 Lieutenant Governor and Rhode Island historian Samuel G. Arnold wrote of him , " That he was no friend of the doctrines , or advocate of the conduct of the followers of Fox [ Quakers ] is evident from his writings ; but that like Williams , he recognized the distinction between persecution and opposition , between legal force and moral suasion as applied to matters of opinion , is equally apparent . In politics and in theology he was alike the opponent of Coddington and the friend of John Clarke and throughout his long and useful life he displayed talents of a brilliant order which were ever employed for the welfare of his fellow men . " 
