05-R 123

2005 -- H 6244

Enacted 03/16/05

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING MARCH 16TH AS LIBERTY DAY

Introduced By: Representatives Naughton, Crowley, Anguilla, Ginaitt, and Lima

Date Introduced: March 16, 2005

     WHEREAS, Our rights and liberties are rooted in the cherished documents that gave

birth to our nation, those being the Declaration of Independence and the United States

Constitution with its Bill of Rights; and

     WHEREAS, The patriot James Madison, fourth President of the United States, was the

major author of the Virginia Plan, the model and the basis for the United States Constitution that

emerged from the Constitutional Convention in 1787; and

     WHEREAS, James Madison kept detailed written records of the debates and

compromises that were an integral part of that Convention of 1787, these records were published

only after the death of all the delegates to the Convention; and

     WHEREAS, James Madison wrote many of the newspaper articles now known as the

Federalist Papers, outlining why states should endorse the new Constitution and enduring as some

of the best arguments for our form of government; and

     WHEREAS, James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights into the 1st Congress of the

United States, whereupon the first ten amendments to the Constitution were adopted; and

     WHEREAS, It is altogether fitting that the 16th day of March, the birthday of the

distinguished founding father, James Madison, would serve as a fitting reminder of Liberty Day,

a celebration of the Declaration of Independence, and the United States Constitution, where our

unalienable rights and liberties are enumerated; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby urges all Rhode Islanders to celebrate March 16th as Liberty Day in

the State of Rhode Island.

=======

LC02802

=======