R 203
2000-H 8213
Enacted 5/10/2000


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

DECLARING MAY 7, 2000 AS "THE OPENING OF THE 35TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF GASPEE DAYS"

Introduced By:  Representatives McNamara, Hetherington, Watson, Naughton and Aiken Date Introduced:  May 10, 2000

WHEREAS, The burning of the H.M.S. Gaspee was one of the oldest and most colorful incidents in the War for American Independence. On the night of June 9, 1772, Rhode Islanders captured and destroyed the last of the hated British vessels that had harassed Rhode Island since the days of the hated Stamp Act. This act of defiance off Namquid Point was the supreme act of protest against the tyranny of the British Crown, and provided a strong impetus to the movement of the American colonies toward independence; and

WHEREAS, The burning of the Gaspee led to the formation of the Committee of Correspondence, the Continental Congress and, eventually, to the Declaration of Independence. Two hundred and twenty-eight years later, the memory of this incendiary act still fires the hearts and minds of the residents of historic Pawtuxet Village; and

WHEREAS, Legislation was enacted by the General Assembly which designated the second Saturday and the following Sunday in the month of June each year as days of special observance to be known as Gaspee Days; and

WHEREAS, On the afternoon of Sunday May 7, 2000, the Gaspee Days Committee will be launching this year's commemoration of the event with their annual Proclamation Ceremony at the Aspray Boat House in Pawtuxet Park on Narragansett Parkway in Warwick; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby declares May 7, 2000 to be "the opening of the 35th annual celebration of Gaspee Days". This House of Representatives, moreover, urges the patriotic citizens of the Ocean State to fully participate in the commemoration of this momentous event in the history of our state and the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Karleen Wrath, Proclamation Chair of the Gaspee Days Committee.

As always, your comments concerning this page are welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you for stopping by!