The Dorr Letters Project

Thomas Wilson Dorr to Amos Kendall:
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

Amos Kendall was one of President Andrew Jackson's unofficial advisors, known popularly as the "kitchen cabinet," and the intellectual force behind the Democratic Party. Thomas Dorr, chairman of the state Democratic committee, wrote to Kendall in advance of the presidential election of 1840. The election pitted the incumbent Martin Van Buren against the Whig candidate William Henry Harrison, a military hero from the War of 1812.

Letter


Providence, Sept. 24, 1840
Hon. Amos Kendall
Dear Sir,


I am aware how great a portion of your
time is devoted to the valuable & justly appreciated services which
you are rendering to the great cause we have at heart, and also
of the extent of your correspondence, which renders a reply to many, if
not the greater number, of the letters received by you impracticable.
Should however your time permit, I assure you, on behalf of the
Democratic Republican State Committee of Rhode Island, that your
answer to the inquiry, which we are desirous to make concerning the
prospects of our party in ‸the all important election now near at hand,
will be regarded with much interest by themus. Occupying a
central point of observation, you can survey the field with greater
precision than those who are more remote; and we shall be glad
to avail ourselves of your judgment ‸concerningupon the present portion
of our affairs. The Whigs long since formed the purpose of making a
Bonapartean attack upon our centre—the four great states. Is there
reason to believe that the minute organization and unparalleled
exertions of our opponents have been properly met & counteracted by
our democratic friends‸especially in that state? Upon how many of the great States
can we rely? How many electoral votes can we confidently claim?
Of course ‸weI do not ask a reply for publication; and whatever you
may write will at your request be considered as confidential.


For Rhode Island in the coming contest ‸weI can only say
that we hope to maintain the democratic phalanx of (some 34‸00 to 3600
voters) unbroken.‸. The democrats of this state are firm and zealous. If the ‸Whig majority should be increased it will be by


qualifying an additional number of voters. This work is prin-
cipally done by the manufacturers. They made nearly 1000 for
the state election in April ‸last beside requalifying many who had
parted with their real estates. How much further this work
has been carried to makeshow the appearance of a gain for November,
I am not able to ‸statesay. Judging from the information received I
shall not [...]be surprised if the Whig majority rises con
siderably above the la mark in April—1300; 16000 out of 24000
white males over 21 years in this state are deprived of the right
of suffrage by the operation of our 'candid system,' which has been
sustained to this time equally by the democratic & whig farmers.
Our friends in the country are now reaping the fruits of disfran-
chising their natural allies the working mechanic & working men,
to say nothing of their own young sons. In this city there are
about 1300 voters, in a white male population, over the age of 21
years, of about 4500; and about 275 democrats when they are
will broughtcome to the polls. Two thirds of the mechanics and work-
ingmen are democrats; and if they were possessed of the rights of
freemen, with a vote by ballot, we should carry the state even
against the combined powers of the banks and manufacturers. But
we are now trodden down with an iron heel, and no one
can venture to predict the period of a reform in our political
institutions. I commenced my political life in 1834 with an at
tempt to promote the cause of reform and equal rights. But after
a three year struggle against every discouragement it's friends were
it was totally overthrown and annihilated. With the conviction therefore
that the people of this state‸ R. Island are in favor of the the present administration
we are compelled to see thaits vote of our state cast for the anti-
republican parts against the principles of Democracy, and the

true interests of our state. In this humiliating position we aremust
obliged toturn for consolation to the nobleefforts of our brethren abroad‸the.
other states. We have unshaken confidence in the power of the dem-
ocracy to vindicate themselves ‸, in this trying exigency & to secure the triumphant reelection
of our able & patriotic chief magistrate, if they will only remember
that in political life [...] and‸salvation is not [...] byof faith but of works,
and if instead of resting [...] ‸ ‸ [...] upon the inherent strength and sound-
ness of democratic principles, they will arouse themselves and
no longer leave to Hercules what can be done only by their right
arms.


Hoping to hear from you, if your engagements will permit, I am truly & respectfully yours,
Thomas W. Dorr
Chairman of the Democratic
Republican State Committee of
R. Island

State Committee, Thomas W. Dorr
J. S. Harris, Providence
H. M. Sisson, Warren
J. S. Bliven, Tiverton
D. J. Pearce, Newport

P.S.
There is now no longer any doubt of [...]the measures to be adopted in case of the Whigs
succeed, viz. the overthrow[...] of the Independent Treasury, a National Bank for a
long term, with an increased capital, & thoroughly interlaced with state interests,
internal improvements on a grand scale, and a high tariff.
The only reserve is respecting the assumption of state debts ‸by Congress, which it is not
deemed quite safe as yet openly to proclaim. The intoxication of partial success
has made the Whigs communicative. OneThey ask how can you expect to
succeed in New York against "the same exertions" which we made in Maine?
What they ‸[...]were you are well informed. In Massachusetts we are‸informedlearn
that the in addition to the general & local committees, & local committees in
school district, there are traveling counting committees, who traverse the

state to see that nothing is left undone, to report the number of voters
that can be depended upon, & to provide for special efforts in particular
places, where they are thought to be necessary. Regarding these facts and
many others which I have not room to detail from the information
which comes to use from various sources, I cannot help again asking
with the most intense interest, ‸arehave our brethren in New York, in
Pennsylvania, in Virginia, and Ohio, to say nothing of other states, made all
the correspondingrequisite arrangements to counteract all the machinations
of enemies more united, & more unscrupulous in the use of all
possible means to accomplish their object than of any form
period in our political history.


The Whigpolicy of‸of the Whigs in conceding, or almost conceding a 񥄙 # state
(while they are straining every nerve to carry it) in order to lull the demo-
crats, and that they may boast after the electionof having succeeded vastly
beyond their expectation, is very remarkable in this election.


Should the democrats be able to elect Shannon in Ohio,
without boasting of it beforehand, the good effect of such a success on
our part cannot be overratedoverestimated.

*񥄙 # Maine for instance

Questions

What can you learn about Rhode Island's political culture from this letter?

What does Dorr fear if Van Buren were to lose the election?

Why is the Presidential Election of 1840 considered a transformative election in American history?