Rhode Island American And Gazette

Ought Gov. Fenner to Be Re-Elected?

The hereditary pretensions to office, so pertinaciously set up by Governor Fenner, is a sore subject to his partisans, and they would fain divert us from the consideration of his entire disqualification, upon the principle which republicans should never lose sight of—rotation in office. Setting aside every other objection to Governor Fenner, the long time he has been in office, is itself conclusive against his re-election. No state in the union, (except in one instance in Connecticut, under peculiar circumstances) ever continued a Chief Magistrate in office, so long as the freemen of Rhode Island are now called upon to sanction, in the case of James Fenner. Such precedents are always dangerous, and should be avoided.

No policy important to Rhode Island, will be promoted by the re-election of Mr Fenner, for the twelfth time. He can be spared from her councils now, without public detriment, and it is a wholesome principle for the people to frequently reduce their public officers, and especially a Chief Magistrate, to the rank of a private citizen, lest he should forget the source from whence power is derived. Governor Fenner has forgotten this source, and it is time he was reminded of it. He looks upon the people, not as his masters, but as a part of his patrimonial state, and hence every attempt to deprive him of his hereditary office, is denounced by insult and arrogance, as if the people had no right to select their own rulers. This bullying system has kept Gov. Fenner in office since 1824. No Convention of citizens has dared to make a formal nomination against him. He has been put at the head of all sorts of tickets, until the people have become clamorous for a return of the power to their own hands, which they have so long entrusted to him. Two Conventions have this year expressed the will of their constituents by forming tickets independent of a name which has heretofore been the standing head for all parties in or out of power, not from respect to the man, but from motives of mistaken policy.

The delusion, we trust has passed away. The yeomanry of Rhode Island will no longer yield submission to the degrading doctrine, that there is but one man in the State fit for a Governor. We shall contend for a declaration of independence against this slavish principle. The consequences of perpetuating office in the same family, cannot be too strongly and frequently insisted upon. When this point is thoroughly discussed, we shall have something to say of the unfitness of Governor Fenner for the office, from his habits and principles as a public man. The unobtrusive but substantial merits of his opponent, we shall dwell upon with pleasure. They are such that no candid man can do otherwise than approve them. Plain, capable, honest, straight forward, persevering, intelligent, modest and firm, in the discharge of public duty, without regard to personal advancement, except in the well deserved approbation of the people. So sensible are the opponents of Mr Arnold, of his sterling worth and unimpeachable character, that their leaders have even had the hardihood to declare that they should pay no regard to truth, in their electioneering. "The truth," says one of them "won't help our side." He was right, and his associates show that they agree with him. Scarce a single sentence has been written or uttered by the Jackson electioneers, in relation to Mr Arnold, that has not been stamped with an utter disregard to truth.