Excerpt from An Address to the Freemen of Rhode Island: By a Landholder
TO THE FREEMEN OF RHODE-ISLAND,
On the twentieth of April next, you will again select your rulers for the ensuing political year.
Although I am no preacher, I shall take the libertythis occasion to take a text, which you may find in Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, (vol. 1. 3. 3.) in the words following: , "Examine the Records of History, recollect what has happened within the circle of your own experience, consider with attention what has been the conduct of all the greatly unfortunate, either is public or private life, whom you have either read o heard of or remember, and you will find, that the misfortunes of by far the greatest part of them, have arisen from their not knowing when they were well off, when it was proper for them to sit still and be contented. The inscription upon the tombstone of the man who had endeavoured to mend a tolerable constitution by taking physic, "I WAS WELL, I WISHED TO BE BETTER; HERE I AM may generally be applied with great justness to the distress of disappointed avarice and ambition."
Although I may not handle my text with much skill on this occasion, I would recommend it to your serious consideration, as it may answer a good purpose in politics and business, as well as in sickness and in health.
You are now called upon by a party heretofore unknown in this State, the leaders and most active of whom are neither of the whole or half blood of our native citizens; and have no settlement among us either by purchase or inheritance; to turn out our present Governor, together with the Senate, and put in his place, a young gentlemen from Vermont.
When a man, who has served the public as long and as well as Governor Fenner, and for a very small compensation, is to be opposed, the first questions that occur are - what has he done? and who are his accusers?
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