New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1842-04-15
pre,iden, Tyler ON the r. Island Question

From the following important Correspondence
bstween the Agents OF the Rhode Island Legislature
and the President Of the United State. upon the
unhappy controversy which has cmbi,tered the
feelings and threatened the peace of the people OF
Rhode Island, it will be seen that the Federal
Government, will interfere if any violent measures
be rcsorted 10 By the Revolutionary party.
LETTER OF JOHN wHIPPLE.
To His Erce!leney SAMUEL "klS6,
10 your E1ceIenc the letter OF the President
al the Uni,sI State repylo yours OF The 18th inst IN re-
,,jon N our revolutionary movements IN Rhode iiand-
Won viii obserr. with pleasure thai the opnoI OF the IRE
sj1o is firm and decided, was expressed after
a.er,ent OF ac,S accom- panied by number OF documents,
rom bos par,- and in accordance with the unaninou.
opinion the Members Of the Cabinet. and we believe
With that OF Member OF Congress 10 whom iie Gaze
ha. been fairly stated
.n. have bv a1nsurrec:oni,ts ore,a pub
fir on;noD bv Loading lie in the different cities
with statements unoushny false, tina, we refer TO your
E,ceIency the e1sdensy adopting soe f .. LIN
apsr tha. have under Observation that the party
in favor OF the Peoples Constitution: :GHe large MAJORITY
lion Of the p.opl have pernaciously adhered 10 The oi
freehold qualification thus rendering peacrahit ana legal
chang. al Government; wholly iapracicabe his Their
case they have caused 10 be stated in most OF me cr,
in the non They seek TO justify revolution upon The facts
that ori OF The p 600 voters OF the State are IN favor
OF their Constitution and ta. there IS no other mode Oh re-
dress than by Revolution
Your E1crllency well knows tina, both these statements
are holly false That party brought every man 10 me
polls who favor OF their Constitution in order 10 vote
agains the legal Constitutions in March last The whole
number poed against II was $500 or Whereabouts
II is ell known that least 600 reehodes voted against
The e.a Constitution because they III favor OF The
Peonl Constitution but because being opposed
.nson NJ Suffrage they were against both Constitutions
Deduc, these 900 and there remain but 1900 IN favor
of The Peoples Constitution, about onsthrd Of Tx roeS
oftie STATE
But their case would stand upon better ground were
their majority clear and undispued Nothing pa necefitY
! I'M
attempt their different statements IN various parts OF the
Union To impress upon the public mind another gross am
malicious alseiood which that the reehoders re'Gse an
extension of the elective franchise; whereas every Rhode
Island man knows that there IL no substantial difference "
tween the that franchise under the e"a! Loh,'!tu
ton proposed the people by the Con:enfon ~ rethoh
ers and the extent the franchise provided or III the
Peoples Constitution. Both Constitutions admitted every
native born white male citizen OF Tie nic state. VIII ~
other qualification but residence the elective franchise
The lera Cons tnns required residence OF two years
and the Peoples. year The legal Constitution admit
ted na,alizrd foreigners who owned Freehold estate
s5i in value; The Peoples admitted them upon one year
residence. .,,,..,
surprise and abhor -nce that party OF men, geerniS d
W., believe orderly and wcdis posed has been
in Rhode Island and made TO beleveby fe" selfish aho
ambitious leaders, belonging 10 and some 10 it
other OF the political parties that they are really AM
truly the ma oriry and that they lave right by force Il
u,urp the sovereignty the State IN order 10 establish
pr inc co iceGed by the constituted auth titles anu re
rccd by them because the boon proceeded from lra
Convention, being the work OF their re,olu
! tionary hands.
exist single YEAR 1t merely revolution hut revolu
ton alter all objects thai revolution can achieve faft
been attained, 1t principle not only subversire OF
representative republican, government hu a'ai 10 nt con
tinuance democracy any and nj lis ior> o. real OF
.anccd perfection.
III revolution base, upon sarh principles should ucccft
in Rhode Island the law of force will inevitably
pre,a,e every state Government in the Union; tor there
no, State in the Unous which! the actual grievances 81
portions OF the people are net quite as numerous ana qu
JOHN WHlPPLE, For the Committee.