Author: William Goodell

Publisher:

Published: 2015-07-10

Total Pages: 126

ISBN-13: 9781331097297

Excerpt from The Rights and the Wrongs of Rhode Island, Vol. 8: Comprising Views of Liberty and Law, of Religion and Rights, as Exhibited in the Recent and Existing Difficulties in That State "The question now is, What can we do, and what ought we to do, in order to obstruct and check the growth and spread of... Arbitrary Power among our churches, and Aspiring Ecclesiastics?" In answer to the above question of the late Dr. Emmons, we would suggest that the very first thing to be done, is to convince the people that their liberties are in danger from that quarter. And the story of the actual subversion of liberty and law, and the establishment of "arbitrary power" in Rhode Island, through the influence and by the aid of "aspiring ecclesiastics," seems well suited to that object. Liberty and Law, Religion and Rights, in Rhode Island. Great events are transpiring. They must be studied and understood. The Rhode Island controversy is no mere local concernment. It touches vitally, and harshly, the great interests of liberty and law, of religion and rights, not only in Rhode Island, but in the whole country. By neglecting or mistaking the facts and principles involved, the American people may unconsciously rivet their own fetters, and the American churches and ministry, instead of interposing a barrier against oppression and disorganization, may only swell and hasten the rising tide of destruction. This, the story of Rhode Island will make manifest. Civil and political liberty have been violently subverted in that State, and a military despotism enthroned on the ruins (though in the abused name) of constitutional "law and order." The People - the only lawful sovereign, under God, of a free civil government, have been overawed, and deposed, by aristocratic usurpation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.