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The Dorr Letters ProjectJohn Brown Francis to Jessie Tourtellot: |
Introduction
In this letter John Brown Francis acknowledged his friendship with Amasa Eddy, Jr., a prominent Democratic politician from Chepachet and lieutenant governor under the People’s Constitution. Both Tourtellot and Eddy were residents of the village of Chepachet, but were on opposites sides of the suffrage question. Eddy had fled the state after Thomas Dorr disbanded his forces in late June. Though he does mention that he thought Dorr was crazy and deserved to be put in a “halter,” a device that was used to secure the head of an animal, Francis declares his willingness to help those Democrats in exile. Francis said he was for “letting the people in” to the body politic as early as the spring of 1841 when the Rhode Island Suffrage Association held huge rallies in Providence and Newport.
Letter
[Nov. 26, 1842] Dear Sir,
I have just read, with a great deal of interest,
your letter of the 24th Nov. and am only sorry that you should have
allowed a month or more to elapse without employing me in behalf of
our mutual friend in exile. I had begun to fear that my letter had
contained sentiments ^so uncongenial with yr. feelings as to
have lost yr. ears ^or in scripture language
hardened yr. heart towards me.
And I regretted it exceedingly because instead of
indulging in having no hard feelings
towards anyone who has
been engaged in this unnatural warfare there is scarcely
a man ^among them whom I would not go out of my way to serve
tho’ I must acknowledge that I thought ^at one time that Dorr deserved
a halter.
I was in favor of letting the People in as soon as I
heard of the ^formidable procession at the ox roasting. I gave up the free-
hold qualification then as lost and the landed interest
in a very sickly condition before as utterly defunct
and I said & wrote to friends that if the
pill was only gilded with free suffrage we might secure
to ourselves a better constitution at that moment perhaps
than afterwards. Had I been governor of the state I would
have forced my party into a liberal course – and had
I held the reins since I should have gone on my knees
almost in the way of conciliation – but we
will canvass these matters when we meet – perhaps we do
not differ so wildly as you may imagine for I am not
such a terrible Algerine & aristocrat
as may have
been represented.
But let us proceed to the affair
of Mr. Eddy as I have no time by the mail to touch upon
other subjects. I know nothing of the son’s case how
he is rendered liable – but will inquire tomorrow.
I bout. the case before ^Gov. Fenner ^Gen. Carrington and
^Gov. King. Fenner assured me
that he felt warmly for Mr. E. & would do everyth.
in his power to & would take the course indicated by me.
King also assented & no doubt they
impressed Dr. Batty with the same belief.
(By the bye, I don’t know even on which side Batty is)
This thot. occurs to me now & I will see Gov. F tomorrow & ascertain how the plan strikes him.
It is for [unclear] to pledge himself to me that Eddy
shall not be arrested on his return if he ^Eddy will on his return
engage ^ on his honor to send in his admission & resignation
within a prescribed time –
will not such a course save Eddy’s feelings? I do not want to
have him mortified or humiliated any more than you do.
I will let you know how King receives such a proposition.
You think it strange he should be molested when
so many others escape. I know of no other reason
than that he is the second officer in Dorr’s Government
& in Dorr’s absence fills the Executive Chair
& I have been told this very day that there is a letter from
Dorr to his family in which he discloses that he
will never again attempt force which is tanta-
mount on his part to a resignation.
Let me hear from you as to my [unclear] Eddy & I will early in
the week drop you a line touching the matter.
If [unclear] by our cooperation ^ we can bring Mr. Eddy back where he
can smoke his pipe by his own fireside for the remainder of his days wishing politics
and politicians all to the devil, we shall have done
him a good deed.
Questions
What do you think Francis would have done if he was governor of Rhode Island in the spring of 1842?
What important news of Thomas Wilson Dorr does Francis relay to Tourtellot?