Introduced By: Senator Lenihan
Date Introduced : April 29, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
WHEREAS, On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first colony to declare its independence from Great Britian; and
WHEREAS, On July 18, 1776, two months later, the Declaration of Independence for all the colonies was formally approved by the Rhode Island General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, On February 9, 1778, Rhode Island ratified the Articles of Confederation, the forerunner of the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS, On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the thirteenth colony to ratify the United States Constitution by a slim margin of 34-32; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island delayed ratification of the United States Constitution until the amendments called the Bill of Rights, which placed limits on the powers of the federal government, were ready to be added to the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS, On November 5, 1842, the present Rhode Island Constitution was adopted by Convention in East Greenwich at the United Methodist Church; and
WHEREAS, The preamble of the Rhode Island Constitution as written by the Constitutional Committee stated that: "We the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of Government"; and
WHEREAS, On November 21, 22, and 23, 1842, the Rhode Island Constitution was sent to the eligible voters of the State of Rhode Island resulting in a vote of 7032 YES and 59 NO; and
WHEREAS, On May 2, 1843, government under the Rhode Island Constitution became effective, supplanting the Royal English Charter of 1663; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Rhode Island, in concert with the Rhode Island Daughters of the American Revolution, do declare May 6, 1999, a day to commemorate the deeds and accomplishments of our forebears in establishing the rule of constitutional law; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we rededicate ourselves to the concepts and principles so richly established by their actions.
