of Matthew & Eunice, Mch. 4, 1780 35 July 31, 1794 66 Dec. 24, 1801 66 Dec. 24, 1801 66 Mch. 22, 1805 Barker, Arnold Giles of 66 66 Dec. 20, 1781 Nathaniel of Gideon & Elizabeth, Nov. 14, 1782 Elizabeth of Samuel and Sarah, July 8, 1783 Eliphall Bailey, John Sept. 11, 1798 Feb. 10, 1801 66 April 9, 1803 of Easton and Mary, July 12, 1789 SOUL LIBERTY IN RHODE ISLAND. The following from the Providence Bulletin is the third paragraph of an article, signed E. B. Chace, and dated April 28, 1880, viz., after allusion to the settlers of Providence: "Another band of exiles from Massachusetts, settled in the year 1638, in Aquidneck (now Newport), and established a colony on a basis not quite so broad as that of the Providence Plantations; they opened their doors to all who bore the Christian name, giving them 'liberty to wor ship God according to the dictates of conscience, untrammeled by written articles of faith, and unawed by the civil power. The difference between them and the followers of Roger Williams on this point was, that the latter did not confine his principles of toleration to men professing Christianity, but allowed room for those of every faith, Jew or Gentile, Christian or Pagan.' The doctrine of 'soul liberty' as established by Williams, went so far as to carry his premises to their logical conclusion, embracing the whole brotherhood of man." The two clauses in quotation marks are evidently from commentators, and possibly from two different ones, and not from original records; nor am I aware of the existence of any record evidence which sustains the position taken, that the settlement of Aquidneck was made on sentiments and designs other than those of the settlers of Providence. An original agreement is extant, signed by thirteen resi dents of Providence, but not including Roger Williams, in which they agree "to be governed by the major consent of the present inhabitants, masters of families, incorpora ted together into a town fellowship, and others whom they shall admit unto them, only in civil things." This has no date, except August 20th, but is admitted to have been in 1636. In a covenant dated July 27, 1640, and signed by thirtynine citizens of Providence, is the following, viz: "We agree, as formerly hath been the liberties of the town, so still, to hold forth Liberty of Conscience." [Staples, Annals, page 411.] This, so far as I know, presents the whole case, so far as Providence is concerned. As far as Aquidneck is concerned, no record is known to exist until the union of Portsmouth and Newport, March 16th, 1640-1, when it was voted as follows, viz: "It is ordered further, by the authority of this present court, that none be accounted Delinquent for Doctrine, Provided it be not repugnant to ye Government and Laws established." This provision was reiterated in September of the same year, in the following words: "It is ordered, that the Law of the last Court, made concerning Liberty of Conscience, is perpetuated." At the Union of the four towns, Providence, Warwick, Portsmouth and Newport, in May, 1647, the code of Laws enacted at that time, begins and ends as follows: "And now, to the end that we may give to each other (notwithstanding our different consciences, touching the truth as it is in Jesus,) as good and hopeful assurance as we are able, touching each man's peaceable and quiet enjoyment of his lawful right and liberty. We do agree unto, and by the authority abovesaid, enact, establish and confirm these orders following," &c. The concluding clause is as follows: "These are the Laws that concern all men, and these are the penalties for the transgressions thereof, which, by |