300 regular troops would insure success, and probably without
bloodshed.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JAS. BANKHEAD,
_Colonel Second Regiment Artillery_.

WASHINGTON, _June 27, 1842_.

The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

SIR: The intelligence from Rhode Island since the call was made on you
by the Senators from that State is of a character still more serious
and urgent than that then communicated to you by Mr. Sprague, who was
charged with communications to Your Excellency from Governor King. We
are informed that a requisition was made upon the Government of the
United States by the governor of Rhode Island, pursuant to resolutions
passed by the general assembly of that State when in session in May
last, calling for a proclamation against those engaged in an armed
rebellion against the government of Rhode Island and for military aid in
suppressing the same; that Your Excellency replied to Governor King that
in the opinion of the Executive the force arrayed against the government
of the State was not then such as to warrant immediate action on his
part, but that Your Excellency in your reply proceeded to say: "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
submitted, will stand ready to succor the authorities of the State in
their efforts to maintain a due respect for the laws." Whereby it was
understood that in the event of the assembling of such an armed force as
would require the interference contemplated by the Constitution and laws
of the United States the Executive of the United States, upon being duly
notified of the fact by the governor of the State, would act upon the
requisition already made by the legislature without further action on
the part of that body.

We understand that upon this notice being given through the
communications handed you by Mr. Sprague on Saturday, containing proof
of the existence and array of a large body of armed men within the State
of Rhode Island, who had already committed acts of lawless violence,
both by depredating largely upon property in various parts of the
State and by capturing and confining citizens, as well as owning and
manifesting a determination to attack the constituted authorities, you
considered that it was desirable that this communication should have
been accompanied