Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-30
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From the New York II, raid.

MI. Dorr is interesting, lnasmuch as under his
leadership the people Of Rhode Island made
their first stand for the extension of tho right
Of suffrage, and took up arms to defend what
they considered an inalienable right denied to
them by the dominant power under the old
charter of Charles the Second.
Dr.. Dorr was born in Providence, of a good
family. His father Sullivan Dorr, has been a
successful manufacturer. The son received the
rudiments of his education ut the famous Exc
ter Academy, and graduated at Harvard Col
lege in the class of 1928 He studied law in
this city, in the Office Of Vice Chancellor
MCoun, and was admitted to the bar in 1927,
when he commenced practice in the city Of
Providence.
Brought up in the family of a conservative
manufacturer, and educated at Exeter and
Harvard il is by no means singular that young
Dorr should have been federalist in politics;
but after dIigent study of the principles Of
political economy, Mr.. Dorr lin 1887 united
with that great democratic food which had
twice elected General Jackson President Of the
United States and in the person of his success
sor triumphed over the opposition of bitter per-
sonal enemies and general unpopularity Mr..
Dorr found his native State governed by char
ter the provisions of which rendered it almost
impossible for the democracy to gain any share
of the government The apportionment of re-
presentation was at variance with the numeri-
cal distribution OF the population, and the cleo
tive franchise was confined ID about one-thrd
of the resident white Anne ican citizens, by
means Of a real estate qualification and pr.
mo5enitiVe privilege: that is, It was required
that every voter should hold real estate, and
that only his oldest son was qualified TO vote
in his lie time.
Mr.. Dorr was elected member of the AS.
car,hlr IN 1922 80 Tax 100 ID Ok roJ
10 the end of substituting liberal constitu-
ton for the old charter. The highest vote that
he ever obtained for any ext nson of the right
of suffrage was seven out Of about seventy
members. He then made an effort to estab-
lish party to bring about the same object,
and called it the constitutional party; but ma
tional politics engrossed the attention, and in
the midst OF the violent excitements Of the day,
it was found impossible to preserve any sepa-
rate party organization, although Mr. Dorr,
with few others, still laboref earnestly to
bring about the objects to which he had dedi-
Gated his life Little by little the adherents of
Mr. Dorr gained strength, and they made their
first demonstration On the 18th of April, ls4l,
when an old-fashioned barbecue was given
An OK was roasted whole, and loaf of bread
weighing seven hundred pounds was baked.
This meeting, held on Jefferson Plains, near
Providence, was emphatically gathering of
the masses. From this time there were two
great parties in the State-called the Charter
or Algerine party, composed of the wealthy
class, and the Peoples or Suffrage party, which
included The bone and sinew. A mass con-
vention Of the Suffrage party was called at
Newport on the 9Th Of May, l84l, and six
thousand persons assembled.
At this convention State committee was
elected, with power TO draft a new constitution.
The next demonstration was held in Provi-
dence, on the 9th Of July, 1871, when an ora
ton was pronounced before eight thousand Of
the Suffrage party, By the Rev. w. s. Balch.
The State committee was directed to call
State convention for the adoption of the new
constitution, which direction was complied
with. Delegates were elected from every town
in the State to the convention. 1t submitted
liberal constitution to the people, and it was
ratified By fourteen thousand affirmative votes
that number being from two thousand to three
thousand more than half the number of citi-
gems residing in the State.
The suffrage party then assumed that the
new constitution was the fundamental law of
the State. and proceeded TO hold an election
for State officers under it. Mr. Dorr was chosen
Governor, and the peoples Legislature was
called to meet at Providence on the first Mon
day in May, 1912.
Thus far, it will be seen that great deal
had been done in contrayention Of law, but no
violence had been used. Both parties, however,
were determined; two Legislatures and two
Governors had been elected. and as the time
for Inauguration drew near it became apparent
that collision must ensue. 1t is proper to
say that at the election the charter party polled
1900 votes, while the suffrage party had only
5,73e.
The suffrage State committee called on the
independent companies throughout the State
TO aid in the escort Of their procession on the
Sd OF MAY, when the Assembly was to be con.
vened. The Governor under the charter.
Samuel W King, Esq, sent to Washington
for aid, and made preparations to defend the
State arsenal at Providence. Nightly drills
Of the Suffrage party were held at Providence.
and on the oath Of April Governor King called
q special session Of the Assembly, which con-
ysned at Providence. The Governor trans
miied message requesting aid and counsel,
aud asking for power TO raise troops, which
was gra1 ted. Five hundred United States
troops were added to the garrison of Fort
Adams, at Newport.
On the I'd Of May, the new peoples govern.
inent was organized at Providence, and Cover.
nor Dorr transmitted his message TO the legis-
lature. On the same day. at Newport, the
charter government was organized. and Gov.
ernor King was duly sworn in. The first arrest
of one of the peoples representatives, in the
person Of Daniel Brown, vas made at New.
port, on Thursday, the 4th Of May. Two or
three days after war broke out, the charter
party held the arsenal, and the Derr party we're
armed. Mr.. Dorr went to Washington for aid,
and returned to Providence. The Governor
declared the State under martial law and called
out all the able.bodied men IN the State to put
down the insurrection. a rrecept was put in
90 the hands Of the Sheriff ordering him to
take the body Of Thomas ". Dorr, atiainted
Of high treason. On the 18th, the suffrage
men. armed with muskeis and six pieces of
cannon, mustered around the house Of Mr.. Bur.
yington Anthony, where Mr.. Dorr was stopping.
They took two pieces Of cannon, and at two
O'Clock made an attempt upon the State arse
nal. 1t was not successful. The Governor
then marched against Mr.. Anthony's house