The Dorr Letters Project

William Sprague to John Brown Francis:
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

The Cranston industrialist William Sprague was a one-time supporter of Thomas Wilson Dorr. He began to sing a different tune, however, after he was appointed to serve in the United States Senate by the Rhode Island General Assembly. Sprague, a Democrat, was hoping for a peaceful end to the constitutional crisis. He believed that the Landholders' Constitution adequately met the demands of the Suffrage Association.

Letter

Washington March 2d, 1842
Dear Sir,

Yours of the 26 inst is now
before me. I see you are apprehensive that
serious difficulties may grow out of the
Constitution question. On this subject I have
not taken much interest having been satisfied
for some time past that an extension of suffrage,
in some form, would soon be brought about.

Now it seems this has been effected as both
Constitutions extend it nearly to the same extent.
I have differed in opinion with legal gentlemen
as to the right of the people, not against law
as they say, but in the absence of law, to alter
or change their form of government. I have
always thought the people had this right.
If they have not, the great principle for which
our civil institutions are founded in this country,
namely the will of the people, is a mere mockery
and without meaning. But under existing
circumstances what is to be done? The suffrage people as you
say have triumphed. and it appears to me that
further contentions on their part is for the shadow
instead of the substance -- They have conceded to
them all or nearly all they ask for. The ground of


contention is now changed. If they still protest
they will be charged with being actuated by
selfishness and not by patriotism, by a desire
for power instead of an equal voice with the
rest of their fellow citizens in the administration
of the government. Great concessions have been
made to them, and in my opinion it will be
better for them, better for the state if they could
have magnanimity enough to accept of the
late Constitution as a compromise of the subject.
On their side they get what they ask for, on
the other it is done, as they say, according to the
forms of law. And which side has the best
of the bargains, most surely the suffrage people
they accomplished their object, and on the other
side they have only the consolation, if it be a
consolation of prescribing the mode of doing it.

I wish you would see Mr. Rice as I know
you will have influence with him, but don't
let him know that I advise this. It is not
probable they can succeed as they cannot get
men for candidates for office of sufficient
weight of character to carry their constitution
into effect. Mr. G. Spencer will do more
hurt than good in the West part of the Town,
and it would be well to advise him to be moderate.

I know of nothing new here.
Political parties as you know are undergoing
a change and how they will be organized or
what new associations will be formed I do
not pretend even to conjecture. The paramount
consideration with me is to go for measures
best calculated to promote the public good,
so far as I am capable of judging.


Very respectfully and truly yours
Wm. Sprague
Gov. Francis
What I have said or may say I wish
you to consider as confidential as I
wish to avoid as much as possible any interference
in a public manner, with the questions at ??.
I will immediately write to Mr. Rice and
give him my views. When I left home he
promised me he would take no part for or
against the Constitution provided it extended
suffrage.
W.S.

Questions

If Sprague believed in the revolutionary power of the citizenry as he seems to indicate in his letter to Francis, why did he argue that the Dorrites were selfish?

Did the arguments of the Dorrites really resemble more of a "shadow" than "substance"?