The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

The federalists of Rhode-Island have, in the affair of the new Constitution, behaved with their usual firmness and patriotism: Those of Newport and Providence, met on the day (the 24th ult.) appointed by the legislature for discussing the Constitution, in town-meetings; and after a fair and attentive consideration of the business upon which they were met, they almost unanimously agreed that they were not sufficiently informed, to be able to give their Yea, or Nay, on a question of such importance: And as unanimously united in instructing their deputies to the General Assembly, that a resolution, recommending to the several towns the appointment of a Convention of the State, might be passed by the Assembly, agreeably to the recommendations of Congress, and the General Convention. The freemen in these meetings, were supposed to be near 1000--and but about ten dissenting voices were found amongst them. This measure of the two great towns of Rhode-Island, wholly frustrates the design of the little Rulers of that State, in endeavouring to obtain by their little arts, the rejection of a Constitution, because one object of it is to protect THE HONEST AND INDUSTRIOUS CITIZEN FROM THE ARTS OF KNAVES AND PUBLIC ROBBERS.