For some years after the Revolution the shipping of the State, being free from British restriction, became known in all parts of the globe then visited by vessels, and the founda tions were laid of .large afterward in vested in manufacturing, when the shipping business declined. This change took place early in the 19th century, when New England's for eign commerce was practically ruined by the embargo, and when, on the other hand, the War of 1812 gave an impulse to domestic manufac tures. Factories were established on every stream that afforded water-power, and Rhode Island grew in prosperity with her expanding industries.
The charter of Charles II, which continued to be the fundamental law of the State, re stricted the right of suffrage to freeholders having an estate worth $134, or renting for $7 a year, and to their eldest sons. This was the cause of many wrongs, and of wide spread popular protest. It was not uncommon for persons holding mortgages to threaten to foreclose them in order to influence votes, and the system gave rise to much intimidation and corruption. The conservative element strongly opposed a change, and when attempts to obtain reform through the regular course of legisla tion failed, representatives of the suffrage reform party met in convention and framed a constitution. They claimed that this constitu tion had been' adopted by a majority of the adult male citizens of the State, and it was also alleged that a majority of those entitled to vote under the King Charles charter had voted in favor of the constitution. State officers and a legislature were chosen under this constitution, and organized with Thomas W. Dorr as gov ernor. The charter officials, under Gov. Samuel W. King, ignored the Dorr legislature and its enactments, and Governor King, at the head of a military force, dispersed the so-called insurgents. Dorr was convicted of treason and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but he was released some ,years later, and his sentence or dered expunged from the records of the State. A new constitution was adopted in regular form, and went into effect in May 1843. It retained the real estate qualification for foreign-born citi zens, and this was not abolished until 1:•:: Another important change adopted later was that permitting election by a plurality vote. This came into effect in 1893. When a ma jority was required the election was often thrown into the general assembly, which sometimes chose a minority candidate. Until
1900 the State had two seats of government, the organization of the State government and one session of the legislature being held at Newport in May. Now all sessions are held in Providence, in the splendid new State Capitol.
As a manufacturing State, Rhode Island has been largely influenced by tariff in terests in its attitude on national elections, and since 1856, with one exception, the year 1912, it has always given its electoral vote to the Republican candidates. The Democrats have been successful several times within the past two decades, however, in electing their candi dates for governor. Rhode Island has adopted the so-called Australian ballot system of secret voting.
Political power is unequally divided. Each city and town, no matter how large or small, has but one representative in the senate, or upper branch of the general assembly,. and the representation is also disproportionate in the lower branch. The city of Providence, with nearly one-half the population of the State, and contributing nearly one-half of the State taxes on general property, elects only about one eighth of the State legislature. In this respect Rhode Island is a miniature of the national government. It is also a singular fact that in Rhode Island's civil conflict, the Dorr lwar,D the northern part of the State chiefly supported one side, the Dorrites and the southern part stood by the charter.
In the Civil War, Rhode Island supplied 24,102 men for both the army and navy, Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, for a time in command of the army of the Potomac, and whose equestrian statue is a conspicuous feature of the city of Providence, joined the service from this State, of which, however, he was not a native, and later was honored by its people by being elected governor and United States Senator. Rhode Island spared no expense in sending troops to the front, and since that great con flict has been generous in caring for her dis abled and dependent defenders, and maintains a well-regulated Soldiers' Home at Bristol. The Soldiers' Monument opposite the City Hall in Providence, one of the finest in the United States, bears the names of the gallant dead who fell in defense of their country. In the Spanish American War, the conflict in the Philippines and in the Mexican crisis and the late great World War Rhode Island has been well rep resented. See BOUNDARIES OP' THU UNITED STATES.