LEAVING, for the present, this part of the history, we return to Mr. Dorr. His proclamation for convening the people's legislature at Chepatchet on the ensuing 4th of July was issued on the 25th of June. He had been absent from the state since the 18th instant, and had given no orders or advice concerning the fortifications at Acote's Hill; and before he decided that it was his duty to give the people another opportunity to rally in support of their constitution, he was assured, by a deputation sent him, that a large number of people had already collected at that place, who were determined, notwithstanding all their reverses, and all that threatened them at home and abroad, to persist in support of their own constitutional government. With these renewed assurances of fidelity, Mr. Dorr came to the conclusion that it was his duty to aid them in a further effort to accomplish that object, and therefore issued the afore-mentioned proclamation. It was evident that the people's legislature could not now be con

vened in Providence. Chepatchet was a quiet country village, situated sixteen or seventeen miles from Providence, where it was thought that Mr. Dorr's legislature might convene, and, unmolested, proceed to pass such orders and acts as might be deemed expedient. No possible harm could arise from such a meeting; but it soon became apparent that no such session could be held even there, unless the place was defended by a strong military force. It was known that, on the 23d of June, whilst Mr. Dorr was absent from the state, and nothing was doing any where by the friends of the constitution, except the small collection at Chepatchet, Governor King issued his orders as commander-in-chief to all the military of the state to put themselves in readiness for immediate service, and on the 24th of June a steamboat was ordered from Providence to bring up all the military forces from Newport, Warren, and Bristol. The boat returned the same evening, bringing several companies of artillery and seven or eight pieces of field ordnance. This boat was again ordered back the next day, and returned with several companies of infantry, numbering, in all, three or four hundred men. In the mean time orders were given to all the military forces of the state to repair forthwith to Providence. The state troops were soon brought in from all the neighboring towns, and on the next day, which was Sunday, the entire Washington brigade, five or six hundred strong, came in over the Stonington Railroad.

A company of Carbineers from New York city was brought in, each man being armed with one of Colt's six-barrelled rifles. A company of Sea Fencibles, hav

ing in charge a long Paixhan gun, (a thirty-two pounder,) arrived from Newport. By Sunday evening, June 26, the forces collected at Providence amounted to from three to four thousand men, with fifteen or twenty pieces of artillery. The city of Providence was filled with soldiers and their appliances, and nothing was heard or seen on either side but the dread array and din of war. Now, what had caused all this terrific display of hostile preparations? Was there any formidable foe in sight, any abroad or at home, to warrant these warlike preparations? Might it not have arisen from a constitutional cowardice in some, or a fear that arises from conscious guilt in others, urged on by powers behind the throne, compared with which the chief magistrate was himself a mere cipher? or had the charter authorities actually become alarmed by the falsehoods and bugbears which they had themselves conjured up and put into circulation?

Where was the foe with which this formidable charter army was to contend? Mr. Dorr was at Chepatchet, where he had attempted to convene his legislature. Some of his abiding friends had gathered around him, and a few were provided with arms. The neighboring citizens visited the place out of curiosity, and went and returned as they chose; but it has been shown, by good testimony, that only about two or three hundred men were under arms at that place at any one time. Mr. Dorr very soon became satisfied that the people's cause had become prostrated and their rights crushed by the iron heel of despotism. He saw that further efforts would be useless and improper, although the little band

of brave men under arms manifested a desire to dispute the ground to the last, and, if necessary, to pour out their blood as a libation to freedom; yet Mr. Dorr believed that no such sacrifice was required of them or him, and therefore, on Monday, the 27th of June, he issued the following order :

GLOCESTER, June 27, 1842.

Believing that a majority of the people who voted for the constitution are opposed to its further support by military means, I have directed that the military here assembled be dismissed.

I trust that no impediments will be thrown in the way of the return of our men to their homes.

This order was issued about four o'clock in the afternoon, and forthwith communicated to the men under arms by Gen. DeWolf and Col. Comstock, who commanded the station. Immediately on receiving the order, the military dispersed. Let not this little band of brave men be disparaged because they were few in numbers. Theirs was not the empty daring that goes with the multitude and boasts loudest when no enemy is near. Their courage arose from an abiding sense of right. The spirit of 1776 glowed in their bosoms and nerved their arms; they were true men, whom no bribes could purchase, nor threats terrify. Mr. Dorr remained at his quarters until about seven o'clock that afternoon, when he left the place. But no language can describe his heart-rending emotions when he found himself obliged to abandon a cause in which he had labored so long and sacrificed so much a cause so

big with momentous consequences to himself, to his state, to the American people, and to the world. On that eventful night a lurid halo seemed to surround the sun as he sunk beneath the horizon. A star in the American constellation, once bright and shining, now became darkened as with an eclipse: patriots wept, and strong men looked dismayed. We will now return to the royal charter army at Providence, and take a brief notice of their movements. As soon as Mr. Dorr had given orders for the dismission of the men under arms at Chepatchet, he sent a copy of that order to Providence for immediate publication in the New Age; but that communication was intercepted, the seal broken, and the paper passed over to the governor and Council. They kept it in their possession until the next day, when they gave it up to those to whom it belonged. But the New Age, in which Mr. Dorr designed the order to be published the day before, had been suppressed, and the proprietors durst not now publish any thing without a permit from the governor or his Council. At length a written permit was obtained, and the order was published in an extra from that office. But the governor and his councillors had taken advantage of the information which they obtained by the seizure of the letter the day before, which contained the order, and had hastily and slyly despatched several military squadrons, which were directed to take separate routes and proceed to Chepatchet with all possible haste, in order to capture as many men as possible before they could get home to their families. These "law and order" troops had now become very courageous men who,