Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-21
RHODE ISLAND AFFAIRS

We subIoin br ef md plain statement, from the
n. Y. Courier * Enquirer, Of the difficulty existing
IN the little kingdom Of Rhode Island II shows
eonelusveIy thot there IS no, shadow Of justice or
reason in ;he pretcnsions Of the insurgents Indeed
there could not be while any respect is had to law
and order. The Revoluuonis,s claim that they are
The M Ioriiy Of the people-of this however, they
furnish no evidence, and the fac, IS coniradic,ed
and upon this assumption, they proceed to upset
the existing Constitution nnd Laws, and substitute
others, Of their own making, in their stead. Such
proceeding IS u with all our notions Of regulat.
ed liberty, and cannot be defended in any forum
So little semblance Of right was there in the pro
ceedlng, that from the beginning We Paid but itle
attention to i,-suppos'ng ., to he an outbreak Of
faction and jemagogueisn. We find now that there
was another inerediontin the composition. Adolf.
fionism IL disguise is NJ the bottom Of the whole
movement. Dorr, the sham Governor, IS n full
bloOded Abolitioni-i arc nh his leading co-9dju.
tors II their professions be oi.owed--if the prin
cple be sanctioned, that existing and recognised
State institutions and laws may be Sc, aside by
tumultuary body Of people, on the bare pre,ext OF
being the molorIty-aotng not only without law,
but in direct and fragrant violation Of aw-and If
The Federal Government ran be required TO sustain
these pretensons with the Army and Navy, in
what condition is the entire SOUTH The Consli.
luuons IN n majority Of slave States might he abo
sbed At the dictation Of the black population; and
the Fedora. Executive would be compelled 20 resoy.
ME nnd support the proceeding. This is WIN, the
Rhode Island Abolitionsts are aiming ot.
We add 70 the Courier'5 paragraph the Proeln.
nation Of the sham governor, to exhibit tho Ditch
/ 20 which Loco Foco inpudenee can r,ou,t
From the New York Courier 4 Enquirer Msyis
Rhode Island some ono hundred and seventy
| years ago, obtained under tho auspices Of ROGER
Williams, the patriarch Of Us first settlers, Charter
| Of Civil Government from Charles tho Second Of
! England. The Charter WINS penntd by those who
prayed tor o., md ~ course m1do lust oq free
| and just us liberal as those who asked tho Royai
sanction desired . 10 10 Il was gmnteI, and The
people Of Rhode Island lived under u IN the mo-,
perfect contenimont go f'r ns the letter Of The in
srumert was c0nceuod) til the Declaration OF
American Independence released the people from
any Obligations u obey o. as a Royal Charter and
upon tho adoption Of tho United S,atee Coreiif,,-
ton, 80 partial were tho people Of tho State 10 IT,
, prOvleons, and 50 we'll satisfied were thcy thai
thoy could not fame a better form Of Governmfn,.
that instead Of making new Constitution tbsv
adopted the Old ono with such mod fcanons MS were
consistent with their new re- atoms and the me-
cumstances under which they were placed.
The thirteen colonies, however, had ndoptej
written Constitutions Of their own p,nnng. nn5 1,
portion Of the people Of Rhode Island, have been
for several years DESTROYS Of doing tho same tb,.o.
and they have from time 10 time made efforts to
that ond.-Tho real citizens, however, me oisn
Vs Of Rh0de bland, thought they had fieht OF ro.
vofnng Rhode Island, and they have rosoutely no.
sisted any innovation on the old Constitution
Constitution with which they we're we'll enough
lsatlshed, and until within year or two past tbev
have resisted oil attempts 10 make very well, bot.