The Dorr Letters Project

William J. Miller to Thomas Wilson Dorr:
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

This letter by Providence newspaperman William Miller describes the dire financial situation of his paper, the Republican Herald. Miller informs Dorr that the Law and Order Party was threatening to institute martial law in the city. According to Miller, guns and ammunition had been transported from Chepachet, a village in the northern part of the state, to Providence.

Letter


Providence, June 15, /42
Dear Sir,


Your kind letter dated 14th I received this morning and
its perusal afforded me much satisfaction. I rejoice to find you
have in a great measure recovered your spirits. God grant that
the time may soon come when our principles may be rees
tablished on a sure basis.


You refer to the course of our paper. We are peculiarly situa
ted. A portion of our Suffrage friends, as you are aware, are
opposed to force of arms, and many other of our friends suffer
ing under our temporary defeat thought our only hope was
through ‸ the Charter Assembly. In addition, a portion of our
yearly advertisers are “Law and Order” people, and without their
patronage we shall be compelled to discontinue the Daily,
unless a fund, can be raised to defray expenses; many of
them have already discontinued, and we are now going on
at a loss too great for us longer to continue, without a
prospect of speedy aid. Under all these circumstances, we
adopted the course our paper has pursued, avoiding as much
as possible any all allusions to ‸ the Charter Assembly, yet with
the understanding that we await their action. Were
we differently situated in pecuniary matters we might be more
independent, perhaps. Our views and feelings are the same.
Policy, as we thought, dictated the course we have pursued.
Our friends are have nearly recovered from our late defeat and
are organizing with renewed vigor; many of them, however


believing it to be policy to await the action of the Charter
Government; as they have no faith in their promises, and
think moreover that they (the Charter Assembly) will
quarrel among themselves; and thereby accession be made to
our ranks. I merely state these things as reasons for the
course we have adopted. A meeting of over 500 men was
held last evening in the Fourth Ward. The best of feeling
was evinced. A Committee, appointed at a former meet
ing reported the Signal agreed upon to alarm our friends
when the time arrived for action; which was adopted, to wit.
Ten [...]car guns to be fired from Federal Hill in quick success
ion, and at the Signal our friends are to rally on each
side of the river. On Federal Hill. West side and Pro
spect Hill. East side; and march to your head quarters
wherever they may be. Fears are entertained, (and certainly
appearances give rise to them) that as soon as the Algerines
hear of any active measures being taken to carry [...] the
Constitution into effect, this city will be proclaimed under
“Marshall Law.” Yesterday and last night our guns and
ammunition were transported from the city to Chepachet
without detection. There is a movement in the First Ward
among our friends, 70 have already enrolled their names
men good and true. The other Wards are also prepared.
The news from the North is very cheering. It is my
opinion that our friends will rally stronger than ever before.
Sixty men have enrolled their names in Pawtuxet, good and
true. Major West wishes to be remembered to you, he is a

most efficient officer, and untiring in his exertions. Par
menter also sends respects, he has been into different parts
of the State and reports that the feeling is at least as
flattering as he represented to you when there. A movement
is being made to raise funds for the Express, and probably cir
culars will be sent to New York soon for subscribers etc. We
shall continue to publish the Daily a fortnight longer; are
and we shall know at that time what our prospects
are for the future. With the best wishes for the cause in
which we are engaged, and your future happiness and usefulness.


I remain,
Your sincere friend
and constituent
Wm. J. Miller

Questions

In what ways could the Law and Order Party hurt Thomas Dorr's cause without using military force?