2024 -- S 3016 | |
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LC005591 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N | |
CELEBRATING RHODE ISLAND INDEPENDENCE DAY ON MAY 4, 2024 | |
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Introduced By: Senators de la Cruz, DeLuca, Rogers, Raptakis, Ujifusa, F. Lombardi, | |
Date Introduced: May 02, 2024 | |
Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration | |
1 | WHEREAS, Rhode Island colonists were considered to be "the most radical religious |
2 | dissenters from the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony," and as our new State and indeed |
3 | our new Nation, independent of the British crown, began to take form, great leaders emerged to |
4 | lead the way; and |
5 | WHEREAS, Relations between Rhode Island colonists and their British rulers |
6 | deteriorated rapidly after the 1772 incident in which Rhode Island colonists, angered by |
7 | continued British attempts to impose taxes in ways that the colonists perceived to be unfair, |
8 | boarded and burned the British customs ship, Gaspee, which had run aground near Warwick, |
9 | while patrolling the coastal waters in search of local smugglers; and |
10 | WHEREAS, One of our State's most renowned colonial leaders was Nathanael Greene. |
11 | He was born on Forge Farm at Potowomut in the township of Warwick, Rhode Island, but later |
12 | moved to Coventry to take charge of the family-owned forge. He began his military career as a |
13 | militia private, the lowest rank possible, but was eventually elevated to commander of the |
14 | colonial militia. He led troops in the Continental Army at Boston and New York, then fought in |
15 | battles at Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown; and |
16 | WHEREAS, Nathanael Greene played an additional role in shaping our State. He served |
17 | as a deputy of the Rhode Island Assembly. Thomas Jefferson once wrote that Nathanael Greene |
18 | was "second to no one in enterprise, in resource, in sound judgment, promptitude of decision, and |
19 | every other military talent"; and |
20 | WHEREAS, Our State's founders formed, protected, and represented the first colony to |
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1 | renounce allegiance to King George III; and |
2 | WHEREAS, The celebration of Rhode Island Independence Day on May 4th is a "tribute |
3 | to the memory of the members of our General Assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776, in |
4 | the State House at Providence, passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British |
5 | crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the |
6 | first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies"; now, therefore be it |
7 | RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby joins citizens from |
8 | across our Ocean State in celebrating Rhode Island Independence Day on May 4th of 2024; and be |
9 | it further |
10 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
11 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Nathanael Greene Homestead Association, |
12 | Inc. |
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LC005591 | |
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