ted in violation of law, but in conformity to
the said pretended constitution, have, on the 3d day of May instant,
organized themselves into executive and legislative departments of
government, and under oath assumed the duties and exercise of said
powers; and

Whereas in order to prevent the due execution of the laws a strong
military force was called out and did array themselves to protect the
said unlawful organization of government and to set at defiance the due
enforcement of law: Therefore,

_Resolved by the general assembly_, That there now exists in this State
an insurrection against the laws and constituted authorities thereof,
and that, in pursuance of the Constitution and laws of the United
States, a requisition be, and hereby is, made by this legislature upon
the President of the United States forthwith to interpose the authority
and power of the United States to suppress such insurrectionary and
lawless assemblages, to support the existing government and laws, and
protect the State from domestic violence.

_Resolved_, That his excellency the governor be requested immediately to
transmit a copy of these resolutions to the President of the United
States.

True copy.

Witness: HENRY BOWEN,
_Secretary of State_.

WASHINGTON, _May 7, 1842_.

The GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

SIR: Your letter of the 4th instant, transmitting resolutions of the
legislature of Rhode Island, informing me that there existed in that
State "certain lawless assemblages of a portion of the people" "for
the purpose of subverting the laws and over-throwing the existing
government," and calling upon the Executive "forthwith to interpose
the authority and power of the United States to suppress such
insurrectionary and lawless assemblages and to support the existing
government and laws and protect the State from domestic violence,"
was handed me on yesterday by Messrs. Randolph and Potter.

I have to inform your excellency in reply that my opinions as to the
duties of this Government to protect the State of Rhode Island against
domestic violence remain unchanged. Yet, from information received by
the Executive since your dispatches came to hand I am led to believe
that the lawless assemblages to which reference is made have already
dispersed and that the danger of domestic violence is hourly
diminishing, if it has not wholly disappeared. I have with difficulty
brought myself at any time to believe that violence wo