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The Dorr Letters ProjectHidden, Shaw, Davis, Stiness, Buffington, and Gardiner to Cleveland: |
Introduction
In this unusual letter five female supporters of Thomas Dorr write to Connecticut Governor Chauncey Cleveland to express their gratitude for the kindness he demonstrated to their fathers, husbands and brothers. After the fall of the People's Government at Chepachet, Dorr fled Rhode Island through Connecticut. When Rhode Island Governor Samuel Ward King asked Governor Cleveland to return the fugitive Dorr, Cleveland refused.
Letter
Providence July 18, 1842
Dear Sir:
We avail ourselves of this method of expressing to you
our feeling of gratitude and respect, for the lively interest, and kind
attentions bestowed on our Fathers, our Husbands, and our Brothers who
were endeavoring to establish a constitution for this state based upon
the principles for which our Fathers bleed and died, in 1776, believing
as we do, that the principles for which our Fathers, Husbands, and Brothers
have been contending; are none other than those declared in the immortal
State Paper, which proved a Death Warrant to the British King in his
attempts to impose a tax of 3cts a pound on tea some 60 years ago, and
that a longer continuance under, and servile submission to, a Government
deriving its power from a Royal Charter granted by that reckless and
proliferate wretch, Charles the 2nd more than 200 years ago, would stamp
them with the indelible term of slaves, and make them unworthy
of the title of freeman.
You will not need be told by us at this late day, that the
Government is now and ever has been exercised by a privileged class
of men, contrary to the express contentions of a majority of the
Constitutions of the different States in the Union. We believe too
that our Fathers, Husbands, and Brothers, are none the less deserving
the exercise of their inalienable rights, on account of their non-
possession of a certain amount of land, for by this principle, we
are led to believe it is the land and not the man which exercises
the elective franchise, and having been taught in our younger days
the principles laid down by one Jefferson, Adams, Hancock Franklin
and their coadjutors “that all men are born free and equal” and
that Governments are instituted among men for the common benefit,
protection, and security of the people, and not for the particular
emolument, or advantage of any single man, family, or set of men
who are a part of the community. We have to the best of our
ability endeavored to impress upon you the minds of those over whom we
have been able to exert our influence, the sentiments of that
Champion of American Freedom (Lafayette) “Nothing shall deter me
from the exercise of this right of a free man, to fulfill the duty
of a citizen; neither the momentary errors of opinion; for what are
opinions when they depart from principles? None say respect for the
representatives of the people for I respect still more the people whose sovereign will it is to have a
Constitution.” And Sir in conclusion we would say, that it is
impossible for us to find language sufficiently strong to express
our heartfelt gratitude for your many manifestations of kindness
and generous devotion to that man, whose name will ever
be held in grateful remembrance by every lover of freedom;
we mean Sir, Thomas Wilson Dorr, a man who has sacrificed all,
and more than all, for the good of the people, in endeavoring
to sustain those sentiments which should pervade the heart of
every American Citizen. For these and many other kindnesses
bestowed upon our unfortunate, persecuted and down trodden
citizens, we again say, that we do from the inmost recesses of
our hearts invoke the choicest of Heavens blessings upon you and
yours; in doing which we express the sentiments of very large
portion of the females of this community, and we subscribe ourselves Dear Sir Yours most
Respectfully
Mary Hidden
Eliza Shaw
Sarah A Davis
Mary Stiness
Ann Buffington
Maria L Gardiner
To his Excellency
Gov. Cleveland
Questions
Do these women appear to have an understanding of the issues raised by the Dorr Rebellion?
How do they relate these issues to the ideology of the American Revolution?
Why do you think the authors would request that their names not be made public?