Rhode Island’s General Assembly rejected King George and broke its legal ties to him two months before the independence was declared by the Second Continental Congress. What it did was repeal an earlier document which pledged Rhode Island to the King and Great Britain and it repealed language that bound the colony to Royal Authority. Before the declaration each elected officer in the colony had sworn allegiance to the king before assuming his duties. The General Assembly would continue to govern itself, and all court proceedings would be performed in the name of the state not the King.
The preamble
“Whereas in all States existing by Compact Protection and allegiance are reciprocal the latter being only due in Consequence of the former: And Where as George the Third King of Britain forgetting his dignity, regardless of the Compact most solemnly entered into ratified & confirmed to the Inhabitants of this Colony by his illustrious Ancestors- and till of late fully recognized by him and entirely departing from the duties and Character of a good king- instead of Protecting is endeavoring to destroy the good people of this Colony, and of all the united Colonies by sending Fleets and Armies to America to confiscate our Property and to spread Fire, Sword and Desolation throughout our Country in order to compel us to submit to the debasing and detestable Tyranny whereby we are obliged by necessity and it becomes our highest Duty to use every means with which God and Nature have furnished us, in support of our invaluable rights, & privileges to oppose that Power which is exerted only for our destruction.”
The preamble to the act states that the king, in violation of the compact, had introduced fleets and armies into the colony to force upon the people a detestable tyranny.
It became the right and duty of the people to make use whatever means to support their rights.
portsmouthhistorynotes 