First Baptist Meeting-House, where the Discourse was pronounced. + Rev. Chad Brown, one of the earliest of the second comers to Providence. He signed the covenant for "town fellowship" in August 1637, (see ante page 25,) and was ordained Pastor of the First Baptist Church in 1642. His grandson, the Rev. James Brown, was ordained Pastor over this church, October 28, 1732, The four brothers, Nicholas, Joseph, John, and Moses Brown, were grandsons of the Rev. James Brown. Nicholas Brown died in 1791. His survi ving children are Nicholas Brown, the munificent patron of Brown University, after whom it was called, and Mrs. Hope Ives, relict of the late Thomas P. Ives. Joseph Brown made the draught agreeably to which the First Baptist Meeting-House was built. He was distinguished for his philosophical attainments, and was Professor of Natural Philosophy in Rhode-Island College. John Brown laid the corner stone of the College in 1770, and was distinguished for his mercantile enterprise and success, and his enlarged and lib. eral views in relation to the improvement of the town. The first India voy. age from this town was made in his ship. Moses Brown, the youngest of the four brothers, yet survives, having lived I a pastor and one of the founders of the church; and yonder halls of science* shall bear the name to succeeding generations, while they whose riches" perish with the using," or are reserved for heirs they know not who, are "Unwept, unhonored and unsung." We are surrounded with numerous memorials of the same piety and liberality which erected this, which have since successively arisen. Our public schools are numerous, and supported with a wise liberality, sensible as we are, that freedom without morality and intelligence, must end in anarchy. We have abundant reason to be thankful for the ample provision which is here made for the great interests of religion and learning. We rejoice that our disputes with our neighbors are nearly ended, and that what remains,† is to be determined by a tribunal, in whose justice and intelligence we have full confidence. We now behold our neighbors on the Roger Williams platform, and congratulate them on the change; and we rejoice that the children of the same puritan fathers are one, and we trust, indivisible. For civil and religious liberty; for our beautiful shores and unrivalled bay; for peace in our borders, and plenty and health in our dwellings; for the various blessings of civilization and government, we should thank Him who hath numbered all the hairs of our head, and without whose notice not a sparrow falls to the ground. Let then our song of joy and gratitude arise to the giver and preserver of all, for his manifold mercies to our fathers, and his rich bounty to us-and may the sound be prolonged, in future centuries, when our descendants shall assemble, in memory of their fathers, and swell the loud pæan of their gratitude. nearly a century. He will be 98, should he live to the 23d Sept. 1836. He was a liberal patron of the college, and more recently, of the college belonging to the Society of Friends, erected in this town, in 1818. These four brothers were liberal benefactors to Rhode-Island College, and the three first, more particularly, and their descendants, to the First Baptist Society. For much interesting information relative to the history of Brown University, see Notes, prepared by Professor Goddard, to the Discourse delivered at the dedication of Manning Hall, February 4, 1835, by Dr. Wayland, President of Brown University. * Brown University. + The question in reference to our northern boundary, now pending before the Supreme Court of the United States, between Rhode-Island and Massachusetts. APPENDIX. Note A-Page 21. DEED OF THE CHIEF SACHEMS OF NARRAGANSETT TO ROGER WILLIAMS. "At Narraganset, the 24th of the first month, commonly called March, the second year of the plantation or planting at Moshassuck, or Providence; Memorandum, that we, Canonicus and Miantinomo, the two chief sachems of Narraganset, having two years since sold unto Roger Williams the lands and meadows upon the two fresh rivers, called Moshassuck and Wanasquatucket, do now, by these presents, establish and confirm the bounds of these lands, from the river and fields of Pawtucket, the great hill of Notaquoncanot, on the northwest, and the town of Mashapaug, on the west. also, in consideration of the many kindnesses and services he hath continually done for us, both with our friends of Massachusetts, as also at Connecticut, and Apaum, or Plymouth, we do freely give unto him all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet river; as also the grass and meadows upon the said Pawtuxet river. witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands. The mark (a bow) of CANONICUS. The mark (an arrow) of MIANTINOMO. In the presence of The mark of SOHASH. The mark of ALSOMUNSIT. We In "1639. Memorandum. 3d month, 9th day, this was all again confirmed by Miantinomo. He acknowledged, that he also [illegiible] and gave up the streams of Pawtucket and Pawtuxet, without limits, we might have for our use of cattle. Witness hereof, ROGER WILLIAMS, BENEDICT ARNOLD." Note B-Page 22. AGREEMENT IN REGARD TO PAWTUXET LANDS. October 8th, 1638.. "It is agreed, this day abovesaid, that all the meadow grounds at Pawtuxet, bounding upon the fresh river, on both sides, are to be impropriated unto those thirteen persons, being now incorporated together in our town of Providence, viz: Ezekiel Holliman, Francis Weston, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, Robert Cole, William Carpenter, William Harris, John Throckmorton, Richard Waterman, John Greene, Thomas James, William Arnold, Stukely Westcott; and to be equally divided among them, and every one to pay an equal proportion to raise up the sum of twenty pounds for the same; and if it shall come to pass, that some, or any one, of these thirteen persons aforesaid, do not pay or give satisfaction of his or their equal proportion of the aforesaid sum of twenty pounds, by this day eight weeks, which will be the 17th day of the 10th month next ensuing, then they or he shall leave their or his proportion of meadow grounds unto the rest of those thirteen persons, to be at their disposing, who shall make up the whole sum of twenty pounds, which is to be paid to Roger Williams." This money was punctually paid on the 3d of December follow. ing, and was acknowledged as follows: 66 According to former agreement, I received of the neighbors abovesaid, the full sum of £18 11s. 3d. Per me, ROGER WILLIAMS." Note C-Page 23. Deed of coNFIRMATION FROM ROGER WILLIAMS TO HIS ASSOCIATES, SOMETIMES CALLED THE HISTORICAL DEED. "Be it known unto all men by these presents, that I, Roger Williams, of the town of Providence, in the Naraganset Bay, in New. England, having, in the year one thousand six hundred thirty-four, and in the year one thousand six hundred thirty-five, had several treaties with Canonicus and Miantinomo, the two chief sachems of the Narraganset, and in the end purchased of them the lands and meadows upon the two fresh rivers called Moshassuck and Wanas. quatucket, the two sachems having, by a deed, under their hands, two years after the sale thereof, established and confirmed the bounds of these lands from the rivers and fields of Pawtucket, the great hill of Notaquoncanot on the northwest, and the town of Mashapaug on the west, notwithstanding I had the frequent promise of Miantinomo, my kind friend, that it should not be land that I should want about these bounds mentioned, provided that I satisfied the Indians there inhabiting. I having made covenant of peaceable neighborhood with all the sachems and natives round about us, and having, of a sense of God's merciful Providence unto me in my distress, called the place Providence, I desired it might be for a shelter |