The Dorr Letters Project

Thomas Wilson Dorr to Suffrage Ladies of Providence:
Electronic Transcription

Introduction

In this letter Abby Lord details her efforts to secure Thomas Dorr's personal papers, which were seized from his law office in Providence in the spring of 1842. The papers were in the hands of former Governor James Fenner, a member of Governor Samuel Ward King’s executive council. Fenner was a bitter opponent of Dorr. Lord first called on Dorr's brother-in-law Samuel Ames, the state’s quartermaster general, and was then referred to Governor Fenner. She was working closely with Dorr's friend Walter S. Burges, a prominent Providence attorney.

Letter

Providence, Nov. 25th 1842
Gov. Dorr

Sir, after the conversation
mentioned in my first letter I called
again and asked Mr. Burgess if he had recieved
the papers he referred me to Mr. Ames he said
they were in the hands of Governor Fenner and
he had not been able to obtain them I told
him I should invite some lady to go with
me and wait on the Gov. at his house and ask
him for the papers he advised me to do so
I invited Miss Matilda Knowls to go with
me went about two o’clock I knocked at the
Door and asked for the gov. he came to
the door and asked me to walk in I told
him I could transact my buisness there
I said to him I was informed he had gov.
Dorrs private papers I asked to know if
he would give them up to be sent to you
he said he had returned them to the
council he said the papers did not belong to
Tom Dorr. I asked him who they did belong
to he first said the public I told him then
I had a claim upon them as I was one
of the Public he then said they belong
to the government I said you have one
government and we have another the question
is which is the right one he says I do not
know aneything about your government.
I said we mean to let you know something
about it he says what will you do with us
I said what had we ought to do with you
in consideration of what you have done
to us he laughfed and said we must
be good citizens and support the government
Miss Knowls told him she thought we
were both old enough to understand the
Constitution of the U. States and
the Declaration of Independence and they
told us wich was the rightful government


he laughfed again and said there was
some papers amongst them that belonged
to you I asked him what right he had to
keep them from you. He said who is authorized
to recieve them I asked him if no one had asked
for them. He said no one except Mr. Ames.
I told him I was authorized to recieve them.
He said who knew you was authorized to recieve.
I said you know it now sir he said had I
known it this morning I wo‸uld have done some
thing about it I asked if the council convened
everyday he said not but he could call a
special council if nesesary I told him I
wished him to and bade him good afternoon
and came back to Mr. B. office and reported
the result of my visit. Miss Knowls said
to Mr. B. as you are a friend to Gov Dorr
I should think you would ask for his
papers his reply was I never will ask the old
hog for them for if I did he would not
let me have them I called twice and was told
the council had not met. to day the 25th I
called and Mr. Hazard was coming out
of the council room, that man who resolves
all Law into its original element and
takes the responsibility I asked for Mr. Jenckes
the secretary of the council he said he was out
of the city I asked him if he acted as secretary
in his absence he said yes and asked me what
I wished I told him Gov F. had promised
me to take some action in respect to your
papers. He said he had done so. I asked him
where they were he says Mrs. Lord the Gov
told me not to give them to you I asked him
who was to recieve them he said he had selected
what he intended you to have and told
him to give them to Mr. Burgess I told
him I was glad they were out of his clutches
I asked him why they did not give them

all up he said he did not know. I told him
I did not know what right they had to keep them.
I have given you the whole conversation in
respect to them that you may be the better able
to judge of the affairs I hope you will excuse the
freedom I have taken in your affairs and attribute
it to the situation of the suffrage party and the
strong desire I have to render you any service
that it is in my power

I hope the time is not far
distant when we can have you nearer to us
personaly as I believe you are not often absent
from our minds.

in the mean time it would
afford us the most heart felt pleasure if you
would ishue your Proclamation appointing
a day of thanksgiving I can ashure you it
will be most religiously kept and we should
be still more happy if you would permit
us an addres to be read on the ocation such
an expresion of our part to obey the peoples
Gov would place a greater damper on the
Algeriens than anethything we can do
at present

please excuse this very imperfect
and long letter

My Husband sends his
kindest regards to you.

beleive me to be most
Respetfuly your
Friend
Abby H. Lord

Questions

How important is it that Lord and other supporters continue to refer to Dorr as “Governor Dorr”?

Is there any evidence that Lord was acting upon instructions from Dorr to get back his personal papers?

Why does Lord reference the Declaration of Independence when she met with Fenner?