THE CHAIR OF STATE.

"On a bright summer's day, as sweetly shone the sun,

The streets of Newport echoed, to the sound of gun and drum ;
And bravely shone each officer, with pointed bead and lace,
And lovely smil'd each maiden, to all of the olden race.

ARNOLD a brave war-horse strode, which proudly tramp'd the way,
Pursued his course, with tabours bright, look'd decorous and gay;
Loud cheers ascended high, from tower, and tent, and shore,
As troop on troop of soldiers grim, pass'd by with trumpet's roar.

Banner and pennon, waving wide, on arquebuss and blade,
Seem'd proudly brave, and shone with joy, on Newport's gay parade;
On a bright canopy, covered o'er, with crimson cloth and gold,
On which was wrought by skilful hands, heraldic emblems bold.

Stood this Old Chair of by-gone days, the Charter's oaken seat,
Whereon emblazon'd, rich and gay, did England's arms complete
The Chair, with fitting panoply, high backed, strong, and grand,
That old oak Chaïr, look'd gaily there, forever may it stand.

'Long live King Charles!' the heralds cried, and thousands did reply,
While ARNOLD, with a noble grace, sat in the old chair high;
Lady high-born, and lovely maid, knight, squire, and page were seen,
Disporting on that gala day, in garments rich and sheen.

The heavens smil'd, the birds sang gay, and music fill'd the air,
On that bright day of pageantry, thou olden oaken Chair ;
But many a year has long gone by, and all those glories fled,
While he who sat upon that seat, now sleeps among the dead.

And save his crumbling grave-stone dim, with tall grass overgrown,
With letters dim, to tell of him, old Chair, thou art alone;

That dream has filed, and gay no more, the world glides careless by,
The Chair of State no more is great, or glitters in the eye."

75

Newport being the metropolis, as she was the most flourish. ing and populous town in the Colony, the freemen of the whole Colony assembled there, to vote for general officers for the year ensuing, agreeably to "An Act regulating the Elections of General Officers."

LAWS,

Made and passed by the General Assembly of His Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, begun and held at Newport, the first day of March, 1663–1664 :

"And that each and every person that shall vote by proxy, shall, on the Town Meeting-day next preceding the General Election, openly, in said meeting, deliver in his votes to the Town Clerk of the town wherein he dwells, with his name written at length on the backside or the bottom thereof, which votes so taken shall be immediately sealed up by the TownClerk, and by him delivered either to an Assistant Justice, Warden, or Deputy of said town, who shall be by the said Town-meeting appointed for the same; by him delivered to the Governor or Deputy Governor in open Court, before the Election proceed at Newport."

This was the origin of the word " Prox," or "Proxingday."

It will be seen that the privilege granted by the above Act of voting by proxy at the General Election at Newport, seems first to have become a law at this time. But voting in person, at Newport, (if the freeman preferred it,) was not abolished until August, 1760, nearly one hundred years afterwards.

This was done for the better accommodation of those who, living at a remote distance from Newport, could not make it convenient always to attend in person. But such were the attractions at the capital, that all that could attend, availed themselves of the privilege of being present, and enjoying the amusements, which were of the most interesting and pleasing character.

Tradition informs us, that a sloop filled with freemen, was purposely run on the Bishop Rock, in order to favor one party, at the expense of the other. It was a common practice to get some of the freemen "half-seas" over, and then land them on Prudence Island, or some other of the intermediate places, in order to prevent their voting.

The head-quarters in Newport, where they immediately repaired on their arrival, was Governor Wanton's, and Governor

ARREST OF JOHN CLARKE.

77

Whepple's, in Thames-street, and others, where sumptuous tables were spread, including wines and liquors of the choicest kinds, such as is rarely found at this day, and the effects fol lowing their indulgence, often led to angry discussion, and even to fisti-cuffing between the belligerent parties.

It must have been a novel sight, to have witnessed the crowds which congregated at Newport, under their respective champions, nobly "battling" for their political preferences. The largest liberty was then enjoyed, each one felt that they possessed the sovereign right to speak out, and act out, their undisguised sentiments, without fear or favor. Political hypocrites, were not then so abundant; and political principle was not then, as now, "five loaves and two small fishes," as the late Hon. John C. Calhoun once remarked.

It should be borne in mind, that there was no 66 GAG LAW" in operation, and no proscription tolerated. Moral courage was a virtue, which then animated the breast of man, and which would not allow him to pay a blind devotion at the shrine of Mammon, and thereby barter away his political rights for a mess of pottage."

Independence of character was the characteristic of the period, agreeably to the principles adopted by the early settlers of the island, and which had been sanctioned and approved by the freemen on the main.

Mr. Callender, in speaking of John Clarke, says, "He was a faithful and useful minister, courteous in all the relations of life, and an ornament to his profession, and to the several offices which he sustained. His memory is deserving of lasting honor, for his efforts towards establishing the first government in the world, which gave to all equal civil and religious liberty. To no man is Rhode Island more indebted than to him. He was the original projector of the settlement of the island, and one of its ablest legislators. No character in New England is of purer fame than John Clarke."

It could scarcely be thought possible that so good a man as Mr. Clarke could have been arrested in the godly State of Massachusetts, and THRUST INTO PRISON! and this on Lord's day, July 20th, 1651; and on the 31st of that month, by order of the Court of Assistants, held in Boston, Mr. Clarke and brethren, received the following sentence, viz.: Mr. Clarke pay £20,

or be severely whipped; Mr. Holmes, £30, or be whipped; and Mr. Crandall, £5, or be whipped;-and this alone for conscience toward God, in differing from their brethren in Massachusetts, on the subject of "Infant Baptism." None suffered whipping but Mr. Holmes, who received thirty stripes, administered with the greatest imaginable severity."—Ross's Historical Discourse.

It is no wonder that Mr. Clarke labored to procure a charter, granting to all civil and religious liberty, after having experienced such intolerance on the part of the Massachusett's rulers.

Mr. Clarke died on the 20th April, 1676, in the 66th year of his age. Mr. Backus says, "he was born October the 8th, 1609; married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Harges, Esq., of Bedfordshire, England. In a power of attorney signed by them, May 12, 1656, he styles himself, ' John Clarke, physician, of London.' It was for the recovery of a legacy of £20 per annum, that was given her by her father, out of the Manor of Westingworth, Bedfordshire. Where he had his education, I know not; but the following clause in his will, may give some idea of his learning, viz.: 'Item,-unto my loving friend, Richard Bayley, I give and bequeath my Concordance, and Lexicon thereto belonging, written by myself, being the fruit of several years' study; my Hebrew Bible, Buxtorff's and Parson's Lexicon, Cotton's Concordance, and all the rest of my books.' His first wife died without issue. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Fletcher, who died April 19th, 1672, leaving an only daughter, who died at the age of 11 years. His third wife was the widow, Sarah Davis, who survived him. Mr. Clarke, according to his request, was buried between his two wives, in the burial ground, on the west side of Tanner-street, (which lot he gave the Church.) He left also an estate of considerable value, in the hands of trustees, empowered to choose their successors, for the relief of the poor and the education of children, according to instructions given in his will,-which instructions are, 'That in the disposal of that which the Lord hath bestowed upon me, and with which I have now entrusted you, and your successors, shall have special regard and care; to provide for those that fear the Lord; and in all things, and at all times, so to discharge the trust which I have reposed in

BEQUEST OF JOHN CLARKE.

79

you, as may be most to the glory of God, and the good and benefit of those for whom it is by me especially intended."

Mr. Clarke's estate was prized at £1080 12s., by James Barker, Thomas Ward, and Philip Edes, who made oath to the inventory, May 17, 1696. The farm and neck, they apprized at £530, and its late annual income has been $220, as Josias Lyndon, Esq., one of the assigns, stated. The two farms in Middletown, contain about one hundred and fifty acres, and the rents arising from the same, at the present time, amount to $700 per

annum.

It is very evident that Mr. Clarke designed the gift to benefit the poor, and to educate the children of the church. For no language could have been employed, more significant than he has employed: "You, and your successors, shall have special regard and care to provide for those who fear the Lord.” They were the objects of his regard, and he felt constrained, as a Christian, that the sheep and lambs of the flock should be provided for, and not permitted to want, which would be a gross reflection on the Christian character. This will, we conceive, has been perverted from the original intent of the donor, by appropriating a portion of the income to the support of the ministry, to the neglect of the poor. We are not apprised whether any case at present exists, where the poor and indigent have occasion to seek shelter in the town Asylum; we trust, for the honor of our native town, that such is not the case. Such, however, has been the painful fact, and so long as the poor of the church are not sought out and made comfortable, not one dollar of the Clarke bequest should be appropriated to the support of the ministry. The "glory of God," which has been construed to favor the diversion of this gift, can in no higher sense be promoted, than in feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked; for God's glory consists essentially, in his goodness. Gov. Lyndon owned the house which he gave the Society for a parsonage, but which unfortunately has passed into other hands.

Mr. Clarke left three brothers-Thomas, Joseph, and Carew. The numerous family of Clarkes, of Rhode Island, mostly sprung from them. Joseph Clarke settled in Westerly, R. I. We find that the Rev. Joseph Clarke, jr., was in the Seventh-Day Baptist church of Westerly, now Hopkinton, also the Rev. Joseph Clarke, sen., stands enrolled as a member of said church. In