Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1844-07-18
ThOsn:is Wilson EsOr;.

The decd If inflmg has been con summatcd in the
reprobatc little State of Rhode Island. and this ratrio:
and true man has been sentenced BY malignant Judges
to IMPRISONMENT ToR LIFE At HARD LABOR ~ TIE
STATE rEIsoN-for what E! For no act that he did 10
violate any law. but for u~plolding the doctrines of
ind pcndcncc, and avOwing the same prime pies that
Jefferson. Adam, and Hancock held in Their struggle
with Great Britain. to maintain the right OF the people
to self government. and for which they would have
suffered on the scaiold had they failed.
Governor Dorr gave to the people of Rhode Island
a free constitution. 1t was adopted by Il majority of
the people, and under it. by n majority of the votes
of that people, he was elected Governor and for
lawfully exercising that office he has been tried for
high treason against the charter government, by
Judges who had themselves been guilty of the same
treason they charge Mr.. Dorr with, VIZ: putting
down this same charter government
Thus Is the mOnstrous precedent set up. In this land
of freedom, that n citizen may be tired and condemned
to Imprisonment for Life. upon a pretended charge of
treason against a dead and defunct government, and
have sentence passed on him by Judges under a new
government, which has succeeded the old charter
dynasty
Judicial history. in its fullest and bloodlest pages,
presents no pa rallel to this outrage upon the doctrines
of American liberty, since the judicial murders OF
Sir Thomas Moore, John Hampton, William Russell
and -Algcrnon Sydney. by the legal butchers that
disgraccd the bench in their day.
The Judges of Rhode Island, like their predecessors,
Jcfferies, Within> and Holloway, (names handed down
to infamy for their murder of the patriot Algcrnon
sydney have tramplcd on every principle OF law and
justice, and by a packed jury comprised the convection
Of their noble victim, denying to him every right
which the constitution and laws OF every Tree State
guaranty to the citizen.
When they came to the sentence Tor winch they
had longed. thew would have proceeded To IT. as
Chancellor Audlev was about to DO when he sentenced
Sir Thomas Moore for denying that the lccherou>
Henry VIII. was the spiritual head of the church.
Ds -, ,n,+o+,, &c -lo,r modal tbpv Ur1clpI>lV asked
the prisoner what he had to say why sentence should
not be passed on him.
The reply of Mr.. Dorr was as noble and bold. in
the face of his tyrannlcal judges. and as worthy a
place in the history of patriotism. as was the bearing
of Algernon Sydney. when the like question was
asked him BY the infamous Jefferic>.
u had rather" said the noble Dorr. "be the
prisoner at the bar. as am. to receive your sentence.
than to have a seat on the bench beside your honor>,
to pronounce that sentence"
=. pray God" said Lord Chief Justice Jcfcries
to sydney. work in Won Il temper fit to go into the
other world. for ! sec YOU arc not # for thi>."
My lord. feel my pulse. (%rorlcd the prisoner.
holding out his hand and see if | am d.>ordered.
bless God / was never in a better tcm.er than en-
now
And in this spirit ne received the acollTscd sentence
pronounced upon him fNr writing the MODEST c->ay on
free government that man ever penncd: That IA
be carried hence to the pace from whence You came.
and from thence YOU shall be drawn u.on a hurdle
to the place Of execution. where you shall be hanged
BIZ the neck. and beng alive. en-; down. your -
members shall he cut of and burned before your face.
your hcad severed from Your body. AID your body
divided into four quarters. and they be disposed q
at tie pleasure Of the King. And God nave mercy
on Your soul
The modern Alrerinc judges id nat T~ron-unce a
Ike seaicn~e unon the patriot ltrr. solely because
even in Rh,da Island the iaw would ut allow il
but fhcv did all the law would allow, and sentenced
him to IMPRISONMENT ToR LIFE IT HARD LAIoa
AMONG FrLoNs.
The Infamous sentence upon S.Gney. pronounce.
in l6-3. was reversed IN Parliament the first tcar 81
William and Mary. by the revolution IN Great Britain
and We t-us. IN God that we shall I've 10 see the
equally infamous sentence uTcn Thomas W l,orr II
lsi4. reversed BY a political revolution IN khodS
Island that shall take the power from tie tyraAi9 "ao
now reign there. and pace the government in tao
hands Of the people.
The Jury was packed to convict Dorr, Just as 1t was
packed to convict Sydney n England, and OConnei
IN Ireland; and IN al Of these parallel cases g