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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, LITTLE ROCK, ARK'S., 23d JANUARY, 1845.
HIS EXCELLENCY, THE GOVERNOR OF Tennessee
Sir,- I have the honor to transmit to your Excellency, the following Resolutions, adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas at its recent session. Very Respectfully, Your obedient servant,
[D.B. Greer?], Secretary of State.
Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas; That free negroes and mulattoes, are not citizens of the United Sates, within the meaning of the Constitution, which guaranties to citizens of one State the privileges and immunities of citizens of the several States.
2nd. Resolved, That the right to exclude from its territory by legislation or any other means which the exigency of the case my demand, seditious persons or other class of persons, whose presence may be dangerous to its peace, is essential to every Sate, and may be effectually exercised.
3rd. Resolved, That we approve of the prompt and decisive course, pursued by South Carolina in expelling the emissary sent by the State of Massachusetts, to reside within her territorial limits, for the purposes and intentions avowed by said emissary.
4th Resolved, That we view the conduct of the Massachusetts Legislature, in thus attempting to interfere in the domestic institutions of the Southern States, as acting with the abolitionists and tending to destroy the peace and quiet of our citizens, and should be promptly met and rebuked, by all lovers of good order, and more particularly, by the slave-holding States.
5th. Resolved, That should Massachusetts, or any other State, or Government, prompted by the same motives which actuated Massachusetts in sending her emissary to South Carolina, think fit to send an agent, for like purposes to this State, His Excellency, the Governor of this State, is hereby authorized, and required, to take the most prompt and efficient means of freeing this State, of so dangerous and unworthy an agent, and that the Legislature will sustain the Executive in any measures he may adopt for the purposes aforesaid.
Resolved, That a copy of these Resolutions be sent to the Governor of South Carolina, and to the Governor of all other States in the Union.
JOHN S. ROANE, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. JOHN WILLIAMSON, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
APPROVED; January 9th. 1845.
THOS. S. DREW.
