The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-19
RHODE ISLAND.


2 RHODE ISLAND.
The Providence Journal Extra of Thursday con
tans brief Proclamation by Governor King, an
nouncing the receipt of the annexed communication
from the President of the Untee States, and calling
| upon the people of Rhode Island to take heed
| thereof, and govern themselves accordingly"
| To His Ercelsrcy,
| The Governor of Rhode Island
| SIR-Your letter dated 14th inst was handed me
on Friday by MIR. Whpple, who, in company with
| Mr.. Francis and Mr.. Potter, called upon me on Sa-
turday, and placed me, both verbally and by writing,
in possession of the prominent facts which have led
to the present unhappy condition OF things in Rhode
Island "a state Of things which every lover OF peace
and good order must deplore shall not adventure
the expression of opinion upon those questions OF
domestic policy which seem to have given rise to the
unfortunate controversies between portion OF the
citizens and the existing Government OF the State
They are questions of Municipal regulation, the adj
iusment of which belongs exclusively to the people
of Rhode Island and with which this government
| can have nothing to do. For the regulation OF my
conduct in any nterposition which may be called
upon to make, between the Government of State
and any portion of its citizens who may assa it with
domestic violence, or may be in actual insurrectiOn
against it, | can only look to tho Constitution and
Laws of the United States, which plainly declare the
obligations of the Executive Department. and leave
it alternative to the course it shall pursue
By the 4th Section of the 4th Article of the Con-
stuton of the United States, it is provided that the
United States shall guaranty to every State in this
Union Republican form of Government, and shall
protect each of them against invasion and the APP
plication of the Legislature, Executive (when the
Legislature cannot be convene against domestic vio-
les,ce And by the Act of Congress approved on the
28h of February, 1885, it is decared-that in of
an instruction in any State against the Government
thereof, it shall be lawful forthe President of the U.
States, upon application of the Legislature of such
State of the Executive (when the Legislature can
not be convened } to call forth such number of the
militia of any other State States may be applied
for he may judge sufficient to suppress such nsur-
rection. By the Sd section of the act it is pro-
vded that whenever it may be necessary in the udg
ment of the President to the military force hereby
directed to be called FORTH the President shall forth
with, by proclamation command such insurgents to
dispense and retire peaceably to their respective
! abodes within a reasonable time.
By the act of March 3, 1907, is provided that in
| all cases of instruction obstruction to the laws
either of the United States or any individual State or
Territory where it is lawful for the President of the
United States to call forth the Militia for the purpose
of suppressng such nsurrection, of causing the
laws to be duly executed; it shall be lawful for him to
employ for the same purposes, such part of the land
naval force of the United States shall be judged
necessary, having first observed all the prerequisites
| of the law in that respect"
This is the first occasion, SO far as the government
OF its Peoppo arc COHCeIHCu, oH WbiCH
has become necessary to consider of the proprety of
exercising these high and most important constitu-
tional and legal functions. By careful considera-
ton of the above rected acts of Congress, your Ex
cellency will fail to see that power is vested in
in the Executive Of the United States anticipate
insurrectionary movements against the Government
of Rhode Island to sanction the interposition of
the military authority, but that there must be
tual instruction manifested by lawless assembages
of the people otherwise, to whom proclamation
ms he a0flresSe0 and who he beta
| themselves to their respective abodes. have. how
ever to your Excellency that should the time
arrive, and my fervent prayer is that 1t may never
come, when an instruction shall exist against the
Government of Rhode Island and requisition shall
be made upon the Executive of the United States to
| furnish that protection which is guaranteed to each
State by the Constiut on and laws, 1 shall not be
| found to shrink from the performance of duty,
which, while it would be most painful is at the
time the most imperative. have also to say that in
such contingency, the Executive could not look in
to real supposed defects of the existing govern
ment in order to ascertain whether some other plan
of government proposed for adoption was better suit
ed to the wants and more in accordance with the
wishes of any portion of her citizens.
To throw the Executive power of this government
into any such controversy would be to make the Pre-
sident the armed arbitrator between the people of the
different States and their constituted authorities, and
might lead to an usurped power dangerous alike to
the stability of the State Governments and the ber
Ties of the people, 1t will be my duty the contra
ry to respect the acquisitions of that Government
which has been recognised the existing Govern
ment of the Slate through all time past, until shall
he advised in regular manner, that it has been altered
and abolished and other substituted in its place, by
legal and peaceabe proceedings, adopted and pursued
by the authorities and people of the State Nor can
readily bring myself to believe that any such contin-
gency will arise, shall render the interference OF
this Government at all necessary. The people ofthe
State of Rhode Island have been too long distinguish
ed for their love of order and of regular government
to rush into revolution in order to obtain redress Of
grievances real or supposed, which government
under which their fathers lived in peace, would not
in due season redress.
No portion of her people will be willing to drench
her fair fields with the blood of their brethren, in
der to obtain redress of grievances which their own
constituted authorities cannot for any length OF time
resist, if properly appealed to by the popular voice
None of them will be willing to set an example, in
the bosom of the Union, of such frightful disorder,
such needless commissions of society, such danger to
lfe liberty and property, and likely to bring dlscre-
dit on the character of popular governments MY
reliance on the virtue, intelligence, and PATRIOTISM OF
her citizens is great and abiding, and will not doubt
but that a spirit of Cancellation will prevail over
rash councils, that all actual grievances will be
promptly redressed by the existing Government, and
that another bright example will be added to the
many already prevailing among the North American
Republics, of change without revolution and re-
dress of grievances without force violence.
tender to your EXceency assurances OF my high
respect and consideration.
JOHN TYLER.
Washington, April IL, lS42.