Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/604

 494 THE HISTORY OF BARRnTOTON. the whole body of the people, and claimed that under the existing Charter the rights of the people had been made sub- ject to the minority of the land holders of the State. The largest vote ever polled by the freeholders was in the presi- dential election of 1840, when only 8,642 votes were cast, in a total male adult population of over 230,000. The cause of the disfranchised class was advocated with great energy and earnestness by able leaders, and associations were formed throughout the State in favor of constitutional liberty. A mass Convention was held in Providence, on April 18, 1841, to discuss the great question at issue, and adjourned to meet at Newport on the 5th of May following. This Convention made an appeal to the General Assembly and the people in behalf of the rights of non-free-holders. In August, 1841, a Convention to form a Constitution was held at Providence, and after several sessions, submitted the final draft of the proposed Constitution to the people in Novem- ber, to be voted on by the people for their adoption or rejec- tion, on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of December, 1841. On the count of the ballots cast, it appeared that 13,944 had been cast in favor of the new Constitution and fifty-two against it. Of the whole number who voted, 4,960 were freeholders, qualified by state law to vote. The result of the election was announced to the people Jan. 13, 1842, by a Committee of the Convention, and among the names is that of Christopher Smith of Barrington, who then owned in part, and lived at, the General Allin place. An election was held under the new Constitution, and Thomas W. Dorr received 6,359 votes, and was declared elected Governor of the State. Nathaniel C. Smith was the Barrington representative in the Dorr Legislature. A conflict now arose between the government de facto of the Freeholders, or Algerine party, as it was called, and the Dorr party, who claimed the de jure govern- ment of the people. Events rapidly led up to the settlement of the question by an appeal to force, as each government claimed the exclusive right to the exercise of the legislative functions.