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The Dorr Letters ProjectRobert Hale Ives to John Brown Francis: |
Introduction
Writing from Providence, Robert Hale Ives kept John Brown Francis informed of events in Rhode Island. The prox referred to by Ives was for the slate of candidates under the People’s Constitution. According to Ives, the public mind was in a state of “agitation.” Ives remained hopeful that Francis would be able to secure a commitment from President John Tyler to have troops sent to Rhode Island.
Letter
Providence 11 April 1842
Dear Sir
I received yesterday evening your
letter written on Thursday evng at Wash
which is the only intelligence I hear of from
the delegation in Wash. We are glad to
find by that and by Gov. Sprague’s letter to
Judge Pitman that the way seemed so well
prepared for the great object of your mission
and on rely with great confidence upon
hearing tomorrow evening something decisive
from you. I went to Boston on Saturday
& Moses was also absent all day to which
[unclear] afterwhich [unclear] to have written.
But you will have been
apprised from other sources of the prox on that day presented. It serves
to show the disdain of the Algerine law
which had the effect of making all the
candidates of any consideration back out
from the first prox and left their most miserable
miscreants to constitute the new
one. The friends of the established govern
ment have been much assembled since the
appearance of the prox as to the course most
expedient to be pursued on their part. Some
urging immediate arrest of
Dorr & the
other candidates on the ground that the
violation of the law is assured & avowed? and
that delay indicates fear, strengthening
the enemy & disheartening our side but after
much discussion it has been determined not
to proceed hoping that our intelligence
from Washington in a day or two will
either be conclusive & end the matter in
a summary way or so favorable as to
satisfy us for alternative measures. It is
supposed that if there were arrests
then [unclear] most of them give hail except
Dorr who would probably be committed
rejoicing to be [unclear] [unclear] to suffer for
the people. The public mind is kept in
a state of continual turmoil by various
reports intelligence from Washington
unless the U.S. interferes promptly & decisively
we shall have trouble.
It is thought that the putting forth of this prox
will weaken the force of the suffrage party
at the regular election. No ticket for that
has yet appeared.
Our friends in several counties in usual
health.
Very truly yours
Robert H. Ives
Questions
What did the prox imply the People’s government intended to do?
Did Ives advocate for Thomas Dorr’s immediate arrest? Why or why not?