City charter, proposed for the adoption of the freemen of Providence, at a town meeting, to be holden April 29th, 1829 [wrapper title

[Providence]: printed for the use of the Freeman, by order of the town, 1829. 8vo, pp. 12; self-wrappers, stitched, as issued; lightly toned, else fine. U.S. Senator's Theodore Francis Green's copy, with his lightly penciled ownership signature at the top of the first leaf. At the time the oldest serving member of the Senate, Green (1867-1966) was Governor of R.I. 1933-37, and U.S. Senator 1937-61. Together with: City Charter, proposed for the adoption of the freemen of Providence, at a town meeting to be holden October 22, 1831. Providence, R.I.: Cranston & Hammond, printers, 1831. pp.16; self-wrappers, stitched, as issued; moderate worming but sense remains clear. A crucial period for the formation of city government, a period when city politics were marked by racial strife and factional fighting. In 1829 Providence had grown to a population of 16,000 and the town meeting agreed to hand over control over city government to elected municipal officials. The freemen approved this charter proposal by a vote of 312 to 222. It was believed elected officials would be better able to spend large amounts of public money. However, the transition from town meeting to municipal government was not smooth. The period between these two charters was marked by rioting and racial unrest. In September 1831, a number of sailors looked to start trouble in the black "Olney's Lane" section of town. After the sailors had harassed local inhabitants, one sailor was shot and killed by a black man. The following day, a huge mob assembled in Olney's Lane to dismantle houses in defiance of the First Light Infantry sent by the Governor to quell unrest. On September 23, the mob reassembled, and on the 24th several houses on Smith Street were attacked. After the Governor's troops had read the riot act and called for peace, the mob continued to throw stones at houses and at the soldiers. Eventually, the troops fired on the crowd, killing four. The town committee appointed to investigate the rioting concluded that inefficient city government had been chiefly to blame for the incidents. On October 5 a town meeting voted unanimously to draw up another city charter for municipal government. But at the meeting on October, the freemen of Providence rejected the new charter, which would have given the General Assembly power to grant the new city charter. Conflicts between different sections of the town were eventually resolved, and Providence's first city government was elected in April 1832. American Imprints 40192 & 8897; Bartlett, p. 214. (Inventory #: 57041)