Holly Springs gazette., 1845-03-15
Fromthe Louisville, Journal
DORR AND DORRISM.


eracy. Several attempts were made at diff.
fcrent times 10 alter il III order TO extend
the rieh: of suffrage, all of which W ere IN
effectual. Under the charter none but hol-
ders of real estate of the value of ct least
Sl34 were entitled to vote. In 1924, the
General Assembly directed a convention to
be called, and the constitution framed by II
was submiued TO the people and rejected by
a large majority. In 1S4l, another con-
stituiion was proposed and rejected because
Dorr and the Locofocos voted against it.
la 1S42, another convention met and pro-
duced the present constitution which was
adopted dy decisive vote. Under this
constitution, there is no property qualifca,
ton necessary 10 suffrage on the part Of
native citizens ofthe United States, a small
property qualification only being exacted
ofnaturalised citizens.
After the convention of 1S4I had been
called by the General Assembly, Dorr Rnd
others called convention of their own, thus
taking the business into their own hands
while the proper authorities were engaged
in it. Doors conven ton was composed of
delegates who chose to attead from the dlf
fersnt parts of the State. They framed a
constitution and submitted it to the people
Every body was allowed TO vote. Those
who could not vote themselves were per-
mi.ted to do so by proxy. Tue polls were
open for six days in order TO get as many
votes Of all kinds as possible. No ques
ions were asked of voters, who voted where
they pleased, and as often as they pleased,
and no one voted against it, More than
half as many voters as there were in the
State were polIed for the Dorr constitution, 4,
though a majority of the people refused to
acknowledge Doris right by voting against
1t. The suffrage ASSOCIATION were cunning
enough to keep the poll Ibooks from the
public, and hence it was impossible to as
certain how many legal voters voted for It.
The list of voters in the town of Newport
was obtained, and on inspection, 1t was
found that out Of |, 300 votes nearly one
half were spurious, The names being those
of dead men, men at sea, and men that nes
yer had a .'local habitation" of a 'nane"
on earth. Dorr was elected Governor un-
der his constitution ia April, 1912, by a
vote less than one-half as large as was poll
ed for his constitution His first object was
10 get pOssion of the books, papers, and
property beloging to the State, in which
military of the State In favor of his Gov
ernment TO ASSEMBLE in Providence, under
the pretext ofdoing escort duty. Cover
nor King, in this emergency, ordered out
the mi lilary also to protect the State pro-
perty from the rebels who threatened to
take possession of it, Five hundred sol
diers accompanied Dorr to Providence and,
remained on duty during the two days his
Legislature was in session. The charter
Legislature also met and prepared to meet
the emergency in a proper and resolute
spirit. Meanwhile Dorr and his party
were busy in getting recruits from New
York and elsewhere. In May, 1912, Dorr
returned from New York where he had
been raising men and money with which
TO wage war against the constituted author
lilies OF Rhode Island. His frs: object
was to get possession Of the arsenal and the
arms and ammunition belonging to the State.
/ For this purpose he drew up. his men and
got ready to make the attack. He bad all
ready stolen four peices of artillery that
were loaded and pointed At the arsenal
which was defended by about five hundred
OF the best citizens of the State, among
whom were Doris father brothers, uncies
and other relatives His own men were a
vile horde OF as homeless. ragged, aud vag-
abond Tascals as were ever drawn together
for any Infamous purpose. Many OF these
vagran's, scoundreis. and desperadoes ere
| brought by Dorr from other States with
the promise OF booty in the event of victory
| The character of Dorr is shown by tho
fact that he made war on the authorities O.
his native State, with the meanest and ba
sest mass of rascalS that were ever induced
to follow leader in the hope of pluuder
ing the property of honest men.
Al one O'Clock in the morning, on the
18th of May, 1912, gun was fred il
DORIS camp as a signal for the commence
ment ofthe attack on the arsenal Bu
/ DORIS tatterdemalions. although very val
orous before the approach of danger, tur
ned out to De the meanest set of coward:
ever seen. The majority of the rascal;
shrivered at the sound of the signal gun
and, iustea of attacking the arsenal, snea
ked off under cover of the darkness. Dorl
himself applied the match TO the field pie
ces that were pointed at the arsenal, rot
withstanding he knew his father and bro
theirs were there. But the guns had beer
! spiked, and although loaded heavil,
nothing but the priming was burnt Dorr
however, knew uothing OF the spiking O
his artillery. He was willing to fire tht
csnnon though they might carry death t.
the hearts of the members of his own FAM
lly. Under no circumstances would h
lave been justified IN acting as he did. bu:
as he was situated a more fendish and un
l. T. |.