The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-21

REFORM BY REVOLUTION.

4
We have been accustomed to place great conf
dence In the Institutions OF liberty. We have seen
our own State and National Constitutions pass through
some fiery trials, and come out rather seasoned and
strengthened than burned. We have always found
that although parties might rage and rave, yet when
the contest about TO put In jeopardy the lives
of our citizens the stability ol our institutions,
the good sense and good feeling of the sober part
of the community have always come frward TO
calm the agitation. But amid all the conflicts OF
| opinion in our country, we have never seen any
thing more strange more dangerous, or more utterly
| anti American than some movements IN our city
in sympathy with the revoutionists of Rhode Island.
| The question in Rhode Island is not whether the
right of suffrage shall be extended not 1t is
agreed on all hands, that ii should be. The existing
government of Rhode Island have already proposed
Constitution extending the right of suffrage to the
whole people, with less exceptions than customa
~ in the States where suffrage is termed universal.
All navebon citizens were authorized to vote with
out any property qualification, and all foreigners at
ter short residence in the State This liberal Con-
stitution the Dorr party voted against and caused
it to be rejected by six hundred votes and
they go to clamor for their rights, and claim
sympathies, as men oppressed, who have no remedy
but in revolution. The question is not therefore,
ALL whether the right of suffrage shall be extended to
all the citizens of Rhode Island, but whether it shall
be secured by reform or by revolution. The Dorr
party refuse to take what they demand when it is
freely offered peaceful manner, but insist TAX
ing the thing sword In hand. We should like to
| ask MIR. Stephen Allen MIR. Aaron Vanderpoel, Mr..
| C.. c. Cambreleng, and other such like gentlemen,
who sustaining this imaginary Governor at the
point of the bayonet which OF the two ways of accom-
plishng the end desired most udicious most manly
most American, most Christian! These gentlemen
only refuse all recognitioA OF the Government of
Rhode Island, but the Government OF the U. States.
The Federal Constitution requires the National Co
vernment to suppress nsurrecon and sustain the Co
vernments of the several States, if need be- If
| the instruction in Rhode Island proceeds to vi
| client measures, the President will have no alter
native He cannot investigate the controversy be-
tween the parties. The Government, in fact, he is
bound to support. Yet this interference of the
sttuted authorities of the nation In accordance with
the provisions of the Constitution is called foreign
interference, as if it had come fiom France or Tur
key and be repealed by other foreign forces from
| our CITY, The gentlemen neither recognise govern
ment in Rhode Island, nor in the United States.
They set UP the will the people the supreme
only cover ment, Just if society in its orig-
nal elements and now for the first time to be brought
into form and order. But the existence of go
vernment in Rhode Island and at w ashington fact
! of some Importance in the case We have great
machinery of government which we have found capa-
Bile of working out all the reforms which the advance
meDt of public opinion has dictated Is this fact to be
entirely overlooked and every movement OF the popu
| lar will TO proceed upon radical principles There
have been great many cases IN which the will of the
majority has been for while suppressed and yet, SO
| far the people have not resorted to revolution as a
| remedy. President Pyler holds his place, it may
| be- with the appreciation OF only minority of the
people of the country. What, then! Shall have
revolution and put him out of office, sword in hand!
Or suppose counting up the aggregate Of votes
! should appear that minority Of The whole number
| had elected the majority of our Common Council
The will Of the majority is the supreme law. Would
not government SO constituted, be usurpation; and
ought it not to be overridden by new government,
instituted by going back to the chaos of society," We
say no and say to all the disorganizing and
chaotic doctrines which have been set up in reference
to the Rhode Island affair. Our hresdes, our proper
ty and our lives, would be utterly insecure, if the
fact of existing government not to be recognized
as the fact by which all reforms are to be attained
Least of all in the of Rhode Island Is there any
excuse for setting up doctrines so dangerous for as
| we have said, the existing government is ready to
grant and has already rendered, all that is demanded
| There may be some gentlemen who think little Rhode
| Island pony which they could ride all the way to
Washington. Reasoning would Of course not reach
their understandings. But such as Mr. Allen,
are known not to be governed by motives of this
sort We ask all such men respectfully to consider
well whether they may not be unsettng the principles
upon which their own dwellings stand and which
essential to the security of society? From all
learn the Dorr party numbers in its ranks but small
portion of the cool wisdom oflittle Rhode Island and
is daily numbering less. Yet there certainly
men of worth who still attach themselves to that par
ty It not strange that they should insist on the ex-
tension of suffrage, but do not understand how pa
trots and wise men and Christians prefer to gain
| by the sword that which they may take in peace
| The principles involved in the controversy are inn
portant to us all We all in ship, and if
part of the scute her. they will go to the bot
tom Just certainly the rest
Next to the effrontery of the Rhode Island usurpa-
ton, which bids defiance to the government of that
State is the efrontery of the sympahsers in this ci
ty who bid defiance to the Government Of the nation
Because the National Government is disposed to
obey the Constitution which requires it, on applica
ton to the Legislature of any State of the Execu
tive (when the Legislature cannot be convened to
protect such State from domestic violence therefore
the sympathisers propose sending armed force to
prevent the required protection from being afforded
| No wonder there should be sympathy between men
so entirely agreed in tramplng upon the governments
under which they live.