uld be resorted
to or an exigency arise which the unaided power of the State could not
meet, especially as I have from the first felt persuaded that your
excellency and others associated with yourself in the administration
of the government would exhibit a temper of conciliation as well as
of energy and decision. To the insurgents themselves it ought to be
obvious, when the excitement of the moment shall have passed away, that
changes achieved by regular and, if necessary, repeated appeals to the
constituted authorities, in a country so much under the influence of
public opinion, and by recourse to argument and remonstrance, are more
likely to insure lasting blessings than those accomplished by violence
and bloodshed on one day, and liable to overthrow by similar agents on
another.

I freely confess that I should experience great reluctance in employing
the military power of this Government against any portion of the people;
but however painful the duty, I have to assure your excellency that if
resistance be made to the execution of the laws of Rhode Island by such
force as the _civil power_ shall be unable to overcome, it will be the
duty of this Government to enforce the constitutional guaranty--a
guaranty given and adopted mutually by all the original States, of which
number Rhode Island was one, and which in the same way has been given
and adopted by each of the States since admitted into the Union; and
if an exigency of lawless violence shall actually arise the executive
government of the United States, on the application of your excellency
under the authority of the resolutions of the legislature already
transmitted, will stand ready to succor the authorities of the State in
their efforts to maintain a due respect for the laws. I sincerely hope,
however, that no such exigency may occur, and that every citizen of
Rhode Island will manifest his love of peace and good order by
submitting to the laws and seeking a redress of grievances by other
means than intestine commotions.

I tender to your excellency assurances of my distinguished consideration.

JOHN TYLER.

JOHN TYLER,

_President of the United States_.

SIR: As requested by the general assembly, I have the honor of
transmitting to you, under the seal of the State, the accompanying
resolutions.

And I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOMAS W. DORR,
_Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations_.

STATE O