RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

Table of Contents

View Options

Need Help?

For Participating Institutions

Constitutional Convention Constitution of the United States: Papers Relating to Adoption by the State of Rhode Island (C#238)

Rhode Island State Archives

Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov

Inventory

Series 1. Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns
Box 1/2, Folder 1-3/25
Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns to determine whether to adopt or reject the Constitution agreed on the 17th of September 1787 in Philadelphia. Dated March 24, 1788.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns (1 of 4)
Contents Note: Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Glocester, Exeter, Portmsouth and Warren.
 1788 March 24
Box 1, Folder 2 Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns (2 of 4)
Contents Note: Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Johnston, North Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Foster, Westerly and Tiverton.
 1788 March 24
Box 1, Folder 3 Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns (3 of 4)
Contents Note: Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of South Kingstown, Scituate, New Shoreham, Middletown, Newport, Charlestown, West Greenwich, East Greenwich and Jamestown.
 1788 March 24
Box 2, Folder 25 Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns (4 of 4)
Contents Note: Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Cumberland, Smithfield and Providence.
 1788 March 24

Series 2. Paper Money Resolutions
Box 1, Folder 4-9
Includes various Resolutions drafted in town meetings of the freeholders of the towns in consideration of a bill by the General Assembly entitled "An Act to Formulate and give efficacy to the Paper Bills emitted by this State…" An Act making the Paper Bills of this State a tender in payment of War Debt, 1786-1788

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 4 Paper Money Resolutions (1 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Newport (October 2, 1786), Cumberland (April 18, 1787), Warwick (October 21, 1786), Cumberland (March 24, 1788), East Greenwich (October 21, 1786), Cumberland (February 25, 1786), Cumberland (October 25, 1786), Cranston (February 18, 1786), Glocester (October 23, 1786) and Warwick (February 25, 1786).
 1786-1788
Box 1, Folder 5 Paper Money Resolutions (2 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Glocester (February 14, 1786), New Shoreham (April 18, 1787), Smithfield (April 18, 1787), Charlestown (Third Wednesday April 1787), Little Compton (March 24, 1788), Portsmouth (October 28, 1786), Barrington (March 24, 1788), North Providence (October 21, 1786), South Kingstown (April 18, 1787) and Bristol (October 21, 1786).
 1786-1788
Box 1, Folder 6 Paper Money Resolutions (3 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Richmond (February 11, 1786), Hopkinton (August 29, 1786), East Greenwich (April 28, 1787), Westerly (April 18, 1787), Middletown (March 24, 1788), Middletown (April 18, 1787), Smithfield (April 19, 1786), Smithfield (February. 1786), Foster (April 18, 1786), Scituate (April 28, 1787), Exeter (October 26, 1786) and Little Compton (January 5, 1788).
 1786-1788
Box 1, Folder 7 Paper Money Resolutions (4 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Middletown (February 25, 1786), Westerly (March 24, 1788), Glocester (February 17, 1787), Newport (April 18, 1787), Charlestown (February 17, 1786), Tiverton (March 6, 1786), Foster (February 6, 1786), Portsmouth (November 14, 1785), Warwick (April 21, 1787) and Richmond (April 18, 1787).
 1786-1787
Box 1, Folder 8 Paper Money Resolutions (5 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of South Kingstown (March 24, 1788), Coventry (April 18, 1787), Coventry (February 5, 1786), Hopkinton (April 26, 1787), Cranston (October 23, 1786), Exeter (April 18, 1787), Hopkinton (March 24, 1788), Providence (April 18, 1787), Cranston (April 18, 1787) and Middletown (February 27, 1786 - Petition of Freemen).
 1786-1787
Box 1, Folder 9 Paper Money Resolutions (6 of 6)
Contents Note: Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Scituate (October 23, 1786), West Greenwich (March 24, 1788), Glocester (April 18, 1787), Bristol (March 24, 1788), Tiverton (October 25, 1786) and Jamestown (March 24, 1788).
 1786-1788

Series 3. Convention Journal and Related Papers
Box 1, Folder 10-13

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 10 Journal of the Convention, South Kingstown
Contents Note: Journal of the Convention held in South Kingstown pursuant to an act of the General Assembly passed at the January Session for the purpose of investigating and deciding on the new Constitution proposed for the United States. - Includes the names of delegates of the respective towns present, rules of the convention, votes, and drafts of amendments to the Federal Constitution. 17 pp.
 1790 March 1-5
Box 1, Folder 11 Journal of the Convention
Contents Note: Journal of the Convention, 29 pp.
 1790 May
Box 1, Folder 12 Amendments to the Proposed Federal Constitution and related Papers
Contents Note: Includes amendments to the Federal Constitution, Journal Fragment (May 1, 1790), Journal Fragment (May 27, 1790), List of Delegates - 2 pp. (May 24, 1790), List of Delegates (1790), Motion by W. Merchant, 1 leaf [May 1790] and Amendment (May 1790).
 1790 May
Box 1, Folder 13 Ratification of the Constitution of the United States
Contents Note: Includes Ratification of the Constitution of the United States by the Convention of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1790, 8 pp.
 1790

Series 4. Proceeding of Town Meetings and Instructions to Town Delegates
Box 1, Folder 14-15

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 14 Proceeding of Town Meetings and Instructions to Town Delegates (1 of 2)
Contents Note: Includes proceeding of town meetings and instructions to town delegates for Providence (May 24, 1790), Portsmouth (May 29, 1790), Portsmouth - 7 pp. (February 7, 1790) and North Kingstown (May 24, 1790).
 1790
Box 1, Folder 15 Proceeding of Town Meetings and Instructions to Town Delegates (2 of 2)
Contents Note: Includes proceeding of town meetings and instructions to town delegates for Middletown (April 21, 1790), Convention of Freemen of the Several Counties of Providence, Kent and Washington (February 2, 1790) - to recommend to the freemen of each town to choose delegates for the purpose of taking the merits of the new Constitution into consideration..., Portsmouth (May 29, 1790), Portsmouth (April 26, 1790), Middletown (May 29, 1790), Charlestown (April 21, 1790), Richmond (April 15, 1790) and Richmond (February 8, 1790).
 1790

Series 5. Election Certificates of Delegates to the [State] Convention by the Freemen of the towns
Box 1, Folder 16-18

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 16 Election Certificates of State Delegates (1 of 3)
Contents Note: Includes election certificates for the towns of Newport (February 8, 1790), Providence (February 25, 1790), Middletown (February 8, 1790), North Providence (February 8, 1790), Westerly (February 8, 1790), Warren (Second Monday in February, 1790), Warren (May 2, 1790 - Benjamin Bosworth to replace Nathan Miller), Bristol (Second Monday in February, 1790), Barrington (February 8, 1790) and Cumberland (February 8, 1790).
 1790
Box 1, Folder 17 Election Certificates of State Delegates (2 of 3)
Contents Note: Includes election certificates for the towns of Foster (February 8, 1790), Middletown (May 29, 17901) - resignation of Wm. Peckham and appointment of Elisha Barker, Charlestown (February 8, 1790), Portsmouth (February 8, 1790), Glocester (February 8, 1790), Cranston (February 8, 1790), Hopkinton (February 8, 1790), North Kingstown (February 8, 1790), South Kingstown (February 8, 1790) and Westerly (February 8, 1790).
 1790
Box 1, Folder 18 Election Certificates of State Delegates (3 of 3)
Contents Note: Includes election certificates for the towns of Johnston (Second Monday in February, 1790), Scituate (February 8, 1790), New Shoreham (February 8, 1790), Little Compton (February 8, 1790), West Greenwich (February 8, 1790), Exeter (February 8, 1790), East Greenwich (February 8, 1790), Coventry (February 8, 1790), Smithfield (Second Monday in February, 1790), Warwick (February 8, 1790), Tiverton (February 8, 1790) and Jamestown (February 26, 1790).
 1790

Series 6. Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress
Box 1, Folder 19-21
Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress and ratification of Constitution by other States transmitted to the Governor of Rhode Island.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 19 Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress (1 of 2)
Contents Note: Includes Resolution of Congress putting the new Constitution into Operation (September 13, 1788).

Virginia - An Act Concerning the Convention to be held in June next. Passed December 12th, 1787. 2 copies with attached letter.

Virginia - Resolution that the proceedings of the Federal Convention be submitted to a Convention of the people for their full and free investigations, discussion and decision (Thursday October 25, 1787). With attached letter.

Virginia - letter dated June 28, 1788 announcing ratification.

Georgia - Letter dated February 20, 1788 - announcing the transmission of journal and proceedings of state convention on the proposed Federal Constitution to the Governor of Rhode Island.

North Carolina - extract of Journal of Proceedings of the State Convention (August 1, 1788) with attached letter dated August 1788.
 1787-1788
Box 1, Folder 20 Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress (2 of 2)
Contents Note: Includes North Carolina - letter dated August 24, 1788 to the Governor of Rhode Island

Letter dated February 26, 1790 by Henry Ward Secretary of State to the Moderator of the Convention to be held in South Kingstown on the Fifth Monday in March 1790. Concerning the forwarding of papers relating to the Convention.

Massachusetts - ratification dated February 6, 1788

North Carolina - Extract from Proceedings of the General Assembly concerning the redemption of the paper currency. August 2, 1788.

North Carolina - Resolution to enact a similar impost as the impost enacted by the Congress, August 2, 1788.

Letter from the Secretary of the Congress to the Governor of Rhode Island dated November 28, 1787.

Proposed Amendments to the Constitution Bill of Rights - 2 leaves [1787?].
 1787-1790
Box 1, Folder 21 Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress
Contents Note: Includes Journal of the Convention of the State of Georgia on the Federal Constitution 1788. 20 pp..
 1788

Series 7. Various Documents
Box 1/2, Folder 22-23/24,26-29

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 22 Present State of the Taxes
Contents Note: Includes Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782. March 12, 1787 - 1 leaf.

Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782 May 5, 1786 - 1 leaf

Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782 Feb. 25, 1788 - 1 leaf

Rate of that part of the Continental Tax ordered in August 1785, which was to be paid in Interest Certificates, February 25, 1788 - 1 leaf

Present State of the Taxes - January State Tax payable August 1, 1782 May 7, 1885 - 1 leaf
 1785-1787
Box 1, Folder 23 Petitions, correspondence, a note, a dissertation and the Constitution of Holland
Contents Note: Includes Petition to the Speaker of the General Assembly of Rhode Island from Brenton Perkins.

Benjamin Arnold letter to Convention, 1790

Rules and Orders June 1786 and October 1786.

Letter to the General Assembly [1787?] - 1 leaf

Note - unidentified - n.d.

A Dissertation on the reasons for Enacting and repealing of Laws. [author unknown], n.d.

[draft amendment to Constitution], n.d.

Constitution of Holland, [author unknown], n.d.

Petition of Bristol freemen to call a Convention, Last Monday of March 1788.
 1786-1790
Box 2, Folder 24 Notes and Drafts
Contents Note: Includes notes/drafts by meeting of the General Assembly of proposed amendments to the Constitution.
 1790
Box 2, Folder 26 Ratification of the Constitution
Contents Note: Includes Ratification of the Constitution by the Convention of the State of Rhode Island Providence Plantations, May 29, 1790 - 3 leaves , encapsulated.
 1790
Box 2, Folder 27 Correspondence and Proceedings of Virginia Convention
Contents Note: Includes a letter by John Hancock to Governor John Collins of Rhode Island regarding transmission of a copy of the proceedings of the convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and indicating ratification of the Constitution of the United States (February 16, 1788) and the proceedings of Virginia Convention upon new Constitution (June 1788); 4 leaves, 14 pp.
 1788
Box 2, Folder 28 Virginia ratification ribbons
Contents Note: Includes ribbons from Virginia ratification.
 undated
Box 2, Folder 29 Series descriptions
Contents Note: Includes series descriptions on acidic paper taken from volume which housed records, 8 pp.
 undated