The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1854-03-16
faws of RboSe 1slana.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PRO.
NlDENCE PLANTATIONS

AN ACT to Reverse and Annul the
Judgement Of tho Supreme Court oi
Rhode Island for Treason, rendered
against Thomas w Dorr, june 25,
A. d. 1874.
Whereas, the General Assembly OF
this State hath from time to time exer-
cised the powers conferred upon it by
the Charter of King Charles the Second
" to alter, reverse, annul or pardon,
under their common seal or otherwise,
such fines, mulcts, imprisonments, SEN
tences, judgments and condemnations
As shall be thought fit" -f
And whereas, the same powers were
continued to the General Assembly un-
der the existing Constitution of this
State by the terms thereof, which pro-
vide Z" that the General Assembly shall
continue to exercise the powers they
have heretofore exercised, unless pro-
hbited by this Constitution !" and by
the provision that "the Supreme Court
established by this Constitution shall
have the same jurisdiction as the Su-
preme Judicial Court" Heretofore cx-
listing .............-
And whereas an alleged political Of
fence, for which a judgment hath been
rendered in favor of the State, may in
certain cases furnish a proper occasion
for the exercise of such high powers:
And whereas upon the trial of Thom-
as Wilson Dorr for the alleged crime
Of treason, there was an improper and
illegal return of jurors in this, that one
hundred and seven jurors from one po-
litical party were designediy selected
BY the Sheriff, in part with the aid and
assistance of persons acting in behalf ol
the State, and only one juror from the
other political party, and the accused
was tried in county other than that
in which the the alleged offence was
committed and in which he resided,
and he was allowed but two days with
any, and but few hours with some of
the panel of jurors in which to inquire
as to their disqualifcations or obtain
proof thereof, and was not allowed af-
ter the peremptory challenge Of several
Of such jurors, ,'and after having obtained
proof of said disquali6cations, to with
draw said peremptory challenges, and
to challenge said jurors for cause, or to
have a new trial in consequence there
of:
And whereas, the Court denied the
jury the right to pass upon questions of
law, though said Court had previously,
in accordance with the common law,
held that the jury might in criminal
cases stake upon themselves the re-
sponsibility of deciding questions of law;
and the accused was not allowed to
show in justification or in explanation
of his motives or intent, that he acted
under constitution which had been
adopted by large majority of the pco-
pie of the State, and an election under
the same as Governor of the State, and
in accordance with what he dec med to
be his duty in consequence thereof:
And whereas, the said Thomas Wilson
Dorr was thereby wrongfully convic-
ted: a ir
And whereas, it is desirable for the
best interests Of this State, that the
wrongs thereby inflicted upon said Dorr,
and upon the people of the State
should be redressed, and that the ami.
mositiss created by the civil commotions
which preceded and accompanied sale
trial should cease and determine:
And whereas, it has been the custom
of our English forefathers (but fol
which there hath been happily no occa
sion heretofore in the history of thi.
country whenever judgments for treas.
on have been thus illegally and wrong.
fully obtained, to reverse by act Of Par.
liment such judgments, and to direct tc
the end that justice be done those who
have been thus convicted, that the rec.
ords thereof be cancelled or destroyed
Nis enacted BY the General ASSEMBLY as
Joilo,0s: .a..
Section 1. The Judgment of the
Supreme Court, whereby Thomas Will
son Dorr, of Providence, on the twenty
fifth day Of June, A. D. 1914, was SEN
fenced to imprisonment for life, at hard
labor, in separate confinement, is here
by repealed, reversed, annulled and de-
clared in all respects to be as if it had
never been rendered. .........
Sec. 2. To the. end that right be
done to the said Thomas Wilson Dorr,
the Clerk of the Supreme Court for the
county OF Newport, is hereby directed
TO write across the face of the record of
said judgment, the words "Reversed
and annulled by order Of the General
Assembly, at their January session A.
d. lS54.n .r--.....