The Dorr Letters Project

Henry Crawford Dorr to Thomas Wilson Dorr:
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

Thomas Dorr’s youngest brother Henry wrote this letter when he was just 19 years old and starting out in his legal career. Thomas had made some recommendations to Henry about a position in a New York City law office. Henry was concerned that a position in the law office of "Mr. Butler" would be too specialized and preferred a more general office to clerk in. This letter, which was written at a time when the Rhode Island Suffrage Association was calling for a constitutional convention, also demonstrates Henry Dorr's keen grasp of Rhode Island politics.

Letter

Cambridge June 17, 1841
Dear Brother,


I have not, until today, found sufficient leisure to
write the letter which I promised, and I undertake it with but little expectation
of being agreeable. As I have not heard from you, I presume that you have
received nothing further from New York and probably that matter must rest
where it is for the present. I was sorry that I did not have a better opportunity
for conversation upon it, while you were here, for many things escaped me then
concerning which I should have liked to have enquired. I did not understand
you, as recommending any particular office in the city of N. York as being
more advantageous for one in my situation and I of course cannot decide ‸upon that
subject until further enquiry. I understand that Mr. Butler, though in a very
extensive practice is principally, if not entirely, engaged in the Courts of the U.S.,
so that his business might be much less instructive to a student, that that of a
less known, but more general practitioner. I should rather seek for some
office, in which I could acquire a knowledge of every variety of practice; &
in which I could best avail myself of the means of acquiring a reputation, and
employment for myself. Should you hear from Mr. Thomas White, I hope that
you will send me some account of which would be of interest to me. The time
that I have to spend in Cambridge is now so short, and the necessity of as-
certaining what I am to do, in‸during the coming year, seems so urgent, that I have
spoken with more earnestness & perhaps more at length than the occasion requires.


I have read, from time to time, with great interest, the newspaper accounts of the
political movements in Rhode Island. The extension of suffrage seems to be now
constantly "kept before the people," and I understand that its friends were to have a
celebration on the 4th of July. While in common with the great majority of sensible
men, I think that this, as well as other radical reforms are necessary, still I
am afraid that they will be managed & directed by a few narrow minded politicians
who will render them subservient to the purposes of their own political elevation.
Knowing what sort of men have the control of the state, it seems somewhat sur-
prising to see them joining in the liberal movement of the day and I should
think that the real friends of suffrage, & reform should be watchful that they
do not come in when all the labor is over and take to themselves the credit of
having "borne the burden & heat of the day." Such things, as you know, have happened
and they may happen again. Bad as the present state of things in Rhode Island
may be, I would rather that it should continue sometime longer, than that there
should be substituted for it an unchangeable, party constitution–or a Whig con-
stitution. If anything at all is done in Rhode Island, I hope it may be thoroughly
done and if I have not mistaken the character of the present movement, it is
one which comes from the people themselves. On former occasions a few enlightened
persons have endeavored to bring about a change in existing institutions in favour
of the people, and as friends of the people, they forgot that whatever they want
the people must do for themselves.


I have not had much time or opportunity for the last two years for giving attention
to political questions, although I have endeavored not to be ignorant of what
is taking place in the world. As it will be a longtime before I take any part in
politics, if I ever do so at all, I should at present endeavor to cultivate soundness
of judgment on political subjects, rather than to attempt to gain any qualifications


for public action or success. Indeed, so far as my own examination has gone, I
think I have very few of the qualities requisite to the attainment of popularity
and that it would be better not to make an attempt which would surely fail.
I have sometimes amused myself with writing on political & other subjects in order
to give precision to my thoughts concerning them and that I might not lose a readiness
in the use of language. I have often felt my own deficiency in correctness of expression,
but in college, the accurate & elegant use of language formed but a small, & com-
parably unimportant part of the course of instruction. I have had since I
left college, but very little leisure for general reading, saving that I have read‸reviewed some
of my old Latin; my classical knowledge has received little or no augmentation.
When I leave here, I should endeavor to devote more time to these things, for
I can appreciate their value in informing and cultivating the mind. More than all, it is
my desire to be able to take accurate & comprehensive views of the questions
which, as one of the people, I must help to decide;– by which alone, I can hope
to ‸be more sound in judgment, than those who are commonly called "practical men."
The best definition‸description I have seen of this class of persons is—men who are incapable of generalizing.


I have written this letter late in the evening, after
having finished my daily labor, so that I trust you will overlook its imperfections.
I have not as yet enjoyed much of the warmth of summer for very few days
have been hot, many have been positively cold. I could not live with
much comfort, in a climate subject to such sudden variations, and am not
at all displeased with the idea that I am soon to leave it.

Yours truly,
Henry C. Dorr

Questions

Why is Henry Dorr surprised that the “sort of men” then in control of the state would join the “liberal movement of the day”? Why is he concerned that a “party constitution - or a Whig constitution” might be formed?