Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-04-11

p"''""' P'''" VI ui' utu uhlr. "iich too
place in the Senate upon the Dpri'c Memo
rial, aud npon tho passage Of the Protest az
Declara'lon, al The recent SPECIAL session {
the Legislature in Providence.
\ SATURDAY, Mar. 30.
StNNTs.--Thc Srua,r came to order pur
'""nt 10 adjournment, his Honor the LIcu
Gov"rnor presiding.
/ A protest aud Drclaraiion, passed by ih
/ House. was received and read and 1t beInl
moved by Mr. Bullock that HE Senate con
/ eur,
Mr.. Eaton SAID that ho was somewhat sur
prlScd that 81 much should have bcCn mnd
/ of this memurlal- that SPECIAL session o
! rh" Legislature should have been convene,
to consider it. He had supposed that then
was n Willingness nmong men of all paric
! TINT tho QucstIons involved IN our dfiicuIlie
: here IN Rhode Island should be tested il
Congress. and IN the Supreme Court of til,
United states. A snit at law involving ihcs,
questions has gone up Ia the Supreme CouT
-tha, IS proper tribunal. lie believe,
Congress 10 be proper body also To cUusd
or these questions. lie was under the I'M
preston that II was generally expected
But these questions would come before Con
gress. He had understood that claims wer,
to he sent from thus State for re endorsement
Ini The expenses incurred IN supprcssIng a $,
called lnsurrCction. lie had supposed thai
The intention 10 send up those claims was
SINCERE. Al must see that such claims
would raise before Congress the same Qucs-
tlons which are raised by this memorial. IIc
was therefore surprised that the memorial
should have caused so much excitement.
Some at the questions raised IN the memo
rial all must allow to be propef. The qnes-
tion, for instance, in relation TO the conduct
of the President and other officers oi the
United States.
There are other questions raised by the
memorial which he thought equally proper
for Congress To consider, as, whether tho
movements Of The people of this State, in
their attempt to establish constitution
were or were not lnsurrectIonary ;-whelher
It would or would not have been proper fur
Congress to furnish aid to the President t.
arrest and put down that movement. II Ger
'ninlv becomes both parties, Congress aud
he States. to know what are their duties and
powers. In one word, he thought II proper
tor Congress 10 settle the Rhode Island
question, so called the power os the people
1t State IN their sovereign capacity TO es
'abIIsh form of government for themselves
70 show that this was The intention Of tht
Senate 10 the heading of the memorial: IL
could only speak for himself Ills own con
science freed HIM from any charge Of mpro
prlely. lie dsci1lmed any intention of call.
ng upon Congress 10 interfere 10 put down
he present constitution Of this State. he
Ind not think they had power TO do So. H.
belonged TO the Democratic party, which had
always been Jealous of State rights. Hi,
yInpafhies were with that party. He feared
and would guard against The cncroachmcnts
# the Central Government. lie slmpk
wished Congress- 10 inquire into The qucs-
'ion. lie wanted the expression Of their
nplnlon upon the principles maintained by
he friends Of the peoples constitution
whether, at the time they would have inter
cred, or would have furnished and to The
President to put down that constitution.
Ii any part of the memorial will bear the
construction given to 1t by this protest, l.
was not SO intended. You can put any con
trucilDn upon motives you may chnuse. -
You ought 10 have charity enough 10 crcdl
the disclaimer of any such intention as /,
attributed 20 us BY llIS protest. As To the
charge 0f having violated his oath of Office
II was not true. lie had used his best DIS
crctlon IN Icglsla,lnr for tho stn,c "
never had any intention of attempting Ilic-
gnlly To overthrow the Constitution winch he
hal sworn TO support, or Of asking Congress
to Go So. lie had never supposed that Con.
grcss had any sucb power and had meyer
any idea that Congress would attempt what
rhcy had no power to do. As To the vote ol
ccnsure which he understood was coming up
from the other House, he should have moth.
ng to say about that. |, was not to be ox.
p"cicd that he could vote upon II, or that an,
ihlng which he could say would hive nnv cf
feet upon measure which had been cut ant
dried beforehand. lie WISHED again mos
distinctly to dlsclalln Tor himself, and. 50 IA,
as hr knew their sentiments, for his friends
any intention of calling upon Congress 10 IN
icr'cre with the present constitution Of lhl,
State, and 10 establish another N It's place
lie was aware that part of the mcmolla
would bear such y construction, bat It wa,
also susceptible of different construction
and he called upon the senate to CONSIDER
well before they passed a vote Of ceusurc--
thus cut aud dued beforehand upon men
some Of whom were absent aud had no op.
poItuniiy 10 defend themselves. The Sen
ate would not do this, unless they were ready
20 adop, tie old rule, Judge, execute, ant
then try" lie did not think tie people Of
tins State were ready to sanction such pro
cccding.
The senate adjourned until 3 o'clock. p. NJ
.b0oHgoH The Senate met pursuant t.
adjournment.
Mr.. Greene is not surprising, sir. I,
me, that the memorial Oi twcniy.six mem
b"rs Of thls Legislature, styling thcmselvc,
"Dcmocraiic members" and The action of the
House Of Representatives on that memorial
should have excited attention aud feeling II
"uf State sufficient To warrant the calling ~
gcihcr ol the General Assembly nj tins time
u - not surprising. because when the terms
u that memorial are taken Iuto consideration
ynu rnunut bri perceive n desire on the pnri
~ -oinc prrsoUs--persons, too, holding Office,
\ bgl trust and confidence, to revive W,
agr,iinp questions which have involved thl,
State m st'iic aud confusion wiIhm The last
I"o!caf5.