790 



RHODE ISLAND. 



vention, some few votes opposing it. Before 

 adjourning, the convention instructed its sec- 

 retaries "to notify the candidates of their 

 nominations, and request their acceptance." 

 As Prohibitionists' candidate for Governor, 

 Frank G. Allen, of Providence, was after- 

 ward substituted for Albert C. Howard, above- 

 named. 



The Greenback-Labor party held its State 

 Convention at Providence on March 81st, and 

 the following ticket was nominated : For Gov- 

 ernor, Charles P. Adams ; for Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, James Jefferson, colored ; for Secretary 

 of State, Henry Appleton ; for Attorney- Gen- 

 eral, Thomas W. Robinson ; for General Treas- 

 urer, David G. Moore. Each of the above- 

 named candidates, except Mr. Robinson for 

 Attorney-General, on being put in nomination 

 personally declined, notwithstanding which 

 each of them was, on motion, "declared the 

 unanimous choice of the convention." Upon 

 this all of them respectively accepted, saying 

 they " bowed to the will of the convention in 

 submission." 



The following resolutions were adopted by 

 the convention : 



Resolved, That the Greenback-Labor party of Rhode 

 Island reaffirms, with a confidence and devotion only 

 made clearer and deeper by time and further reflec- 

 tion, the characteristic principles of the party the 

 government alone to issue currency and control its 

 volume ; the substitution of non-interest - bearing 

 greenbacks for double interest-bearing national bank- 

 notes; the land for the people instead of for cor- 

 morants and corporations : that the national debt be 

 paid instead of refunded; universal adult suffrage 

 and universal education. 



Resolved^ That the State should not contract the 

 labor of prison-convicts, but employ it upon materials 

 purchased by itself, and sell the product in the open 

 market, at the market price. 



Resolved. That the public school does make those 

 who have been subjected to its influence discontented 

 with a life of toil for a mere animal subsistence ; that 

 we are glad it does, and find in that fact not only 

 evidence that the public school is not a failure, but 

 proof that those who instituted it "builded better 

 than they knew " ; that it is not the public school 

 which is in fault, but the concept of social life of 

 those who believe that a few must be lords and the 

 multitude be slaves ; that justice to each means more 

 and better for all. 



Resolved, That we find encouragement and hope in 

 these facts : That our party holds the balance of 

 power in the nation ; the dominance of our political 

 brethren in Maine \ the certainty that the old parties 

 are honey -combed by our principles ; the aggressive 

 spirit of the national banks greed overleaping itself; 

 the testimony of events in many lands that the world 

 moves. 



Resolved, That we commend our measures and our 

 candidates to all voters who would rather win the 

 right to-morrow than win the election to-day. 



The election was held on April 7th, and re- 

 sulted in favor of the Republican candidates. 

 The total vote polled for Governor was 6.608 

 less than at the same election in 1880 ; but the 

 votes cast for Governor Littlefield numbered 

 625 more than in the previous year. The 

 whole number of votes for Governor was 

 16,201, and 8,101 were necessary for a choice 

 10,849 votes were cast for Alfred H. Little- 



field, and 4,756 for Horace A. Kimball; 253 

 votes were given for Frank G. Allen, and 285 

 votes for Charles P. Adams. The votes cast 

 for Lieutenant-Governor and the other can- 

 didates show about the same proportions as to 

 numbers and majorities. 



The Democratic and Prohibition votes for 

 Governor in 1881, compared with their votes 

 in 1880, show a decrease of 2,684 and 4,894, 

 respectively. 



Members of the Legislature elected were, in 

 the Senate Republicans twenty-nine, Demo- 

 crats five, and two seats vacant; in the House 

 of Representatives Republicans sixty-three, 

 Democrats seven, and two members to be 

 chosen. Ten new Senators were elected last 

 April for the Upper House, and twenty-four 

 new Representatives for the Lower one. 



The May session at Newport was closed on 

 its fourth day, June 3d, both Houses having 

 then adopted a joint resolution: "That the 

 Legislature adjourns to-day, to meet in Provi- 

 dence on the last Tuesday in January, 1882, 

 at 11 o'clock A. M." To fill the vacant Beat 

 of an Associate Justice on the State Supreme 

 Bench, Pardon E. Tillinghast was decl;uv<l 

 elected on the eighth ballot by a vote of 53 

 to 40. 



An act was also passed, providing that twen- 

 ty years' service entitles a justice to retire 

 from the Supreme Court with the continuance 

 of his salary, as a pension, whatever his age ; 

 and that ten years' service entitles him like- 

 wise to retire with the same pension on his 

 becoming seventy years old. 



The following resolution with its preamble 

 was also passed, inviting to Rhode Island the 

 delegates of the French Republic who might 

 be deputed to represent France at the celebra- 

 tion of the Yorktown Centennial : 



Whereas, During the Revolutionary "War in the 

 year A. D. 1778, the British controlled the entrance 

 of Isarragansett Bay, and greatly distressed and op- 

 pressed the inhabitants ot the adjoining territory, 

 and 



Whereas, In the month of July of that year a 

 French fleet arrived in the said bay, under the com- 

 mand of Admiral d'Estaing, and occasioned the de- 

 struction of many of the vessels of the British fleet, to 

 the great satisfaction and relief of the inhabitants of 

 the State ; and 



Whereas. In the summer of 1780, another French 

 fleet, bringing a large land-force, arrived in the waters 

 of the said bay, and to the great relief of the inhab- 

 itants remained within this State for a considerable 

 time, and afforded protection to the lives and property 

 of the inhabitants of the State ; and 



Whereas, The Government of the United States 

 has invited the Government of the Republic of France 

 to participate in the centennial celebration of the 

 surrender of the British forces in America, to take 

 place at Yorktown in October next, and the Republic 

 of France has signified its intention to be present at 

 and to participate in the said celebration : therefore, 

 as a token of gratitude, and as showing the apprecia- 

 tion of the people of Rhode Island of the services 

 rendered this State by the fleets and armies of France, 

 it is 



Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor be 

 and he hereby is directed and authorized to invite 

 the representatives of France who may visit the 



