Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1844-05-03

n0rlly IN lt9 tufn, lne WdJOThyI Ue'V'O
whose decrees the established order OF
things in the State should be subVered
Revolution, civil commotion and blood.
shed, would be the inevitable conse-
quences. The provision 10 the Consi
tuition intended for the security o(the
States, would thus be turned into the
instrument Of their destruction. The
President would become in fact the great
Constitution maker for the States, and
all power would be vested in his hands
When, therefore, the Governor Of
Rhode Island, by his letter OF the 4lh
April, lS42, made requlstlon upon the
Executive for aid to put down the late
disturbances, had no hesitation in re"
cognislng the obligations Of the Execu
tive 10 furnish such aid, upon the occur
renee Of the emergency provided for by
the Constitution and laws. Ny letter
oil the llIh April, in reply to 'hR Gov
ernor's letter OF the 4th, is herewith
communicated; together with all the
correspondence which passed at sub
sequent day, and the letters and docu.
ments mentioned 10 the schedule there
unto annexed From the corresPon
dence between the Executive Of the
United States, and that OF Rhode Island
it will not escs pc observation that while
regarded i! as my duty 10 announce
the principles by which | should govern
myself, in the contingency OF an armed
intorPosilon on the part Of this govern
ment being necessary 10 uphold the
rights OF the State OF Rhode Island, and
10 preserve its domestic peace, yet that
the strong hope would be INDUCED and
expressed, that all the difficulties would
disappear before an enlightened policy
Of conciiation and compromise. In
that spirit | addressed to Governor
King the letter OF the 7lh May, l942,
marked private and confidential, and re
ceived his rePS Of the 18th May Of the
same year. The desire Of the Execu.
tive was, from the beginning, TO bring
The dispute 10 q termination without the
interposition Of the military power Of
the United States; and will continue 10
be subject Of self congratuIa'ion that
this leading object of poi,y was finally
accomplished. The Executive resisted
all eDtrealies, however urgent, 10 de-
part from this line Of conduct. Infor-
nation from private sources had led the
Executive TO conclude that little else
vas Designed by Mr. Dorr and his I'D
herents than mere menace, with a view
to intimidation; nor was this opinion in
any degree shaken until the 22d June,
1912 when 1t was strongly represented
from reliable sources, as will be seen by
reference to the documents herewith
communicated, thai preparations were
making by Mr.. Dorr, with large force
in arms, 10 invade the State, which force
had been recruited in the neigbboFng
States, and wes already preceded by the
collection Of military stoIes in consider
able quantities at one or two points -
This was 9 state Of things TO which the
Executive could not DO Indifferent, Mr..
Dorr speedily afterwards took up hls
head quarters at ChSpachet, and assum
cd the command Of what was reported
to be large force, drawn chiefly from
voluntary enlislmsnts made in neigh
boring States. The Executive could
with difficulty bring itself TO realize the
fact that the citizens Of other States had
forgotten their duty 10 themselves and
the Constitution of the United States
and entered into the highly reprehensi
bic and indelensibIe course Of inlerEer
iEg so far in the concerns Of sister
State, az TO have entered into plans Of
invasion, conquest, and revolution; but
the Executive felt it TO be its duty TO look
minuIeIy into the matter, and therefore
the Secretary of War was despatched TO
Rhode Island with instructions, copy
OF which are herewith transmitted and
was authorized, should requsilion be
made upon the Executive by tho Gov
ernmenl Of Rhode Island, in pursuance
OF law, ant the Invaders should not aban
don their purposes, 10 call upon the
Governors OF Massachusetts and Con
necIcut Ior sufficient number of mill
tia al once to crush the invasion, and TO
lnIerpose such Of the regular troops Os
could be spared from Fort Adams for the
defence Of the city Of Providence, in The
event Of its being attacked, as was
strongly represented to be in contem-
plaIon. Happily, there was no ueces'
sity for either issuing proclamation or
requsilion, OF for removing the troops
from Fort Adams, where they had been
properly stationed, Chepachet was
evacuated, and Mr.. DORIS troops dispor
sed, without The necessity Of the inter-
position Of any military force BY the
Government; thus confirming me in my
early impressions that nothing more had
been designed from the tirsI, by those
GssociOted with Mr. Dorr, than to excite
fear and apprehensious. and thereby 10