The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-04-28
Non-Extraordinary Meeting In Tammany
HaII-Root Beer Crisis In Rhode leland.

thuslastic meeting, was heiu idsl hisutSt AaiAio'o"y
Hall, relative to the present crisis in the affairs OF
pretty little Rhode leland. The Hall was about
half full. There wasSa great deal OF talk, but no
cider-we mean enthusiasm. 1t had more the sp
of a root-beer asse mblage gathered to-
eether TO head off Captain Tyler" in a small
way, about his letter to the Governor of Rhode
Island but the lion spirit of the democracy did not
shake his name, nor give a roar worth a button
In fact, there is no belief any where that the people
Of Rhode Island want assistance to get or preserve
their rights. There will be no insurrectlon or light
lug in little Rhoda-but every rational man believes
that the suffrage party, in their general views ana
principles, are right, and must, sooner or later, sue
coed in their purposes: This IS certain. All the
excitement about Rhode Island here was got up
after the President wrote his letter. and was IN
tended to pre- vent the democracy OF New iorKurGm
giving that manly support TO captain iyief
which they have a mighty strong inclination TO DO
Some Of the politicians Of Tammany hardly recoi'
lected that there was such a State as Rhode Island,
till they saw a chance to " head off the Captain"
The democrats here feel a deeper interest IN the new
corporation than in little Rhoda.
calmly about Z o'clock. The Hon. A Vanderpoel
was nominated for Chairman, about thirty other
gentlemen as vices, and Robert b. Boyd and six or
ten others as secretaries.
MI: vanderpoel, on taking his seat, spoke as fol
lows -
7 am deeply sensible OF the honor you have
Just conferred upon mean honor, as the COM
mjttee of arrangements will bear me witness,
entirely unsol cited. Though am sure there
are MANY older and better soldiers, who are
more qualified to discharge the duties that will now
devolva upon me, l am equally sure that there are
none who excel the humble member who now ad-
dresses ycu, in zeal for the great Cause of equal
rights and popular suffrage, whenever sgliated. We
boro mai a q ~ 10 Orr rIvtlpn a IN do n aynroSS ON
sense of a controversy Of great interest, now IN pro-
press in a sister State. 1t involves the question
whether, in the absence of all provision to make or
amend a constitutions, the majority OF the people,
the masters, can establish or change their organic
law, without the consent of their servants the Legis-
lature; and whether Royal charters granted nearly
200 years ago, are, al this late day, so sacred, that
none but the very creatures chosen under those re-
gal powers OF attorney, are competent TO take even
the ~inciplent step towards anhlhilaiIug them, and
giving to the people their own. These are qnes-
tions big with interest TO all the friends OF repub.
lican liberty. But we have convened for another
purpose. II is to express our emphatic protest against
the doctrine, that the controversy IN Rhode Island
presents a fit case for the interference of the Gene.
raj Government We have met most respectfully
but firmly to say to President Tyler, "Siay The
strong arm Of the Union. Let it not be stretched
forth to crush the spirit. not of anarchical, but Of
consiltuiional.iberty, which isnow exhibited by the
smallest and the weakest Of our sisters. Make not
the Union odious. by sending forth its muskets and
bayopets to settle this iaHilv dispute. Weaken not
the affection of the people for the government over
which you preside by ssndlng forth It's soldIery on 4
crusade against majorlies, who by forms and means
calculated TO elicit the true sense OF the people, are
striving to secure the rights OF the freemen OF the
other States. These are the high and patriotic pur-
poses for which we have convened. Expostula-
lon-remOnstrance against menaced Interference in
a good cause the expression of our sympathy for
those who are contending for the high privileges
which we enjoy-privileges which We regard as
above all price-these are the great objects Of our
aas,- a~I nnra snvtl onlap, - I,t ,L.-. ..L-
believe that it is right for minorities to govern and
dlsffanchise majorities.
BY the time that Mr.. Vanderpoel commenced his
speech the room was not half full it was a funny
affair there were all the old Van Buren, politicians
on The platform, including Slam, Waterbury, Riell.
Hopkins. aud all the old Tammaay voters ia the
body OF the room. When the name of Shaler was
called, an freshman cried out we won't have Sha-
Ter, we won't have him, or any thing, or any kind of
meeting" (Roars of laughter)
The room then filled up pretty well with strac-
glers, including a great many Wings Mr.. Birdsall
then got up TO read the resolutions.
Ma BIRpsALL said, that he should simply re-
mark that the committee had come as near as they
ing az we'll as the wishes of the people of this city
and when the big heart of this city speaks out il will
send q pulsation through the whole Union. And, as
the people OF Rhode Island had done what is right,
the people of New York would stand by them,
(Cheers } He then read the resolutions
Whereas, The chief executive officer of the Federal
Government. misled, as We believe, by false representa-
tions and advisers, has not only shown a dispo.
sitios to interfere in the domestic sfairs of the State of
Rhode Island, but seems to intimate the Intention to use
the Federal forces in order to supper, the existing 60
vernment ofthat State, and againstthat " hich the people
in the exercise of their sovereignty, have rightfully es.
tablishcd. Therefore, in order that we may not seem TO
even the implied sanction Of our silence to such
acts,
Resolved, That the Presidential the United States, has
no more right to send a military force to nut down the
Constitution of Rhole Island, than he has to put down
the Constitution Of New York:
Resolved, Thatthe pesceable adoption Of a State Con.
stitu.ion by the people of Rhode Island, cannot be con.
strues into treason or " sedition' against any Just nc W
whatever; and that the opposite doctrine has TOO rank an
'odor" Of HartfordConv entionism to have emanated from
the Chief Magistrate OF a free people.
Resolved, That the m lin objection TO the legality of
the Constitution Of Rhode Island, to wit. thai 4. was
framed by a convention iginating with the people
themselves, and in which the whole people were re-
presented, instead Of having been framed by the dele
gates of the exclusive class which has hitherto exercis.
ed all the powers OF government in tina, State, is in our
eyes no objection, but rather a very strong argument in
proof of its Legality and justice.
Resolved, That we consider the Constitution ador,ed
by the people ofRhodc Island to be as unexceptionable
in its provisions as the peoples right to adopt il was
clear.
Resolved, That we view the Constitution proposed BY
the landholders, besides its Objectionable origin, being
the work of a body Of men having received from the
people no power to frame such an act, as an attempt to
delude the people of Rhode Island for, while il seem
ingly extended the right Of suffrage, !! in reality gave
iull power to dictate such laws as they might please to
the other two thirds, by giving that one.third a majority
IN both branches OF tue Legislature.
Resolved. That another great fault in the above ma.
draft, was the odious distinction it sought to create
the native and adopted citizens. That our
libarties can never be endangered by those men Of for
birth who come among us to earn their livelihood
by honest toll. That If such cannot be regarded as citi.
lens, they should be regarded az aliens, and not as a
species between the two and that:the old aristo-
cratic assumption of superiority by birth is less ridicu.
than the modern one Of superiority by place of
birth.
Resolved, That, in our opinions, this attempt to dis
the worthy citizen Of foreign birth comes " nth
a peculiarly bad grace from men whose claim to su.
preme authority rests upon nothing but the Eat of that
and corrupt monarch, Charles H., who was
never within three thousand miles Of their State.
A young lad, by tho name Of sHEpHERp, rose and said
h at this was the greatest occasino for sympathy he had
known the meeting was more worthy Of freemen
han any thing In a long time. They we're to second
he IT ,rts of great people to obtain their freedom They
hold a charter from q king, which must be cast
aside, and a constitution erected on its ruins Every
,i,iz en- conduces to the wealth-shall he be denied q
voice in the distribution Of that wealth. [Cheers He
haa hat Iiah4 he natuIe=God rave ii-man can't d.