Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-10-05


Providence mass meeting BY many distin-
gnished men, we find the following from
Mr.. BAxcRorr, which is in every respect
worthy Of the distinguished reputation Of
its author:
BosTor, August 80, 1874. !.
Gentlemen-I cannot be at Providence
on the 9TH Of September, but my heartiest
sympathy goes with you for THE LIBERIA
TON or Dom. You may freely concede,
that in the late efforts of the majority in
Rhode Island to obtain their inalienable
rights, there were faults Of conduct on both
sides; your design still commends itself to
humanity and justice.
For the first time in the history Of the
world, solitary imprisonment at labor for
life has been made the punishment Of &C
! tons that were but the expression Of polit-
ical opinions. The position Of Dorr was
forced upon him by the suffIages Of many
thousands, who, in the judgment agains,
him, hear sentence against themselves,
and share his condemnation, though not his
prison.
/ The trial of Dorr was transferred from
the neighborhood Of his alleged offences. to
county Of more decided political hostility.
In the course Of the trial, his defence was
checked by doctrines of law which would
make the inalienable rights Of man but s'bel-
ligerent' rights, and would give legal per-
petuity to despotic authority throughout
the world. The jury was selected with
such persevering discrimination, that its
verdict, though il might serve as party
triumph, cannot be held by impartial men
sufficient groundwork for sentence Of civ
il death.
The royal charter fingered beyond its
usefulness; Dorr did bu. reveal the fact
that its life was gone, past all resuscitation
even by martial law. In the midst Of their
triumph, its worshippers confessed to one
another that it was hopelessly dead. And
shall Dorr be sacrificed to grace its Turner
al? Barbarious nations, il is true, slay a
captive over the grave Of departed chief;
but shall their custom be initiated in civ
ilized and Christian land?
You may demand the liberation Of Dorr
in the name Of the people Of Rhode Island
of whose will he had reason to believe him.
self the servant.
You may demand II in the name of the
American people, who are still firm in the
faith that government derives its just pow
ere, not from the authority OF rulers, but
from the consent Of the governed.
You may demand it from the wisdom Of
your intelligent population, who must per-
, ceive that amnesty is the talisman which
alsnr rcstUrc calm to the troubled spir-
. it Of your citizens.
You may demand it under the sanction
!: Of legal precedent; for when Leisler, Of
New York, had, under similar circumstan-
ces, been likewise condemned for high
treason, the attainder was Internationally
reversed BY the British parliament, and the
, reversal was approved by the Legislature
Of New York and by all posterity.
You may demand it BY the influence Of
generous feeling in every right minded
man, who will scorn to wreak needless
, vengeance on a solitary and dcfenceless
| individual.
You may demand it, even of his enemies,
in the name Of that Christian religion which
blesses the merciful, serenely rebukes NAL
ice, hatred, and revenge, and teaches for
giveness to those who would be forgiven.
Nor can his liberation be refused from
fear Of his partizans. They have made
themselves citizens under the new consti-
{ tuition. They ask his liberation under that
constitution, which the act of clemency
will itself affirm.
Nor can il be refused on the ground that
, Dorr himself willnot acknowledge the new
constitution. He has acknowledged it, by
, pleading before its tribunals for his life
. He has authorized his friends to make nc
appeal for him but in legal and consti,a.
, tional way. He is at present at variance
, with his prosecutors on nothing but on the
light in which past transactions should be
. viewed; and on that the coming generation
/ will sit in judgment.
know there are many who confess that
J DoEr should be liberated, and yet would
not open his prison doors till he condemns
, himself. But shall man in the nineteenth
century, and in an American land, be lock-
, ed up to labor in absolute solitude; cut of
, from civil life, without book, or journal, Of
paper; never hearing the voice Of known
human being; debarred from intercourse
J with friends even BY letter; shall he be Sc
confined for the purpose Of breaking his
| spirit and wi ming a triumph over his
, sense of honorp This is not punishment
J but torture; and the civilized world repro.
| bates the use of torture. 1t might grad.
. ,1ally qnench his mind, but what victory
, that would be for commonwealth to win
over one Of her own sons!
!. Dorr has made an appeal, as your consti-
! tuition permits. 10 the people Of Rhode Is
land. Let your purpose in his behalf be
| As strong as mothers love, which waters
cannot quench nor floods drown. At your
elections raise no question but the uncondi-
. tional fberafion Of Dorr. Compel every
candidate for every Office to make record
of his choice between mercy and revenge.
Solicit the aid Of every man who has any
, thing warm under his left breast. Perse-
were till, in the legal and constitutional way,
you effect his freedom.
Faithfully yours,
GEORGE BANCROFT.
i To Messrs. Bcri. Cowell, Thos. r. Car
partenter, w. r. Danforth, Hezekiah Will
lard, L. G. Eaton, Levi Salisbury, w. S,