WAR WITH SPAIN.--NEW TAXES LEVIED BY ENGLAND.--RELIGIOUS AWAKENING
AMONG THE BAPTISTS.
Events were preparing a closer union of the colonies. England declared
war against Spain--a war of commercial rivalry, for Spain was a
maritime power of the first class, and claimed the right of search.
England sent out her ships of war and privateers, and carried on a
lucrative contraband trade among the Spanish islands and on the Spanish
main. The colonies were called upon to furnish their part of men and
munitions of war. Rhode Island sent out privateers and prepared to
defend her harbors and coast. Fort George was put in fighting order
and a garrison of fifty two men stationed there under Colonel John
Cranston. New Shoreham was garrisoned and Block Island provided with
six heavy guns. For the protection of the coast and shores of the bay
seven watch-towers were erected and constant guard kept in them by
night and by day. Five beacons were stationed between Block Island and
Portsmouth to give warning of the first approach of danger, and the
Colony's war sloop, the Tartar, of a hundred and fifteen tons burthen
held in readiness for instant service. Newport merchants also entered
actively into the game and sent out in the second year of the war five
privateers manned by five hundred men.
A great expedition was preparing against the Spanish West Indies.
Rhode Island's contingent was two companies of a hundred men each.
The Newport company was commanded by Captain Joseph Sheffield, the
Providence company by Captain William Hopkins. The Colony was proud
of its work and feasted both officers and men before they set sail
to join the British squadron at New York and bear their part in the
disastrous attempt upon Carthagena. Meanwhile it had proved its mettle
by taking a French contraband schooner and carrying her into Newport
for adjudication.
Rhode Island was loyal, loving the king and accepting the supremacy of
Parliament. But she was quick to discriminate between usurpation, and
legal authority. The northern colonies carried on a lucrative commerce
with the West Indies and particularly with the French Islands. Upon
this trade England had imposed a heavy tax under the title of molasses
act and was preparing to increase it. The colonies protested. Newport
dealt largely in the distilling of rum and was thus a great consumer
of molasses. All looked alike to the trade with the islands for the
means of paying for their importations from the mother country. But
the objection did not stop here. Colonial development had reached the
underlying principle of the revolution. Parliament taxed Englishmen as
their representative. But by what right could an English Parliament tax
Americans?
Richard Partridge, the colonial agent, and a Quaker in faith, acting
in the name of Rhode Island and other northern colonies, "strenuously
opposed" the new restrictions, and the Assembly requested the Governor
"to write to the neighboring governments, inviting them" to join in the
opposition. Thus concerted action and the right of self-taxation begin
to claim their legitimate place in colonial polity, and prepare the
way for independence. In the midst of these agitations Governor John
Wanton died. I have already spoken of him as of one of the great names
of colonial history and happy as few public men are in the recognition
of his deserts. He was elected Deputy-Governor five times in succession
and Governor seven. Deputy-Governor Richard Ward was chosen to fill his
place, and William Greene was promoted to the place of Deputy-Governor
made vacant by the promotion of Richard Ward. Henceforth these two
names become prominent in Rhode Island history.
Disease came with war. The small-pox broke out again. Portsmouth and
Jamestown were compelled to call on the Assembly for aid and Dutch
Island was used as quarantine ground. While the minds of the colonists
were thus prepared for thoughts of suffering and death, George
Whitefield came among them calling them to repentance and prayer.
Crowds gathered round him to listen to his burning words, and all New
England was filled with the fame of his eloquence. His disciples joined
the Baptists who increased greatly in numbers and influence. Samuel
Fothergill, also, the calm and persuasive Quaker, passed at this time
a half year in Newport in the house of his brother-in-law, John Proud,
and Quakerism throve under his gentle teaching as the Baptists throve
under the fervid exhortations of Whitefield.
The war continued. Spain against whom it had been first directed
formed an alliance with France, and the colonies were called upon for
new exertions. Ten more cannon were mounted in Fort George which was
enlarged to receive them. Ten new field-pieces were ordered. A brick
magazine was built for the safe keeping of powder and the supply of
military stores was increased in every county. To secure promptness
of action the Governor and Council together with the field officers
and captains were formed into a permanent council of war. By a former
act of the Assembly the men were allowed to choose their own officers.
This act was repealed and the right of choice vested in the Legislature
where the charter placed it. The drill system was incomplete. A more
thorough one was established and two more companies were raised in
Newport. In the midst of these warlike preparations the rights of
conscience were respected and those who were scrupulous about the
shedding of blood were employed as scouts and guards, or required to
furnish horses in case of sudden alarm, or do any other duty consistent
with their religious scruples.
The House of Commons ever watchful over the interests of British
commerce, began to look with suspicion on the frequent "emissions of
paper currency in His Majesty's colonies in America, in which Rhode
Island has too large a share." An address to the King was followed
by instructions to the colonial governors from the Board of Trade to
transmit to the home government "an account of the tenor and amount of
the bills of credit" issued by each colony, the times when they fell
due, the number actually outstanding and their value in "money of Great
Britain, both at the time such bills were issued and at the time of
preparing the account." The Governor's opinion was also required upon
the still more difficult subject of "sinking and discharging all such
bills of credit."
Governor Ward replied on the part of Rhode Island by an elaborate
history of the colonial currency and an able exposition of the causes
and necessities from which it arose. Unfortunately these necessities
still existed, and without heeding the warning implied by the action
of the House of Commons the Assembly "created a new bank of twenty
thousand pounds for ten years at four per cent." The paper issued
under this act was called the new tenor, because unlike the earlier
issues the bills bore on their faces the exact amount of gold and
silver they were supposed to represent. Silver on the new tenor notes
was rated at six shillings and ninepence sterling, gold at five pounds
an ounce, and thus the value of a new tenor bill was four times that of
an old tenor bill. The seeds of bankruptcy were thickly sown in both.
The question of the eastern boundary line, one of the bitterest of
the many disputes with Massachusetts, had after several vain attempts
to come to an amicable agreement, been referred, in 1741, to a royal
commission. With the decision of this commission neither party was
altogether satisfied, Massachusetts claiming a great deal and Rhode
Island something more than it awarded them. Both parties appealed.
But the commission adhered to its decision, and the line fixed by it
continued to be the boundary between the two colonies till after the
adoption of the Federal constitution.