Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-02-29

II ChHfTbI tile othlts w iIltiI IHtfIuhl
and cast the sword into the scale Of the
party which he espouses, he ~, IN fact,
a military dictator of nll-absorbing pow
iers, IN be brought oui as 0ccasion may
IireQuire State rights are u mocSey,
and the Declaration OF Independence is
/ las il is here asserted Ia be) a"a rheto
rica flourish" Intended for a purpose
long since gone by; popular sovereignty
is u delusion, and we have not, as was
supposed Of The Revolution, escaped
from the aristocratic and monarchlcal
doctrine oftho Old World--that govern
men, is sovereign, and the people are
| subjects.
Il Let il he borne in mind, that when
| the President commenced with the al
| fairs of this State, there was no "insur-
| rection," no "domes site violence" The
people were not over,hrowing govern
mcnt, but rightiuIly and pcaceaby sub.
siitnting another, to take effect at "A pre-
scrbed time the laws being continued
in operation, and the officers md magis-
tra,es being continued IN their places
until duty suspended by new elections
and appointments.
The people Of this State, who support
ed the constitution Of l84l, were desi-
rous at the late election of members to
| your House for this State. Of choosing
! their own candidates by the electors an.
| lIthoriZcd under said constitution, aud
thus of bringing the question OF our
l' zig hts under the same 10 your consldera
tinn, upon competition for the seats
OF the present members. But this was
impossible, as 10y one of the Algernr
laws Of this State, (p!operly so called
all meetings for such purpose are de-
clared rioious, to be suppressed by civil
and military force aud the people pres
ent, after the reading Of the riot act,
ard wilhou, time to retire, might be shot
down forthwith.
The Undersigned, in the view of the
facts now stated, and in behalf Of their
democratic .ellow-ciiiZens, therefore re-
specilully request that the House of
j Representatives Of the United States
will inquire whether the President of
the United States has any such power
OF interfering in the internal aflaIrs of a.
exrrcisrd IN The case of Rhode Island.
Il The undersigned further request .hc
House of Representatives to call upon
The President of the United States for
the aulhoriIy, and for copies of the ap-
plicalions, upon which he acted IN this
case /; for the instructions To, aud state
mens of, the charter commissioners,
! L., O.. ,k
rpspOndence between the Executive and
| the charter Governor of this State, and
! all the papers and documents connected
with The same +; for any espondcnce
! between The heads OF departments and
SAID Governor, or any person or persons
connected with said charter government,
and for any accompanying papers aud
| documents /; for all orders issued by the
! Executive, or any of the departments,
! To military officers, for The movement or
| employment Of troops 10 OF ~ Rhode Is
| land and for all orders to naval oili-
GERS 10 prepare steam or other vessels of
| the United States for service ~ the wa
,ers Of Rhode Island for all orders to
officers OF revenue cutters for the same
StIN'Nt lol any UoIht NY
the Secretary OF War To Rhode Island
on his visit IN 1912, To review the char
ter troops for any order or orders to
any officer or officers of the army or ma
w 10 report themselves TO the charter
government. Aud the undersigned re-
| quest an inquiry whether such officers
/ took part in advising said government,
forming plans, giving directions, and
/ Otherwise also, an inquiry whether or
not certain officers in the pay of the
/ United States did not, IN June, 1912, at
/ Providence, and at the head Of gangs of
! armed whites and negroes, iorcIbly enter
! the houses of suffrage emen, and maltrcat
them, and dcspoi them OF their property; {;
| also, whether, in 1912, in this State,
private correspondence through the post
office was violated, and by whom.
| The undersigned further request the
|. House Of Representatives to enquire
Il whether the members of said House
from the State of Rhode Island are en-
|, titled TO their seats; inasmuch as "A large
number Of persons, entitled, under the
|. peoples constitution, To vote at their
election, were excluded from the polls,
and the electors were debarrcd from vo-
tIng for candidates 10 opposition, under
SAID constitution, by the military law be-
fore described.
The undersigned further request the
/ Congress of the United States 10 exc
cute to this State the guaranty, in The
national constitution, of republic
constitution, IN Jaror Of that mhich mas
righBuily and duty odopicd IN This State,
/ IN December, 1871, and established and
carried into effect bg Me organisation of
a government under Il IN May, 1912
The undersigned also request such
further aid as Congress may deem it in
their power and cXpedien, to afford
4 Senators. - Samuel Sleere ,Olney Bal
lou, Otis Wood, Cyrus Brown, Levi &.
Eaton, George {. Carr, Anson Potter
H (believlng the statement To he suLs,an.
tally correct, Isaac Wilkinson.
Rcpresentai;rea.-Eddy kcech, Glad
ding y. Thompson, Adams Park, James
Angel, CYRUS Farnum, William Stcere,
/ Il I I