The Dorr Letters Project

Robert H. Ives to John Brown Francis
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

Robert Hale Ives, the older brother of Moses Brown Ives, wrote to John Brown Francis urging him to solicit support from President Tyler. Francis, along with John Whipple and Elisha R. Potter, Jr., was in Washington, D.C. to meet with the president and members of the cabinet. Ives regretted that Francis had declined to run for political office in the upcoming elections. Ives informed Francis that Thomas Dorr was going to run for governor on the People's Ticket.

Letter

Providence 8 April 1842
My dear sir

The lively interest we feel in
the mission you are upon keeps our attention
undivided toward Washington and although I
may not be able to communicate information
of new but I dare say you will be desirous
to learn from various sources the state of
things here. Moses wrote you yesterday. There is
no new development today but a continuance
of the same uneasiness in the public mind
that has prevailed during the week. The fer
mentation is less active apparently today
owing probably to the disagreeable weather
[unclear] matter which naturally dampens
the adorer of street politicians. A contin
uance of such weather might be desirable
as a protection against any incendiary

attempts which might be excited by the popular
frenzy.

Everything that has come to our
knowledge since your departure confirms the
expediency of the mission & increases the urgent
necessity of an immediate interposition of
the Gen. Gov. We are also daily more strongly
impressed with the wisdom of the late action
of the Gen. Assembly in this matter. I firmly
believe that without it the hand of dis
organization would have urged on the revol
ution, they have commenced with a continually
accelerated impulse and that finally
they would have swept everything before
them. The Jacobin clubs of this city who
have ruled the state and a new class of
leaders sprung up who would displace
those who have heretofore been prominent.
Nothing has troubled the agitators in
this matter so much as the decided stand
taken by Mr. Whipple hence the [unclear] of
uncouth and of vindictive spleen vented
on him.

The suggestion that he is aiming

at political preferment seeking to be [a] member of
Congress. Is Whipple trying to go into the Ho.
Of Representatives!! This is far peculiar for
a man to suggest. But the truth is that
every artifice is resorted to thwart the strategist [unclear]
and striped of the mission which if stead
fastly pursued cannot fail to reflect the
highest honor on those who are engaged in it
and restore peace & tranquility to the state.
I doubt not attempts will be made to operate
upon your mind either by exciting suspicions
of the motives of your colleagues or giving
a false representation of the state of things
here. Hints are however out that you sym
pathize with the people & hence are un
willing to come out against them. I regret
on this account that you had not consented
to continuing in the prox as it would at
once serve to put down these injurious imputa
tions and given additional strength to
a cause which must ultimately triumph.
Since I began to write I have learned
that the suffrage party have head up their
prox that it is to be announced this eve
at the meeting and printed tomorrow
in the Herald. I cannot get a list
of the names but it is said that TW Dorr
heads the prox. WH Smith Atty Gen/
Eli Brown/Bill Dyer Senator,
Hz Willard Senator,
Judge Joslin Gen Treasurer

We must have prompt aid from Wash.

Very truly yrs
Robert H Ives

J.B. Francis Esq.
Washington City

Questions

What did Sullivan and Lydia Dorr say to their son on April 8, 1842? See their letter here

What did Robert Hale Ives have to say about the Algerine law ("the late action of the General Assembly") and its effect on the "disorganizers"?