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NOTE 3. Libertarianism in Rhode Island

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Volume 2, Chapter 3, Libertarianism in Rhode Island

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Though lacking its old-time consistency and zeal, Rhode Island continued as one of the

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most individualistic of the American colonies.

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No church establishment marred its libertarian record, and many religious sects flourished

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peacefully side by side in the small colony.

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Indeed, to ensure the prevalence of the voluntary principle, Rhode Island passed a law and set

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1715 forbidding any churches from obtaining any of their revenue by compulsion. And as

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there was no establishment, neither was there a network of government schools, as in Massachusetts

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and Connecticut, to impose Calvinist theology upon the inhabitants. The Quakers, and especially

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the Baptists, progressed rapidly under this libertarian regime. True to its tradition

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of Freedom and Free Trade, Rhode Island paid even less attention than the other colonies

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to British trade restrictions. Nor did Rhode Islanders, with their Quaker traditions of

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anti-militarism, treat war as sacred. They continued happily to trade with their designated

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enemies, even in time of war. The militia, too, was raised strictly voluntarily, without

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without imposing the compulsion of conscription. Indeed, the towns themselves elected their

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militia officers a highly democratic check on the military that was abandoned in 1713

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under the urging of Governor Samuel Cranston. But town voting for militia officers was restored

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the following year after violent controversy. However, this unique system was finally scrapped

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in 1718, when Rhode Island joined the other colonies in appointing militia officers by

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the General Assembly and the Governor. In fact, by 1741, Rhode Island had taken a large

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step toward militarism by establishing a permanent Council of War, consisting of the Governor,

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the Council, and the various high officers of the colony. No colony was as decentralized

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Each town largely governed itself, and often an individual town would simply neglect to

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tax its inhabitants for military or other expenses.

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As a result, taxes in Rhode Island were in fact minimal.

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Twice yearly general elections for numerous posts, coupled with an eager willingness to

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turn officials out, also kept a continuing check on arrogance or entrenched power in

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in the hands of public officials. Government in itself was so lax as to be charmingly

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irregular and freewheeling, and even liberals such as Lord Belmont were shocked at the democracy,

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decentralization, failure to keep records, and generally minimal government abiding in

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Rhode Island. Even this great home of religious liberty, however, began to falter in its ideals

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In 1725, the General Assembly officially ordered Westerly to mend its ways and observe Sunday

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is the Day of Rest, considering that, though the ordinances of man may not square with

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their private principles, yet they must be subject to them for the Lord's sake.

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Thus, far had a land founded by Anne Hutchinson and Samuel Gordon and Roger Williams fallen.

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And this was not all, for law excluding Roman Catholics from the franchise and from holding

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and Public Office also appeared on the books after the turn of the century.

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As Rhode Island in the early 18th century began to slip towards uniformity with the

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other colonies in the area of religious liberty and in its attitudes toward the military,

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so too did it move toward the other colonies in imposing in 1724 a freehold property qualification

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Property Qualification for Voting, specifically a freehold value of £100 sterling or an annual

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real estate income of £2.