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2013 -- H 6139 | |
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LC02633 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N | |
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CELEBRATING RHODE ISLAND INDEPENDENCE DAY ON MAY 4, 2013 | |
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Introduced By: Representatives E Coderre, Naughton, Ucci, Blazejewski, and Edwards | |
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Date Introduced: May 16, 2013 | |
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Referred To: House read and passed | |
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WHEREAS, Rhode Island colonists were considered to be “the most radical religious |
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dissenters from the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony,” and as our new state and indeed |
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our new nation, independent of the British crown, began to take form, great leaders emerged to |
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lead the way; and |
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WHEREAS, Relations between Rhode Island colonists and their British rulers |
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deteriorated rapidly after the 1772 incident in which Rhode Island colonists, angered by |
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continued British attempts to impose taxes in ways that the colonists perceived to be unfair, |
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boarded and burned the British customs ship, Gaspee, which had run aground near Warwick, |
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while patrolling the coastal waters in search of local smugglers; and |
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WHEREAS, One of our state’s most renowned colonial leaders was Nathanael Greene. |
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He was born on Forge Farm at Potowomut in the township of Warwick, Rhode Island, but later |
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moved to Coventry to take charge of the family-owned forge. He began his military career as a |
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militia private, the lowest rank possible, but was eventually elevated to commander of the |
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colonial militia. He led troops in the Continental Army at Boston and New York, then fought in |
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battles at Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown; and |
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WHEREAS, Nathanael Greene played an additional role in shaping our state. He served |
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as a deputy of the Rhode Island Assembly. Thomas Jefferson once wrote that Nathanael Greene |
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was "second to no one in enterprise, in resource, in sound judgment, promptitude of decision, and |
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every other military talent”; and |
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WHEREAS, Our state’s founders formed, protected, and represented the first colony to |
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renounce allegiance to King George III; and |
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WHEREAS, The celebration of Rhode Island Independence Day on May 4th is a “tribute |
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to the memory of the members of our General Assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776, in |
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the State House at Providence, passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British |
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crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the |
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first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies”; now, therefore be it |
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RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
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Providence Plantations hereby joins citizens from across our Ocean State in celebrating Rhode |
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Island Independence Day on May 4th of 2013; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to |
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Nathanael Greene Homestead Association, |
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Inc. |
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LC02633 | |
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