Law and Order Party of Rhode Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Law and Order Party
|
|
|---|---|
| Leader | Samuel Ward King James Fenner Byron Diman |
| Founded | 1842 |
| Dissolved | 1847 |
| Split from | Whig Party |
| Merged into | Whig Party |
| Headquarters | Old Colony House, Newport, Rhode Island |
| Ideology | Anti-Dorr |
| Colors | Teal |
The Law and Order Party was a political group in Rhode Island in the 1840s. It was formed because of a big event called the Dorr Rebellion. This party was only around for a short time, from 1842 to 1847.
Contents
Why the Party Started
Back in 1840, Rhode Island had a very old rulebook, like a constitution, called the King's Charter from 1663. This old rule said that only men who owned land worth at least $134 could vote. This meant that many men, about 60% of them, were not allowed to vote.
The Party's Story
The Fight for Voting Rights
In the early 1840s, the governor of Rhode Island, Samuel Ward King, had a challenge. A man named Thomas Wilson Dorr and his group, the Rhode Island Suffrage Party, wanted more people to have the right to vote. They believed that all adult men should be able to vote, not just landowners.
Stopping the Rebellion
Governor King brought together a group called the Law and Order coalition. This group included members from the Whig Party and some conservative Democrats. Their main goal was to stop Dorr and his followers.
On May 4, 1842, Governor King and his group declared martial law. This meant that the military took control to keep order. The state's militia, which is like a local army, helped to end the rebellion by the end of the summer of 1842.
Creating a New Constitution
Even though the Law and Order Party first opposed letting more people vote, they soon realized that the old 1663 charter was outdated. After the rebellion, it became clear that they needed to make a change.
So, in November 1842, they wrote a new rulebook called the "Law And Order Constitution." This new constitution gave the right to vote to all adult men who were born in the state, including black men. This new constitution replaced the old King's Charter in May 1843.
Important Leaders
Several important people were elected to office as part of the Law and Order Party:
- Governor James Fenner (served from 1843 to 1845)
- Governor Byron Diman (served from 1846 to 1847)
- United States Senator John B. Francis (served from 1843 to 1845)
- United States Representative Henry Y. Cranston (served from 1843 to 1847) – he was a Whig during his second term
- United States Representative Elisha R. Potter (served from 1843 to 1845)
