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

i difficulties, and requesting the House Of
i Representatives, 10 make certain specified
| inquiries in relation thereto.
To The House of Representatives. Of The
/ Congress ofMe United States
II The undersigned, citizens of the Uni
ted States, and democratic members OF
! the General Assembly of the State oi
/ Rhode Island aud Providence Pldnta-
l'ons,
| RESPECTFULLY REPREsEST
Il That n large majority of the adult
male Inhabitants of the State OF Rhode
Island, being citizens Of the United
! States, after having long waited in vain
for an amendment, through the old char
tei government, OF the political insiilu-
tions Of this State, IN order 10 bring them
| into conformity To the standard Of demo-
cratic republic, to define aud regulate
the unlimited powers Of the General As
sembly, and To secure Ia the people the
| rshl OF suffrage, and other Just rights,
| of which they had long been deprived.
/ in the exercise Of their original sovereign
/ capacity, did, in December lGIl, ria hit
\ fully adopt and duly ralily constitution
4 of government, republican in its form
and character, agreeably 10 the guaran-
Ity Of the constitution Of the United
| States. The votes given in for this
! constitution were signed by the voters,
| and have been carefully preserved az a
/ standing evidence OF The will aud action
of The people.
!, Previously TO the election of govern
! ment under the peoples constitution, the
! President Of the United States issued "A
! letter TO the Governor, then acting IN.
/ der the chatter and laws, ~ which he
/ undertakes t. prcsrrIb" the mode of pro-
ceeding Ia amend ine institutions of u
State, and declares, in effect, that the
/ only valid change must be made by "ihr
authorities And r,opiu 3 placing the
"arthori'ies" bf fore the people, making
! their consent and permission requisite to
the action Of the people, and reversing
the great fundamental doctrine of our
democratic republic, that all just govern
! ment is founded in the consent oi the
! governed {; and that the p,or'c are, of
! course, superior 10 the servants intrus,eG
| nih temporary power, for convenience,
! and in order To do the will OF their supe.
! riorI.
/ A majority of the old charter House
OF Representatives was elected by towns
! containing less than one Mid of the
/ population oi the State, and the voters
/ IN these towns were q hird of the adult
male Inhabitants so that the people oi
| thus State were ruled, under the old
/ charter system, by one.n,n'h part OF the
adalt male population, without " hose per
/ mission, tsrough tneIr "authorities" in
the General Assembly, according to the
| President, they could never come 10 the
enjoyment Of their inalienable rights
| On the other hand, leaving To each
State the question, Who are the people
we contend that majority Of the whole
people are competent, of themselves
without permission, by an authentic act
TO change their form of government.
/. The undersigned would call your at
| Ienilon TO another Important fact that
| there Wds 40 Mode prescribed by charter,
I law, or usage, IN hls State, for proceed
lng 10 change the government, aud 10
/, form II written constitution. A that the
I Assembly could do, was to request the
/ people TO act and they were at liberty
/ to do So or not, and could act as well
| without the request, which gave no pow
/ cr, as with it.
i The President, in his letter aforcsaid,
4 conveyed the threat of an intervention
/ with the forces of the United States. in
/ case the proceedings Of the people To sr,
/ up their government should I've persisted
/ IN ; and by increasing the number OF
| troops at Newport, and by other demon
STATIONS within striking distance, he
| gave all the advantages Of actual military
/ co-operatlon and invasion to the old
\ charter party and their government, and
/ enabled them, with the union of the State
treasury and the military, TO ,uppress the
/ government elected under the peoples
constitution /; TO trample upon the ria hts
II oi our citizens maintain martial law
over The people, in derogalion ol all law !;
TO impose on the people, while thus un-
der durcss, another constitution, unjust,
restrictive, aud anti-republican, adopted
by less than one-ihud OF the adult male
citizens and, generally, to govern the
Il Stale as "A conquered territory, by dcs-
polIc laws and by the military and To
exercise political prescription, extend
ing throPsb all the relations Of society
and bus'Jsss, such az has never before
been Witnessed IN any State in this
/, Union. Many of our citizens have
been driven from the State into exile,
| by the couise of the successful party.
Large numbers have been Imprisoned,
and about fifteen are now under indlct-
menls for pretended treason and inside
meanors. One ol the number, Thomas
w. Dorr, who was elected governor o(
the State under the people constitution,
has been kept IN ciose prison for more
than three months, unGer a ,aarge OF
treason, bu, IN reality !ur attempting tc
MAINTAIN, according 10 lis oath of office,
The peoples constitution, and Tor carry
lng out tho doctrines OF the Declaration
,Of American Independence.
The undersigned believe and affirm
\ 'h1l tbs Interference Of the PTesldrbt ia
The hnd.rs ~ State, small IA territory,