Rebellion of Dorr

The Rébellion of Dorr is an armed insurrection with Rhode Island in 1841 and 1842, carried out by Thomas Wilson Dorr which wanted to change the electoral system of the state.

According to the charter of Rhode Island, received at the origin of the King Charles II of England in 1663, only the landowners could vote. At the time, whereas the majority of the inhabitants of the colonies were farmers, that could be regarded as democratic. In the years 1840 a ground property being worth at least 134 $ was required to be entitled to the vote. However as the industrial revolution gained the North of America and that people flowed into the cities, more and more of world could not vote. Thus in 1829, 60% of the free white men were prohibited of vote.

This was regarded by some as violating Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America which stipulated that “the United States must guarantee in each state union the republican shape of government”. In short, much considered that an electorate made up from only 40% of the free white men of the state was anti-republican and that this constituted a violation of the Constitution (at the time, the women and the slaves did not vote, as well as other minorities).

Before the Years 1840, several attempts had been made replace the old colonial charter by a new constitution of state more largely to authorize the rights to vote. They had failed all in front of the wall of the legislature.

Thousands of people ravel in the streets of Providence in spring 1841. In October 1841, the supporters of the widened vote, carried out by Dorr, a lawyer, establish the Convention of the People which are a new constitution which gives the right to vote with the white men of more than 21 years and residents since more than one year in the state Rhode Island. At the same time, and in order to alleviate the situation, the legislature establishes a constitution rival, known as the Freemen' S Constitution , which makes some concessions with democratic claims.

The two constitutions were voted with the end of the year 1841, with like result the defeat of Freemen' S Constitution, largely due to the voters of Dorr, whereas the Convention of the People largely was ratified by a popular referendum in December by 14 000 people.

At the beginning of 1842 the two groups organized each one their own elections, which led to the election at the same time of Dorr and Samuel Ward King as Gouverneur in April. King, representing the party of “the Law and the Order”, refused to introduce the new constitution and declared the law martial. The May 4th 1842, the state requires of the troops of the federal government to intervene. President Tyler decides to postpone.

The 3000 “Dorrites” (the group pulled by Dorr) attacked the Arsenal Providence the May 19th 1842. Their facing, the “Charterites” (to support them old charter) counted in their row the father of Thomas Dorr, Sullivan Dorr, and its uncle, Crawford Allen. At that time, those had Bernon Mill Village with Woonsocket. The May 20th in the morning, only about fifty Dorrites dealt with the 1500 militiamans of the legislature of King, other Dorrites being volitilized. After this defeat, Thomas Dorr and his supporters were withdrawn with Chepachet where they hoped to renew the Convention of the People.

The Charterites forces were sent to Woonsocket to defend the village and to cut the retirement of the Dorrites forces. Charterites strengthened a camp in preparation of an attack, but this one never took place, and the Rebellion of Dorr disappears simply shortly after. Governor King emitted an order of arrest against Dorr the June 8th and a premium of 1000 $ for its arrest, range with 5000 $ the June 29th. Dorr exiled state.

Charterites, finally convinced of the need for an electoral reform, convened another convention. In September 1842 was held in Newport a session of the General meeting of Rhode Island giving rise to a new constitution of state which was ratified by the elected officials in place, was proclaimed by the King Governor the January 23rd 1843, and was taken in May effect. The new constitution extended the authorization of vote to each free white man which can pay a Poll tax of $1.

Dorr returned in Rhode Island this year, was declared guilty, and was condemned in 1844 to the forced labors to perpetuity. The hardness of the sentence was largely disapproved, and in 1845 Dorr, patient, were released and pardoned after twenty month of prison by the new governor. Its civic rights were restored to him in 1851, and in 1854 the judgment of course returned against him was cancelled.

Very disillusioned, Thomas Wilson Dorr died the December 27th 1854, with Providence.

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