The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-19
RHODE ISLAND.

of the ultra presses of the country, at the head
Of which the Globe is most certainly entitled to
stand, to condemn the President for his letters
addressed in reply to those of the Governor Of
Rhode Island in which, with frankness alto
gether becoming the man, he makes known his
opinion of what will be his duty as the Presi-
dent of the United States under the Constitu-
ton and laws, in the event of certain crisis oc-
curing No man in the Union, we believe,
would more deeply deplore the employment OF
the military arm against any portion OF the
People than himself; but to suppose that he
would for a moment hesitate to carry out the
solemn Injunction of the Constitution, or the
imperative mandates fthe law, is greatly to mis-
Judge his character. What is the principle laid
down by the President in his letters to the Gov
ernor of Rhode Island at which the Destruc
lives SO much carp, and out of which they seek
to make political capital? 1t is, that the Presi-
dent of the United States, be he who lie may,
cannot go behind the existing Government of
State. That whether the existing Government
be written or unwritten Constitution, provided
it has been recognized as Republican by past
acquescence or positive acknowledgement
whether it exercises its powers by virtue of a
charter from King Charles or from any other
quarter-can not release him from his obligation
to protect it from being overthrown by force
or the State where it exists from domestic VIC
lence This duty is rendered too plain to admit
of doubt and we put it to the uItras to say,
whether if Rhode Island was threatened with
invasion from abroad, or actually invaded, they
would have the President stop to look into the
source and origin of the powers exercised by its
Government, before he would lend the military
aid to repel the invasion? We inquire Of
these persons to say whether if an armed
force, before this contest originated, had
threatened the existence of its Government, Oh
resorted to acts of domestic violence by resis-
lance to the civil authority, anil by levying war,
they would have had the President deny protec-
tion however loudly called for, because Roger
Williams and Others the first settlers, had accept
ed charter from King Charles How ridiculous
and idle for these persons then, for the purposes OF
popular effect to talk of KING CHARLES CHAR
TER? Do they imagine that the People will
not thoroughly understand their efforts at decep
ton Rhode Island existed under KING
CHARLES CHARTER VIC ICCVOluliohdiy
War. Did our forefathers refuse her contri-
buttons in men and money because of this
She came into the Union under KING CHARLES
CHARTER. Did any of the States refuse to ad-
nit her because of this? She fought CALAMITY
during the last war under KING CHARLES
CHARTER. Her gallant Perry was born and
reared under that Charter Was the public
,Jcc u llop kp
pressed because of this l.? Do the members of the
Senate or House Of Representatives refuse asso-
citation with her able Senators and Representa-
tives because they come from State, the pow
ers of whose Government derived from
KING CHARLES CHARTER? And yet the Globe
and its whole fraternity of Destructires
cry out KING CHARLES CHARTER,
merely to catch the public ear, and to build up
the hopes of a fallen dynasty. They seize upon
cabalistic words-the rights OF maJorltv-the
right of suffrage, &C., &C., for this sole purpose
of building up the somewhat gloomy prospects
of their leaders. The President might have
played the demagogue with the best OF them, II
he had pleased. If he had reversed the prncl-
pies in his letters aud taken in hand the task OF
deciding which party had the majorlty-pro-
claimed his aversion to the restricted suffrage
and insisted upon equalizing the representation
of the State he might have mounted the popu-
lar hobby, and by base appeal to abstract doc
trines, have invested himself with more than
imperial sway. Grant him this privilege OF be-
coming the Constitution for tile States,
and what then becomes of popular rights, for
which these friends of liberty are so Jealous
What State Government could stand up before
him He might engender teuds for his own
MISUNDERSTANDING revolt and proclaim re-
bellion, revolution, and legitimise domestic vlo-
lence. Acting upon the abstraction of real or
supposed majority, and stringing together few
cant phrases, as that" the majority has a
RIGHT to rule" &c, &c. counting men, women,
and children to-day to suit his purposes, and re-
jecting them tomorrow adopting at his plea
sure any arbitrary standard-on all occa-
sions asserting that call by their nature are
equally free" Gas the Abolitionsts do,) and then
pray tell us we men of the People, in the name
Of liberty, whether the President is not only
the armed arbitrator" but the armed agitator
also? What State Government could stand
up against him, or what power sufficient to re-
sist his will? And yet these are the powers
with which these exclusives would invest him,
and all in the name of popular rights The
President resisted the temptation thus set be-
fore him. He grasped the Constitution as the
pillar of safety to the country--and the statf OF
true gory for himself. He will have nothing to
do with questions altogether municipal IN 'heh
character. The Government OF Rhode Island