A “lively experiment” indeed.
Rhode Island’s colonial charter, which celebrates its 350 anniversary this June, “holds a unique place in the evolution of human rights in the modern world,” says Rhode Island College emeritus professor Dr. Stanley Lemons.
“When King Charles II approved the Charter in July 1663,” Lemons writes, “it marked the first time in modern history that a monarch signed a charter guaranteeing that individuals within a society were free to practice the religion of their choice without any interference from the government.”
Pieter Rods, of the Newport Restoration Society, calls our colonial charter, “the first document anywhere in the history of the English empire that guarantees freedom of religion as a matter of law. Religious freedom and separation of church and state both things that we think of as being very important american values and here they are first set forth in a Rhode Island document.”
Both historians share their thoughts on our world-changing charter as Governor Chafee sets to unveil the state’s plans to honor its birthday today at the State House. Hat tip to Andy Cutler for posting this video to Facebook yesterday.
According to a press release:
The activities to be announced include creating a new exhibit space in the State House, a State House gala, a series of educational events, as well as plans for the conservation and preservation of the Charter. Color guards, colonial militia, and an actor playing the role of Roger Williams will also be on hand for tomorrow’s event.
The press release about the announcement notes the charter is the “source of the phrase ‘lively experiment.’” Chafee uses this phrase often when combating the Christian dogma that often invades modern Rhode Island’s political debate.
The announcement also comes one day after two RI Future correspondents (read them here and here) took issue with a GoLocal piece that said Roger Williams would be a Republican.
Incidentally, it was called a charter to distinguish it from a “covenant,” a term with religious overtones.
Today, of course, we have found another, at least as imprecise use for the word charter, as a euphemism for ”corporate contract, with public money guarantee.”
A much less lively, but much more controlled experiment.
We also have charter prisons.
How about a charter that separates Wall Street from the rest of us?
Do all of you fans of this ‘lively experiment’ know that Rhode Island didn’t have universal
suffrage until 1973?
One of the more ‘lively’ aspects of the experiment was the way our Yankee forefathers
used the Charter to perpetuate their power advantages by denying voting rights to
most of the citizens of Rhode Island for almost two hundred years.
The Charter was in effect from 1663-1843. It limited the right to vote to white males who owned property worth at least $134 (approximately $3,290 in today’s dollars) and to their oldest son. Everyone else had to sit and watch.This requirement was called the freehold qualification.
The suffrage movement sought to end this tax requirement in the old Charter with Thomas Dorr’s People’s Constitution, approved by voters in 1842. The state ruled that Dorr’s Constitution wasn’t worth the paper it was written on, leading to open rebellion and the Dorr War, where Dorr’s forces were badly beaten.
Rhode Island’s first attempt at a Constitution contained concessions to Dorr and his followers, but wasn’t endorsed by Dorr and was voted down in 1842. This defeat split the Dorr folks and opened the way for an 1843 Constitution that was very similar to the old Colonial Charter, the exceptions being that black males over the age of twenty-one were given voting rights (an interesting story in itself) and native born males could replace the freehold burden by paying a $1 registration, even though they were still precluded from voting for city councils or on municipal financial issues.
The freehold qualification arrived with your ‘lively experiment’ and never really left until a 1928
Constitutional Amendment made any property tax at all sufficient to qualify one for voting. Even then, many couldn’t vote because they didn’t own any property. Another amendment in 1973 completely eliminated tax requirements, finally removing the weight of the 1663 Colonial Charter and providing Rhode Island with universal suffrage.
Interesting response, Patrick.
But, you would, I think, admit:
not bad by 1663 standards?
Charles II looks like he’s ready to play
bass for Mungo Jerry, doesn’t he?
Rock on, Little Rhody.