NEWPORT, R.I., _May 4, 1842_.
His Excellency JOHN TYLER,
_President of the United States_.
SIR: I transmit herewith certain resolutions passed by the general
assembly of this State at their session holden at Newport on the first
Wednesday of May instant.
You are already acquainted with some of the circumstances which have
rendered necessary the passage of these resolutions. Any further
information that may be desired will be communicated by the bearers, the
Hon. Richard K. Randolph, speaker of the house of representatives, and
Elisha R. Potter, esq., a member of the senate of this State.
I can not allow myself to doubt but that the assistance to which this
State is entitled under the Constitution of the United States, to
protect itself against domestic violence, will be promptly rendered by
the General Government of the Union.
With great respect, I am, Your Excellency's humble servant,
SAM. W. KING,
_Governor of Rhode Island_.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS,
_In General Assembly, May Session, 1842_.
Whereas a portion of the people of this State, for the purpose of
subverting the laws and existing government thereof, have framed a
pretended constitution, and for the same unlawful purposes have met in
lawless assemblages and elected officers for the future government of
this State; and
Whereas the persons so elected in violation of law, but in conformity to
the said pretended constitution, have, on the 3d day of May instant,
organized themselves into executive and legislative departments of
government, and under oath assumed the duties and exercise of said
powers; and
Whereas in order to prevent the due execution of the laws a strong
military force was called out and did array themselves to protect the
said unlawful organization of government and to set at defiance the due
enforcement of law: Therefore,
_Resolved by the general assembly_, That there now exists in this State
an insurrection against the laws and constituted authorities thereof,
and that, in pursuance of the Constitution and laws of the United
States, a requisition be, and hereby is, made by this legislature upon
the President of the United States forthwith to interpose the authority
and power of the United States to suppress such insurrectionary and
lawless assemblages, to support the existing government and laws, and
protect the State from domestic violence.
_Resolved_, That his excellency the governor be requested immediately to
transmit a copy of these resolutions to the President of the United
States.
True copy.
Witness: HENRY BOWEN,
_Secretary of State_.
WASHINGTON, _May 7, 1842_.
The GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.
SIR: Your letter of the 4th instant, transmitting resolutions of the
legislature of Rhode Island, informing me that there existed in that
State "certain lawless assemblages of a portion of the people" "for
the purpose of subverting the laws and over-throwing the existing
government," and calling upon the Executive "forthwith to interpose
the authority and power of the United States to suppress such
insurrectionary and lawless assemblages and to support the existing
government and laws and protect the State from domestic violence,"
was handed me on yesterday by Messrs. Randolph and Potter.
I have to inform your excellency in reply that my opinions as to the
duties of this Government to protect the State of Rhode Island against
domestic violence remain unchanged. Yet, from information received by
the Executive since your dispatches came to hand I am led to believe
that the lawless assemblages to which reference is made have already
dispersed and that the danger of domestic violence is hourly
diminishing, if it has not wholly disappeared. I have with difficulty
brought myself at any time to believe that violence would be resorted
to or an exigency arise which the unaided power of the State could not
meet, especially as I have from the first felt persuaded that your
excellency and others associated with yourself in the administration
of the government would exhibit a temper of conciliation as well as
of energy and decision. To the insurgents themselves it ought to be
obvious, when the excitement of the moment shall have passed away, that
changes achieved by regular and, if necessary, repeated appeals to the
constituted authorities, in a country so much under the influence of
public opinion, and by recourse to argument and remonstrance, are more
likely to insure lasting blessings than those accomplished by violence
and bloodshed on one day, and liable to overthrow by similar agents on
another.
I freely confess that I should experience great reluctance in employing
the military power of this Government against any portion of the people;
but however painful the duty, I have to assure your excellency that if
resistance be made to the execution of the laws of Rhode Island by such
force as the _civil power_ shall be unable to overcome, it will be the
duty of this Government to enforce the constitutional guaranty--a
guaranty given and adopted mutually by all the original States, of which
number Rhode Island was one, and which in the same way has been given
and adopted by each of the States since admitted into the Union; and
if an exigency of lawless violence shall actually arise the executive
government of the United States, on the application of your excellency
under the authority of the resolutions of the legislature already
transmitted, will stand ready to succor the authorities of the State in
their efforts to maintain a due respect for the laws. I sincerely hope,
however, that no such exigency may occur, and that every citizen of
Rhode Island will manifest his love of peace and good order by
submitting to the laws and seeking a redress of grievances by other
means than intestine commotions.