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The Dorr Letters ProjectElisha R. Potter Junior to John Brown Francis: |
Introduction
A seemingly dejected Elisha R. Potter Jr. , wrote to John Brown Francis to inform him that the General Assembly (then sitting in Newport) missed an opportunity to pass compromise legislation.
Letter
Kingston May 13, 1842
Dear Sir
On getting home today I received
your letter.
When I made out my account of
expenses, I reckoned up what I could recollect and
then added what I thought enough to cover soda
candy & all other little expenses. It included
my expenses at Providence and until I got home.
At Newport we found a great many
of the members disposed to concession & calling a
convention. But the 1st sen roared and swore that
if we gave up an inch he would never come near the court house again. So it ended. But I told
them openly in convention that unless they
managed differently they could not prevent an open
split in the party at June session.
I tried hard to get the next session put
off no longer than last Monday of May or 1st of June
but could not succeed.
Mr. Goddard, JP Hasard, Randolph
agreed with me as to the propriety of concession.
I do not think we shall ever see
the time again when we could have made a concession
with so good a grace as at the last session.
Do not you think probable the Whigs
may have some design in putting Fenner forward & throwing
on him all the odium of what they do?
Yours truly ERP
Questions
Why do you think the move to call a constitutional convention failed?
Cross Reference:
See the letter that Thomas Wilson Dorr wrote on May 13 here