Benedict Arnold (governor) - Newport and Politics

Newport and Politics

In 1651 Arnold left troubled Providence and Pawtuxet for the politically enlightened island of Aquidneck, settling in Newport. He recorded in the family record, "Memorandum. We came from Providence with our family to Dwell at Newport in Rhode Island the 19th of November, Thursday in afternoon, & arrived ye same night Ano. Domina 1651. With only a few exceptions, men from Newport held the reigns of power for the first century of Rhode Island history. When the first English settlers came to Aquidneck Island in 1638, they organized a quarterly court and English-style jury trial. In 1640 Newport established monthly courts, rights of appeal and trial by jury, whereas in Providence there was no court, no judge, and no jury. Newport was by far the most attractive settlement on the Narragansett Bay, with most of its settlers being educated.

Significant political events were taking place upon Arnold's arrival in Newport. William Coddington had been successful in removing the island towns of Newport and Portsmouth from the government with the two mainland towns of Providence and Warwick under a commission he obtained earlier in England, and he was appointed as governor for life of the two island towns in 1651. Providence, feeling that the Patent of 1643 had been abandoned, sent Roger Williams to England, and those on the island opposed to Coddington sent Dr. John Clarke, accompanied by William Dyer, to have Coddington's charter annulled. Finding success, Williams and Dyer returned to New England, but Clarke remained in England for the next decade, acting as a diplomat to further the colony's interests. In February 1653 Dyer brought letters revoking Coddington's commission, with the authority of the government to proceed under the Patent of 1643, and the status quo of 1647. John Sanford succeeded Coddington in 1653, and with the change of administration came the work leading to the reunification of the four towns under one government. In 1653 Arnold became a freeman of Newport, and from that point forward served in some public capacity every year until his death in 1678. In 1654 he was selected as one of the commissioners from Newport (each of the four towns had six), and from 1655 to 1656 he was an Assistant. As a member of the Court of Commissioners he was very active, and a member of the most important committees. In 1655 he was appointed by the court with Roger Williams, Samuel Gorton and William Baulstone to frame a letter of thanksgiving to the English Lord President of the Council (on colonial affairs), and to present humble acknowledgments and submission of the colony to His Highness, the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell, and the letter of reply from Cromwell was placed in the custody of Arnold. In 1657, at the age of 41, Arnold was elected as the President of the colony, succeeding Roger Williams in this capacity.