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.