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The Dorr Letters ProjectThomas Wilson Dorr to Dutee Pearce: |
Introduction
In this letter, Thomas Dorr offers Dutee Pearce a town-by-town breakdown of the vote on the Landholders’ “Tory constitution,” the rival constitution that emerged from the General Assembly in 1841-42. Dorr sees the vote against the document as proof of the supremacy of the People’s Constitution which was, in his mind, ratified in late December 1841. The “Tory constitution,” also known as the Landholders’ Constitution, was narrowly defeated by 676 votes out of 16,702 votes cast. Dorr never spent much time dwelling on this important fact.
Letter
Providence, Mar. 21, '42
1/2 past 5,P.M.
Hon. D. J. Pearce,
Dear Sir,
It is with feelings of satisfaction,
that words are inadequate to express, that I take my pen
to inform you of the first day’s work of the People upon the
Tory Constitution. The particulars so far as received seem to
me decisively to indicate another great triumph to the cause of
Equal Rights. The majority here, at 5 P.M. against said
Constitution is ^over 500; in N. Providence 261; in Smithfield 596;
in Cranston & in Johnston majorities; but I cannot state them
with certainty: in Glocester, 22 for, 175 against, at 2 P.M.
At 12 ^2 o’clock we received the information that
Warwick had voted to “Reject” by 100 majority – the Natick boys
coming down in mass to vote in the negative, in the face of W.
Sprague, who promised, on Saturday, to the Tories, 200 majority
the other way, and who finds that his transfer of his men,
as he has heretofore considered them, is not endorsed, and is dishonored.
It ought to be added that he gave them leave to do as
they pleased!
Scituate at 2 P.M. 111 for 243 ags’t
N. Kingston “ 100 maj. to reject
E. Greenwich “ two “ “
Burrillville 12 for – 150 against
I have just rec’d a letter from you, & I have not had
time to read it, being in haste to send this by Ennis –
Go ahead in good heart & courage- Do the best you
can in Newport – Providence Co. is good for 2800 (at
least) majority & will settle the case.
T. W. Dorr
Questions
Why do you think the vote on the Landholders’ Constitution was so close?