The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-05-24
From the N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
THE SYMPATHIZERS AND THE FEDE-
RAIL COVER NMENT.

RAJ GOVERNMENT.
When honorable gentlemen 60 into SO large a field
as the Park to proclaim American principles, they
should at least first be that they understand
those principles, SO far as they are written in the
Federal Constitution. 1t seems to us the gentlemen
who headed the meeting on Tuesday, were not sutf-
GENTLY cautious in this respect. Here arc two OF
their resolutions
ResoIped, That respectfully, but most solemnly,
call upon the Executive of the United States to pause,
to beware how he treats the great popular movement
in Rhode Island instance Of INSTRUMENTATION to
lust authority; and most emphatically declare,
that not and will not fellow-citlzens Of
Rhode Island shot down by the soldiers Of the Gene
raj Government, for seeking in manner which all
our institutions recognise rights which we ourselves
enjoy.
RESOLVED That this meeting deem it desirable that
the sentiments of the great mass of the people Of this
city should be known to the President of the United
States and others in authority that the people of the
rest of the Union should be awakened to alike sens
blity relative to any interference by the armed power
of the Central Government to crush the people, anc
overthrow the rights of sovereign State, and thai
full knowledge should be acquired and disseminated in
the present fearful crisis, of the views, wishes and
proceedings of the coniendng parties in Rhode
Island and that corresponding committee of twelve
persons be therefore appointed by the president OF
this meeting for and on behalf of the city Of New
York.
For the benefit of comparison we will here quote
two American principles from the Constitution.
Article lst sec. 9th, paragraph l4th-among the
powers of Congress- is this ITO provide for calling
forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union,
suppress Instructions, and repel lnvasions" Con-
gress have by law provided for these emergencies and
imposed on the President of the United States the du-
ty Of executing those provisions.
Art IVth, Sec. 4th, of the Constitution, is as fol-
lows:
"The United States shall guarantee to every State
in the Union republican form of Government, and
shall protect each of them against invasion and on
application of the Legislature of the Execuv e
(when the Legislature not be convened) against
domestic violence"
1t must be obvious every one that the line of DO
Icy imposed on the President by the Constitution is
quite opposite to that laid down by the resolutions
Dorr is Governor of the State of Rhode Island he
is nsurgent. His Legislature and executive Off
the Legislature and executive Of the State or
they are engaged in instruction. There not be
two Supreme Governments in Rhode Island Very
few people will doubt which organization would be
held to be the government of Rhode Island by the Su-
preme Court of the United States There is no foun
datioD for doubt on the subject. Dorr and his fol-
lowers, whether supported by majority or minority
of the people, are from the nature and form of their
ement, altogether insuTrectonaIy, revolutionary
and reasonable But even if Judicial trial might
possibly a different result, the Federal Execu-
tive would be obliged to recognize the government in
fact There is in Rhoje Island existing the
the same government with which she came into the
Union, and received The pledge Of security. That
government is in possession Of all the public propery
the records of the State, and every thing which the
government ought to possess There is no doubt tina,
all these things by the regular workings Of the
Charter which has been sanctioned by the State and
the Nation the basis of government in Rhode
Island. In what the President has done, or rather
has not done, in this business he has confined him
self within his imperious duty. He was called on by
the government of Rhode Island take measures for
the D, erention of instruction. This he declined; and
he has absolutely done nothing in the He has
simply recognised his duty, explicitly commanded
in the Constitution and declared that he should be
guided by that instrument. For this, the wise men
of Gotham talk of foreign the violtio
of American principles Truly we must look some
where else than in the Park, for constitutional law
yers, or the defenders of American principles. The
fact is, that according to American principles, the
movement of Gov Dorr and his party is Instruction
airy and if it proceeds to overt acts will be easona-
BILE. If any men should 60 from New York to inter-
fere with, and oppose with arms, the constitutional
action of the United States Government they will
identity be guilty of treason and their lives if they do
not lose them in battle will be forfeited to the laws of
their country. These are the American principles in
the case. What fearful responsibility then, did the
gentlemen assembled in the Park, take upon them
selves But for their advice and countenance, the
controversy in Rhode Island would have ended be-
fore this. If in consequence of their most erroneous
and improper interference then endorsement in fact
and corporation in rebellion against the government
of Rhode Island and Of the United States-the blood
of American citizens should be shed, what must be
their reflections and what the feelings of their fellow
citizens towards them