Litchfield enquirer., 1844-09-26
mnonA AND fIsERfR.p

GoeO Convention st Walling(oFds on Saturday last.
 Tine loco 6ocos all over the couDTy. have taken up
 for OOrr and sympathize with him and hos party in
 a their acts, 90 much 90 that the parties are now identical. The Dorr party is for Polk and Dallass and the Polk and Dallas party is for DOrr.
 At meeting of DOrrites and their sympathising friends from other States, held at Providence on on the 4th inst, at which the Empire Club" from New York was presents nts-resolutions were passed ia favor of the loco loco candidates, and bsasphe-
 nous effusion was addressed to the Supreme Being in behalf of their election. At the same meeting lstters were read from Jackson, Van Bnren, Bu- chanan and several other prominent loco focos, all ilstiying the course pursued by Dorr. and express
 ing hope that the ettoEts of his frlends mlghe 0. complish his release.
 It may be well to look for moment, al the crime Tor which Dorr is now imprisoned, and the acts of his party, in order to understand the principles here sustained by the loco focos. The government of Rhode Island had always been administered under
 the charter granted to the first settlers of the colo
 n.y. until the adoption of anew constitution in 1S42
 Previous to the formation of this consultation,
 many of the citizens desired such an instrument, to conform more with the libera. principles of the present day, than the old charter-and 90 far all Was right. But portion of the friends of . new system were unwilling to wait the action of the legislature which had already adopted measures fof that purpose, and they assembled without any of the necessary forms of law, and appointed dele gates to convention, to draft new constitution. In the mean time, the delegates appointed by the people to the convention called in the legal manner
 by the proper authority, met andd,afted coastIta- tion upon the most liberal principles, and this was submitted to the people of the State for their adop
 tion. The disorganizing and revolutionary faction,
 who were for proceeding without any legal sane. tion, opposed the new constitution, and voted against 1t unanimously; not because tt was not snf
 cientiy liberal in the extension of the right of suf-
 frage-for that point the only difference between
 the legal cens!itatton and the afterwards form. ed by the dis0ganizers. was iA the length of resi- Nence,-6tt because the call for the convention was made by the legislature. The new constitu- tion was also opposed by many who were entirely satisfied with the old order ofthings. and thought that the State had prospered for nearly two turies, and the people had enjoyed as great an amount of freedom and happiness those ofany sth- CT community, that no change was necessary. The vote of these two classes defeated the measure by
 small majority, and the government went on under the old and long established system.
 The delegates appointed by the disorganizers now met to prepare a constitution for the State.- There was no legal authority fer their appointment, nor any law to determine who might vote in their election Non.resiaeAts and ahnataralized foreign CTS, could vote for delegates as citizens ofthe State. Soon this body pst E6sth what they termed " the Peoples Constitution" and named time for sub. uniting tt to their constituents for their appreciation Boxes were provided in all the towns several days in succession, for all who chose to deposit their votes in person, and afterwards lihsrty was siven to every one who wished to vote ty Ps0Ey. Men went all about the State collecting votes in vor of their constitution from those who would authorize them to carry them in their name. Of course there was nothing to prevent any one's voting a hundred times, if he chose to do so, and the fact would remain unknown, if he assumed different name at each time. This, it was afterwards dis. covered, was done to great extent. and mdltitudes of votes were given under hclicious names.
 In nEn1 immense number of votes in favor of their constitu- tion, and as the friends of law and order did not of course, vote at all it declared by its makers to -be adopted and become the law of the State. An election of State officers was then held under this 60 called constituton-its friends, of course hay. ing it all their own way, without any opposing votes from the friends of law, and Dorr was chosen Governor, and qualified in the forms prescribed by the instrument under which he was elected. Oth- eroficers were appointed--a legislature assembled flaws were passed, and an attempt was made to eject the taega government and to take possession of the property ofsthe State.
 This brought matters to a crisis, and Dorr, aided by some of the refuse population of other States, re- sorted to arms, and made attempt upon the State ass.,,.l at Providence He was, however, aiifignt ed atAe preparations made to resist him, and after he had applied match to gun, which missed fire, he hed. He again assembled body of armed mis- creants from New York and elsewhere, at Chepa. cnet. k. l.s session of the government; but upon the approach of the State troops he again made his escape, and iis dangerous treason against the legal government was efFectually defeated, and reward was offered for the apprehension of Dorr and his delivery to the officers of the State.
 This rebellion against the government being now defeated, the legislature again provided tor the Election of delegates to convention, to form constitution for the State. They wereselected-the convention met and drafted constitution, which was submitted to the people, and approved by majority of votes. legally given and ascertained,- many of those who had been at ffst m favor of the SO called {" Peoies Constitution: but who had dis approved of Doris movements. voting for it. Un- der this new constitution the government was or- ganzed and is now administered, by officers chosen tc it provisions.
 Alter wandering about for several months, Dorr returned to Providence and was arrested and com mitted to take his trial for levyng war against the government and people of the State. Itwas fully proved on his trial, that he assembled m armed force and marched to the State Arsenal, and that he applied match to a gun heavily loaded. which was aimed at that building It was also proved that he was in command of the force which met at Che- pachet, to overthrow by force the government of inc State, aud that his declared intention was to make war upon and destroy all who resisted him; and he was found guilty by an impartial jury, Of the crime of high treason, and sentenced by the Court to imprisonment for life. A free pardon. however, has been promised him whenever he will take the oath of allegiance to the legal government of the State, which he has thus far refused to 40.
 Upon review of all the circumstances connec- ted with these transactions, we can discover nothing which should entitle this man to the sympathy of any friend oflaw and order; nor can the principles contended for by him and his friends be admitted and practised witheat the certain introduction Of anarchy. If any body of men who are dissatisfied with existing forms. can assemble without any au. thority of law. and adopt new system of govern