http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1848/ U.S. Supreme Court Cases, presented by The Oyez Project (www.oyez.org) en-us <p>In 1841, Rhode Island was still operating under an archaic system of government established by a royal charter of 1663. The charter strictly limited suffrage and made no provision for amendment. Dissident groups, protesting the charter, held a popular convention to draft a new constitution and to elect a governor. The old charter government declared martial law and put down the rebellion, although no federal troops were sent. One of the insurgents, Martin Luther, brought suit claiming the old government was not "a republican form of government" and all its acts were thereby invalid.</p> http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1848/1848_2/ <p>In 1795, Vermont granted an exclusive 100 year franchise to build and operate a toll bridge. In 1843, a Vermont judge ordered the bridge taken for public use on payment of $4000.</p> http://www.oyez.org/cases/1792-1850/1848/1848_0/