UNCLE SAM'S FARM. 173 



the whole lighted hy a glass roof. It was finished ia 

 1828, at an expense of $130,000. 



Among the public buildings are a State House, 

 City Hall, Hospital, Jail, State Prison, Custom House, 

 Athenajum, &c., and a number of Churches. There 

 are several mills here ; the manufactures consist 

 chieflj of cotton goods, steam-engines, machinery, 

 and copper, brass, and iron. There is probably more 

 jewelry manufactured here than in any other place in 

 the United States. 



The State Legislature is held alternately at Provi- 

 dence and Newport. Providence is memorable as the 

 place of retreat of Roger Williams. The first settle- 

 ment of the town was made by Williams and five 

 others in 1636. Roger WilHams was persecuted in 

 Massachusetts for his religious sentiments, and was 

 eventually banished from the State by the Congrega- 

 tionalists in 1635, when he took up his residence in 

 Providence. He is represented as an eccentric and 

 self-opinionated man, but sincere and pious, — he was 

 a minister of the Baptist persuasion. He in turn for 

 a short time persecuted the Quakers who settled in 

 Providence. In 1644 Williams visited England and 

 obtained a charter. A new charter was granted to 

 Rhode Island by Charles II. I have read this docu- 

 15* 



