Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-04-01


its Governor Thomas Wilson Dorr, to execute them BY
means Of the penary power which vested in him for
that purpose.
To say that al these proceedings illegal IS to
characterize them gently; they usurpatons the
most reasonable in and the most insurreconary
in the Of their institution They were not only
done without color of authority, but in direct conrayen-
ton Of the highest law Of the State TWAS in every sense
| of the word rebellion.
To enforce the lars however, of this tumuuary egs-
laton Gov DoT took the responsibility of calling out the
militia" meaning Of by this term his own re-
tairers and adherents. The mob, thus summoned and
armed marched against the State arsenal, which was
vigorously assaulted but the rioters repulsed
and dispersed the Governor himself deserted by his
camp followers fed to New Hampshire. Not long after
wards however the fugitive leader Of the insurgents re-
turned to Rhode Island re-organzed his legions and
drafted additional recruits from the "Suberranean De-
mocracy" Of New York. But scarcely had he set his
squadron second time the field before his myrmidons
again put gnominous fight blythe forces OF the
legally existing Government. The aged and venerable
father Of Dorr enrolled himself among the minute
on the side of law and order fatally disturbed by his
unworthy Dorr again became fugitive
But meanwhile Rhode Island had egitimately revised
her constitution and effected legally the changes which
were deemed be in accordance with the real wishes OF
About year later Dorr adYentured to return again to
the States he was forthwith arrested charge of high
treason was tried by the Supreme Court convicted
and sentenced to the State prison for e with the for
NAL deprivation Of civil rights. .. .'
If this punishment it only be from not
duly considering the magnitude of the crime There is
disposition among certain persons to palliate political
offences though they were comparatively venal but
they are precisely those which in proportion to their
gravity the most criminal 'Our parents are dear,
says Cicero familiar passage, "dear children,
dear our friends and companions but country
embraces all the charities of them all To benefit his
country what good will hesitate to die? While de-
testabe beyond comparison the barbary Of those who
would wound her by their criminal assaults and who
either are or have been wholly occupied in her destruc
ton" .|
After years confinement in the penitentary Dorr
released by of the Legislature, who it is believed
were influenced this deed of clemency by fond
belief that the spirit of faction and disorder had been
efectually crushed in the State. ..~ .....
But the Democracy having during the present year
gained their lost ascendancy in the government of Rhode
Island they fastened pass among their earliest acts,
the following decree Of the General Assembly:
ssIt is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
sSec i. The judgment of the Supreme Court whereby
Thomas Wilson Dorr OF Providence, the twenyhfth
day of June, 1874 sentenced to imprisonment for
fe at hard labor in separate confinement s hereby re-
peaed reversed annuled and declared IN all respects to
be as if it mad never been rendered. ~,
"Sec 2. To the end that right be done to the said
Thomas Wilson Dorr the Clerk Of the Supreme Court of
the county of Newport hereby directed to write across
the face of the record of said Judgment the words Re-
yersed and annued by order of the General Assembly,
at their January session, A. d. 1854 a.~..
Sec g. The Secretary of State is hereby directed to
transmit copy Of this act to each of the Governors Of
the several States and the Congress of the United
States" .... .....>..
Was there ever more hgh.handed outrage than this
committed by one of the depositares of the State
regnty on IN independent and coordinate branch of the
Government? The act Of the United States Senate in
mutilatipg its journal deemed by many to be
stretch Of power at arbitrary and monsrous; but
the Legislature of Rhode Island has taken step beyond
that 1t has invaded the sanctuary of justice, and with
uncean touch has oued and solcd the journal of the
most august tribunal in the Statea tribunal whose
records it has legitimate control than the United
States Senate have those of Supreme Court and
yet in all its assumptions touching the right to obte
rate its records, would the Senate have ever ven
tured similar usurpation those OF the latter tr
bunal ~.
4 But the Rhode Island Democracy deferred by no
such scruples and satisfied with the preparation of
gross inquity it boldly aunts it shame before the
face Of the nation 1t directs the Secretary of State to
transmit copy of this act to each Of the Governors of
the several States and to the Congress of the United
States The enormity Of the transaction only exceed
ed by its brazen impudence 1t would SEEM indeed that
the Rhode Island Democracy do but seek in this to ni
tate the custom of the Highland chiefs who were
wont to rally their clansmen and confederaes to some
fecbootpg foray by dispachng swift messengers from
village to village, each bearing and transmitting from
hand to hand the fiery of shame, which was the
symbol of sudden and important emergency in which
all who beheld the signal called to act Do the
Rhode Island Democracy summon their brethren in " the
several States" to unite with them in similar oray
the Judiciary? And by sending such missiYe TO the
Congress of the United States do they seek to inform
that body of its hitherto unexercsed prerogatves
records Of the Supreme Court AS the precedent of
the Rhode Island Assembly is thus conpcuousy brought
before the whole country let look little more closely
into the hdeous features which it presents
If there be any principle of republican government
our fathers understood it, fundamental than
other, it is that which ordains the distribution of It's
powers in the hands Of independent and coordinate
branches In the Convention which framed the Consttu-
ton Of the United States the first resolution adopted by
that body that National Government ought to be
established consisting of supreme legislative, Judiciary
and executive" And this principle, Judge Story
observes, tiles at the bottom of all our institutions,
State well National" Upon the expediency of such
division in the powers Of State it surely cannot be
cessary enlarge at this stage in the history of repub
can government in this country Yet it is precisely this
principle which is assaled by the action of the Rhode