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 OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS,
  General Assembly, May Session, in the City of Providence, A.D. 1842.

Resolved, That the governor be requested to inform the President of the United States that the government of this State has been duly elected and organized under the constitution of the same, and that the general assembly are now in session and proceeding to discharge their duties according to the provisions of said constitution.

Resolved, That the governor be requested to make the same communication to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to be laid before the two Houses of the Congress of the United States.

Resolved, That the governor be requested to make the same communication to the governors of the several States, to be laid before the respective legislatures.

A true copy.

Witness: 
  [L.S.] WM. H. SMITH,
    Secretary of State.

MAY 9, 1842.

Governor KING, of Rhode Island.