Qass. 
 Book. 
 
AN 
 EXACT AND AUTHENTIC 
 
 NARRATIVE, 
 
 OF THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 
 BALTIMORE, ON THE 11th AND 
 mh OF JULY LAST. ^r: 
 
 CAREFULLY COLLECTED FROM SOME OF THE 
 SUFFERERS AND EYE-WITNESSES. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 A NARRATIVE OF 
 
 Mr. JOHN THOMSON, 
 
 ONE OF THE UNFORTUNATJE SUF. 
 FEKERS, &c. 
 
 The direful Mob was heard to shout, 
 We'll dnnk their blood ! we'll root them out t 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE PURCHASERS, 
 September 1, 1812. 
 
•hB^■E:^, 
 
NARRATIVE, &c. 
 
 STATE OF MARYLAND,ss. 
 
 RoeKViLLE, Aug. 12, 1812* 
 
 Personally appeared on this 12th day of August 1812, be* 
 fure John Fleming, Justice of the Peace for Montgomery 
 County, he foUownig persons: Peregrine VVarfield, Richard 
 I. Crabb, Chailes J. Kilgour, Henry Nelson, Ephraim Gaither, 
 Robert Kilgouf, John A. Payne, H. C. Gaither, and Alexan- 
 der C. Hanson, who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists of 
 Al'Tjighty God, do declare and depose in the manner and form 
 following — to wit: 
 
 That these deponents are some of the surviving person^ 
 who were devoted, or nneanttobe devoted, to the brutal and 
 murderous fury of the Mob in the late Massacre in the Jail at 
 the City of Baltimore — That the^e deponents having seen 
 the following statement submitted to them of that horrid atro- 
 city, and the proceedings connected with it, do swe^r, that as 
 fitr as their individual suiTerings or particular opportunities of 
 observation may enable them to testify, they bel.e\e thefac's 
 and circumstances detailed m the followmg statement to be 
 truly and accurately siaed — The^e deponents not intending 
 hereby to preclude themselves frotxi a furthtr narrative or dis- 
 closute. of such other circumv.tances and special injuries and 
 suiferings as a^e within the particular knowledge of each of 
 thenri respectively, or which they may have individually ex- 
 perienced and endured. 
 ^: Sworn to before me, JOHN FLEMING. 
 
 State of Maryland — Montgomery County, ss, 
 
 I hereby certify, that 'John Fleming, Gent, before whom 
 the foregoing affidavit appears to liave been made, and whos^ 
 
(4) 
 nrH»e is thereto. subscribed, was at the time a Justice of the 
 Peace in and lor the county aforesaid, dul>' commissioned and 
 
 z*"^ In testimony whereof. I have hereto subscribed my 
 r L. s. J riaine, and affixed ihe public seal for Montgomer/ 
 \^^/ County, this twelfth day of August, Anno Dom- 
 
 ini^ eighteen hundred and twelve. 
 
 UP I ON BEALL, 
 Clerk of Montgomery County Court. 
 
 On the night of the 22cl June, the ofKce and 
 entire printing apparatus of the Federal Repub- 
 lican was demolished bV a Mob in Baltimore, 
 ia the presence of the Mayor, the Judge of the 
 Criminal Court, and several other Magistrates 
 and Police Officers, whose authority was not ex- 
 erted to save it, and preserve the peace of the 
 city. One or the Editors narrowly escaped with 
 his life after being pursued by ruffians, who 
 avowed their fell purpose of assassination. 
 
 Mr. Hanson, the other proprietor o( the paper, 
 lieard of the depredations committed by the 
 3lob the evening after, and went to Baltimore 
 the next day, accompanied by his friend Captain 
 Hichard I. Crabb, to make arrangements for re- 
 establishing the paper. Finding it impossible 
 to render any service, the laws being ciTcciually 
 silenced, and his friends unanimously urging his 
 <lepartue,he left the town in a few hours, having 
 iirst walked the streets as usual, and made all 
 the arrangements that could be made, in con- 
 junction with his friends and agents^ for reviv- 
 ing the paper with all possible^ despatch. 
 
upon his return home to Rockville, Mont* 
 gomery County, Mr. Hanson communicated 
 to some of his most intimate friends his deter- 
 miuMtion to recommence the paper in Baltimore, 
 and declared he never would visit Baltimore 
 agiin until he could go prepared to assert his 
 rights, and resist oppression. He was aware, 
 that the execution of his plan v/ould be accom- 
 panied with much difficulty and danger, but his 
 frientis admired and approved it the more on 
 that accoimt, and volunteered to accompany him. 
 to Baltimore, to participate his dangers or suc- 
 cesses, in maintaining the rights of person and 
 pr{^ptTty, and defendiog the Liberty of the 
 Press. They were nine in number : — General 
 Janties M. Lingan, (murd(^red,) General Harry 
 Lee, Captain Richard I. Crabb, Dr. P. Warfield, 
 Charles J Kilgour, Otho Sprig, Ephraim Gai- 
 ther, and John Howard Payne. Several others 
 were to have gone, but were prevented; and 
 on the night of the attack, the party was joined 
 by three other volunteers from the county, who 
 were not fully apprised by Mr. Hanson, of his 
 determination, but received their inlbrmation 
 in confidence from others : — Major Musgrove, 
 Henry G. Gaither, and William Gaither. On 
 the evening of the attack, they v/ere joined by 
 about twenty gentlemen living in Baltimore, one 
 or two only of whom were invited to the house 
 by Mr. Hanson. 
 
 When the office was first demolished; Mr. 
 Wagner, one of the proprietors, lived in a house 
 in Charles street. On that event, he removed 
 A 2 
 
(6) 
 
 JiJs family from the house, but did not rehn- 
 quish it, or remove his furniture. 
 
 In this situation it remained until the 26th 
 of July, when the paper having been re-estab- 
 lished in Georgetown, and the proprietors hav. 
 ing resolved to attmpt its reestablishment in 
 Baltimore, one of them, Mr. Hanson, came and 
 occupied this house, (having first taken a lease) 
 as a place from which the distribution of the 
 paper might be made. He was attended by the 
 friends before mentioned, who were to remain 
 as his guests until dieir business called them 
 home. 
 
 They thought it very probable, that an at- 
 tempt would be made to prevent the distri- 
 bution of the paper, and they might even be at- 
 tacked in the house for that purpose. But they 
 hoped, by the appearance of determined resist- 
 ance, to deter the assailants from actual vio- 
 lence, till the civil authority should have time 
 to interpose and prevent mischief. Should they 
 be disappointed in this hope, and find themselves 
 in danger from the unrestrained violence of a 
 Mob, they were resolved, and were prepared to 
 stand pn the defensive, and to repel force by 
 force. Reliance upon the civil authority they 
 early perceived to be fruitless, for on applicatioa 
 to the Mayor by the owner of the house, he 
 peremptorily declined all interference, and left 
 town, as it was understood, to prevent his repose 
 from being disturbed. The civil authority re- 
 fusing to interfere when applied to by Mr. 
 White, the son, and Mr. Dennis Nowland, the 
 9on- in-law of the owner of the house, there was 
 
nothing left but to resist the Mob in the house, 
 and while this resistance was made with a mild- 
 ness nd forbearance scarcely ever equalled, and 
 which excited the wonder of the spectators, sev- 
 eral messages were sent to Brigadier General 
 Strieker to disperse the Mob and prevent the 
 effusion of blood, which would otherwise be 
 unavoidable. 
 
 1^" it be objected, that the scheme was rash 
 or imprudent, all must ddiiut it was stjictli/ and 
 cleailij lawful. Mr. Hanson had an undoubted 
 right to distribute the paper in Baltimore, from 
 this or any oiher houi.c- in hir, occupation, and 
 to defend his ptiisoii and property by force, in 
 case they were assailed by unlawful violence, 
 and left unprotected by die civil auihoiity. 
 
 On Monday, the 2rth of July, the distribu- 
 tion of the paper was commenced, and pro- 
 ceeded without molestation or tumult, till eve- 
 ning. But soon after twilight, a Mob collecied 
 before the house, and soon began to act in a very 
 threatening and riotous manner. The gentlemen 
 in the house, with great mildness, patience and 
 forbearance, repeatedly advised arid requested 
 them to disperse, assuming them that the house 
 was armed, and would be defended, and that the 
 consequences of attacking would be dangerous. 
 
 This, however had no other affect than to in- 
 crease the boldness and violence of the Mob, 
 as well as its numbers. A vigorous attack on 
 
 the house was soon commenced Stones were 
 
 thrown in showers at the front windows, all 
 of which were soon broken, and not only the 
 glass, but ;h€ §ashes and shutters were demcl- 
 
(8) 
 
 ished, and an attempt was made to break down 
 the street door, which was at length actually 
 broken and burst open. All these acts of vio- 
 lence were accompanied by loud and reiterated 
 declarations by the Mol) of a determin ,tion to 
 force the house, and expel, or kill all those who 
 were engaged in its defence. 
 
 These scenes contmued for more than two 
 hours, without the least interference of the 
 Mayor, or any appearanct of an intention to in- 
 terpose. At length, the persons thus threaten- 
 ed and assailed, finding that li'tlr; hope remained 
 of protection from the local authoniies, and that 
 forbearance, expostulation and entreaty on their 
 p.art, served only to increase the audacity of :he 
 Mob, resolved to try the effect of intimidation. 
 Orders were therefore given to fire from the 
 windows of the second story over the heads of 
 the Mob, so as to frighten without hurting them. 
 This was done. — The Mob was at first iniimi- 
 dated by this blank fire, but soon finding that no 
 hurt was done by it, they returned, and recom- 
 menced the attack with increased violence. — 
 The windows having been ali before broken, and 
 ihe room on the lower front floor abandoned, 
 the Mob prepared to enter by the door and take 
 possession of the house. The gentlemen from 
 within, therefore prepared themselves for the 
 worst and resolved, that when things should 
 be pushed to extremities, they would make a 
 serious fire on the assai'ants. Some gentlemen 
 were stationed on the stairs in the entry, opposite 
 the front door, and the eniry Itself was bairi- 
 radedj as well as could be done, with chairs, 
 
(9) 
 
 tables, and oiher farnicure. Oiher persons were 
 posted at the windows, in such a manner, as best 
 to command the approach to the doors. They 
 renewed their v/arnings and eutreatiesi to the 
 Mob, but with no other effect than before, and 
 in this situation they remained until efftciual re- 
 sistance should become absolutely neccssaiy. — 
 Still the civil authority did nothing, save the 
 fruitless efforts of Judge Scott, who was ulti- 
 maiely obliged to leave the street : The military 
 was equally supine or indifferent. Ii was now 
 about 1 1 o'clock. The violence of the attack in- 
 creased, and in a short time a part of the Mob 
 with a Dv, Gale, their apparent leader and in- 
 stigator, (who hadharrangued them i« thestrcet) 
 at their head, made an atteaipt to enter the pas- 
 sage and advance towards the stairs. 
 
 Orders were now given to fire from the win- 
 dows and staircase. By this fire Dr. Gale was 
 killed, and carried off by his companions and 
 followers. Several were wounded m the street. 
 The Mob fled in every direction, carrying with 
 them the wounded and the body of Dr. Gale ; 
 but before they fled they fired frequently into 
 the house, where the marks of their shot are to 
 be seen, and a pistol aimed at the breast of Gen- 
 eral Lee flashed, while he was expostulating 
 with the Mob. One of the defenders of ihe 
 house, (Eohraim Gaither) was wounded at the 
 time of the fire from the street, but how or with 
 what has not been ascertained. He bled pro- 
 fusely, and had a convulsion in the morning 
 while standing at his post upon duty. 
 
 This was the time for the gentlemen in the 
 
(10) 
 house to malce their escape. — Coiiltl they have 
 seen that their enterprise had hecorDc isupraciic- 
 ahle, they might have made j^ood thrir reireat. 
 But they judged otherwise. 1 hey thought rath- 
 er of their rights than of the prudence of a fur- 
 ther effort to assert ihem, and resolved still to 
 defend the house, indulging the hojie too, tlirtt 
 no fuither violence would be attempted after 
 this experience of its consequencts, or ihat the 
 civil authority would rffpctually interpose. 
 
 The Mob came very cautiously and almost 
 by stealth in front of the house after the effec- 
 tual fire. They still, however, remained in the 
 streets and increased their numbers gradu- 
 ally, a drum parading the streets to beat up re- 
 cruits, and continued to throw stones in front 
 and back of the house.— Between two and 
 three o'clock the military having been ordered 
 out. Major Barney appeared in the street at the 
 head of a small party of cavalry. 
 
 The JNIob again fled at his apnroach, crying 
 out as they hea'd the trampling of horses, " the 
 troop is coming, the troop is coming." Near 
 the fiont of the house Major Barney halted and 
 addr; ssed them. On this they again returned. 
 He told theoj lie was their friend, their personal 
 and polUical fr'ivnd^ that he was there to protect 
 person and jrroperiy, to prevent violence, " to 
 secure the party in the house," and that tiiose in 
 the street must disperse. They then asked him 
 
 by what authority he came He answered by 
 
 order of the Brigadier General Stri. ker> They 
 demanded a sight of the ordv r. which he ccn- 
 seuted to show thein, and for that purpose went 
 
round the corner into an ally where they assem- 
 bled round him to see it. lie said something 
 in a low voice on hearinj^which the mob gave 
 three cheers. 
 
 What did he then say to them ? This can be 
 answered only from conjecture and from what 
 happened afterwards. Many of the gentlemen 
 ip the house judging from subsequent events 
 bLdieve that he communicated to the Mob the 
 plan of assasr,ination, which was put into exe- 
 cution, a'ld which they suppose to have been 
 thea already formed with his knowledge and 
 participaiion. But this supposition would . s- 
 cribe to that ofHcer a degree of ferocious profli- 
 gacy which ought not to be impuiedio him or 
 any other man without the clearest proof.—The 
 subjoined extract from the Whig, explains Ma- 
 jor Barney's conduct. 
 
 *' We regret that our committee have not af- 
 terso much pains 2ii\d promise^ stated some par- 
 ticulars minutely ; particulars necessary to be 
 known — we mean the circumstances of the nego- 
 tiation (as it were) between Major Barney and 
 the populace. They agreed to rest satisfied, 
 if the murderers should be carefully kept from 
 escaping, and be surrendered into the hands of 
 the civil authority ; in other words Oe committed 
 to jail for triaU To the fulfilment of his 
 WAS Major Barney pledged." 
 
 His instructions were nevertheless for t • 
 safety and honor of the gentlemen in the house ! 
 
 There can be no question, be had orders while 
 he protected the house from further attack, to 
 secure the party in it so as to prevent them from 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 escaping, and to bring them to trial for the 
 deaths which had taken place or were expected, 
 and that he communicatedthis part of his ordi;rs 
 to the Mob. This supposition is favoured by 
 what he was heard to say on his first approacli 
 "•—that " he was there to take possession and 
 secure the party in the house." 
 
 And when the gentlemen distrusting his views 
 in consequence of what they had observed, de- 
 manded an explanation, he assured them that he 
 had no orders or instructions but stick as zvere 
 consistent with their safety and hsncr, but he 
 was obliged to talk otherwise to the Mob to de- 
 ceive and keep them quiet. 
 
 The Mob made no further attempt on the house 
 in front of which Major Barney and his cavalry 
 remained constantly wrangling and talking with 
 the Mob, who soon prepared for a more effec- 
 tual attack by bringing up a field piece. With 
 this they attempted to fire on the house, but 
 were always prevented by Major Barney, who 
 more than once mounted on the cannon declar- 
 ing that if they fired they should fire on him, 
 that they would kill their own friends — all which 
 trouble he might havesavedhimself,if he pleas- 
 ed, by remounting his horse, and dispersing the 
 Mob which fled at his first approach. 
 
 This state of things continued till about six 
 o'clock, A. M. when Mr. Johnson the Mayor, 
 arrived from the country whither messengers 
 had been despatched for him by those out of the 
 house, and Brigadier Gen. Strieker, who com- 
 mands the militia of the town, appeared before 
 the door and commenced a parley with the party 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 within. Being admitted into the house, they 
 represented to the party defending, the irritation 
 which prevailed in the town, the exasperation of 
 the public mind, and the impossibility ot main- 
 taining the defence against the force which 
 would soon come in aid of the attack. The May- 
 or asked for and addressed Mr, Hanson with 
 warmth and great agitation. Spoke of a civil 
 waVy saying' we are impressed with the belie/ that 
 a civil war z> inevitable^ and /consider this a par- 
 ti/ things and the commencement of it. He com- 
 plained also of the government's being impli- 
 cated in the dispute between parties and the 
 paper, and added stich opposition must or will 
 be noticed. To all which Mr. Hanson replied 
 that he would not enter into a political dispute 
 with the Mayor, that he had a right to defend 
 his house which was his castle, and his person, 
 and that he and his friends were competent to the 
 protection of both, that it was the Mayor's du- 
 ty to disperse the Mob. The Mayor and Gen- 
 eral Strieker then declared their own inability 
 to protect the party in the house while there, 
 and proposed that they should surrender them- 
 selves into the hands of the civil authority, and 
 be taken to the public jail as a place of safety ^ 
 promising an efifcctual escort on the vvav, to be 
 cimposed of Mr. Hanson's own friends, in 
 town if he nleased, and also an effectual guard 
 at the jail till they could be released on bail. 
 
 To this many of the party, particularly Mr. 
 
 Hanson, stronglv objected. He was indignant 
 
 at the proposal to go to jail — *''to jail said he, 
 
 for what ? for protecting mv person and proper- 
 
 B 
 
• ( 14 ) 
 ly against R Mob who assailed both for three 
 hours without being fired upon when he could 
 have killed niinibers of them ; it is your duty 
 to disperse the Mob, and if you cannot dis- 
 perse them, you cannot protect us to jail or after 
 we are in jail." Mr. Hanson then, after the 
 Mayor and General went into the front i com 
 to converse with General Lee, exhorted his 
 friends never to surrender, declaring that no re- 
 liance could be placed on the assurances of such 
 men, who were his bitter enemies, and who, 
 however willing they might be, were unable to 
 aflford effectual protection, as was proved by 
 their inability to disperse the Mob then assem- 
 bled before the house. He repeated over and 
 over, that if they surrendered they v/ould all be 
 sacrificed, and from his knoiviedge of the mtn 
 ihcy had to deal wiih, particularly John Mont- 
 gomery who had just before passed into the 
 room, he expected they would ail be given up 
 to be massacreed either on the way to jail or in 
 the jail." Mr. Hanson then staled his objec- 
 tions to the Mayor and General Strieker, who 
 in answer gave the most solenm assurances on 
 their faith as officers, and their honor as men, 
 to afford the promi^.ed protection, or die in the 
 attempt. General Siricker assured them on his 
 honor that he would never quit tht m while there 
 was danger, andif ihey were attacked he would 
 rescue or fail wiih thtm ; these assurances were 
 repeated frequently with tlie most solemn assev- 
 erations and appeals to God. Mr. Hanson 
 
 having said something to his Iriends in regard 
 to ihe house and fuoriiiurrj a pledge was instant- 
 
( li- ) 
 
 iy given by the Mayor to leave a guard to de- 
 fend both. Oen. Lee, and other gentlemen at- 
 tempted to gt't better terms of capitulation, such 
 as marching out with arms in their hands to as- 
 sibt in protecting themselves, and riding on their 
 horses among the cavalry, and in carriages. 
 The Mayor and General went out to see if the 
 Mob would cmisit'nt to any other terms. While 
 gone, Mr. Plansoo made two propositions to 
 
 ' different gentlemen of his party, the one to hold 
 the Mayor and Brigadier General as hostages 
 for their safety, and the other, offering to give 
 himself lip to the Mob xvho would then be ap- 
 peased^ repeating his belief that every maa 
 would be sacrificed if they surrendered. 
 
 When the Mayor and General Strieker re- 
 turned, they informed the party in the house, 
 that no other terms could be obtained from the 
 Mob, than those first proposed, and urged their 
 immediate acceptance, declaring that a delay of 
 five niinutes might be fatal. Mr. Hanson still 
 vehemently opposed surrendering, and said he 
 had nothing to say to the Mob, but would nego- 
 tiate only with the civil authority, in order to 
 prevent the further effusion of blood, which he 
 was as anxious to do as anyone. General Lee, 
 who had been chosen to command the party, was 
 then sought for in the front room, up stairs. He 
 
 %«was of opinion, that the proposition of the May* 
 or aud General Strieker ought to be accepted, 
 and endeavoured to gain over Mr. Hanson to 
 his opinion, by expressing the warmest con- 
 fidence in their sincerity and honor, and their 
 
 ■ competency to afford fu-U protection to and at 
 
■ ( 16 ) 
 the jail. Gen. Lee probably saw that the de- 
 fence was wholly desperate. The numbers in 
 the house had diminished from about thirty to 
 twenty, by sending out detachments for various 
 purposes who could not return, and from other 
 causes not now satisfactorily known. This re- 
 maining number was barely sufficient to man 
 the essential stations.—— —There were none to 
 reliev^e them. The effects of fatigue and want 
 of sleep began to be felt. Those of hunger 
 and thurst must soon be added, for their stock 
 of provisions and water was small, and a supply 
 was impossible. To a military man of judg- 
 ment and experience, like General Lee, these 
 circumstances would naturally appear in all 
 their force. He sav/ the defence necessarily and 
 rapidly becoming weeker, while there was rea- 
 son to believe that the attacking force would 
 greatly and rapidly augment. Being a soldier 
 too himself, he could not doubt a soldier's honor, 
 nor believe thot General Strieker, who- had 
 served like himself in the war of our revolution, 
 could abandon those who surrendered their 
 arms on the faith of his word. General Lee 
 therefore gave his opinion early and strongly 
 in favour of a surrender. 
 
 Several others no doubt from similar motives, 
 and some in deference to his opinion, declared 
 for the same course. But Mr. Hanson, more 
 ardent because younger, sm.iriing under wrongs 
 unredressed, and flushed by the hope of gainmg 
 in the end a glorious victory, and less confiding 
 because better acquainted with the weakness, 
 timidity and disposition of the persons on whom 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 tliey were invited to rely, strongly and pertina^- 
 cioiisly opposed this sentiment to the last, con- 
 tending ihat if the defence was really impractic- 
 able, which he by no means believed, it was 
 better to die there with arms in their hands, 
 than to surrender for the purpose of being led 
 through the streets like malefactors, and in the 
 end massacreed by the mob, against which he 
 insisted no eiTectuai proteciion would be afford- 
 ed, or ought to be expected. The opinion of 
 General Lee, however, finally prevailed and the 
 whole party to the number of between twenty 
 and thirty surrendered themsei.es into the 
 hands of the civil authority. An escort of horse 
 and foot was provided by General Strieker, and 
 they were conducted from the house to the jail, 
 "i'his took place between eight and nine o'clock 
 in the morning. 
 
 In going to the jail, they were to pass by a 
 large pile of paving stones, which had been pro- 
 vided for paving the streets. — While the nego- 
 tiation for the surrender was going on, a plan 
 was laid to massacre the party at this pile of 
 stones, and a company from Fell s Point, headed 
 by a Mr. Worrel, was to join the mob at that 
 place for the purpose. The plan was to drive 
 off, or knock down the escort with the stones, 
 and then beat the prisoners to death. But the 
 pile of stones was passed a few , minutes before 
 tht; party from the Point arrived and thus the 
 scheme was frustrated, not Avithout two of the 
 gentlemen receivmg severe blows with stones, 
 said to.be aimed at Mr. Plansoii* This im- 
 portant fact was related on the samedav to y gen 
 B 2 
 
(18) 
 tleman by one of the Chiefs of the Mob, who 
 very cooly added ; — '^ It is only a short delay, 
 for we shall take them out of the jail to njght 
 and put them to death." ^ 
 
 This intention was publicly and frequently 
 avowed, in the course of the day ; an express 
 invitation to that effect was given in the princi- 
 pal democratic paper of this city ; and the pre- 
 parations for carrying it into effect, were openly 
 made. A particular incident will shew how 
 well it was known, andhow confidently expected* 
 
 A youth of the name of M'Cuhbin, a cleric 
 in the couniii.g house of Hollins and M^Blair, 
 had ojpened thecounting house in the morning 
 as usual, and after attending to his ordinary bu- 
 siness, was led by curiosity or accident, into the 
 neighbourhood of the jail, at the moment when 
 the party from the house entered it. Being with 
 the crowd he was hurried inuj the jail by mis- 
 take, and was actually locked up wiih the party. 
 Messrs. Hollins and M'Blair, finding hi^ situa- 
 tion, and knowing what would happen at night, 
 txcrted themselves to the utmost, with some olF 
 their friends, to effect his release, which they 
 effected a lirtle before night, widi very great 
 difficulty. Those gentlemen despairing, it must 
 be presumed of success, made no effort as far 
 as is known'to prevent the catastrophe. Some 
 of their freinds, however, and particularly Colo- 
 nel James A. Buchanan, exerted themselves to 
 the utmost, as is said and believed, but to no 
 purpose. 
 
 General Strieker and Mr. Johuson being in- 
 formed of the intended massacre, an order was 
 
(19) 
 
 obtained in the legal form to call out the mili- 
 tary for the protection of the jail. This order 
 was given to Gt^n. Sricker by Mr. Johnson, on 
 the certificate rjnd requisition of two magistrates. 
 General Strieker ace >rdingly ordered out the 
 fifth regiment (commanded by Colcnel Joseph 
 Sterrett, a brave man, and to be relied on in all 
 situations,) but directed expressly, that they 
 should be furnished with blank cartridges only. 
 This part of the order might very well deter, 
 and no doubt did deter many of the well dis- 
 posed militia from turning out. They might 
 well suppose, that the order might by some 
 means become known to the Mob, who, far from 
 being intimidated by the appearance of soldiers 
 known to be unarmed, w^ould naturally consider 
 it as it was, a pledge for their perfect impunity, 
 and might probably slaughter the soldiers them- 
 selves. 
 
 Tae general exasperation, moreover, which 
 prevailed on account of the events of the morn- 
 ing, which, as always happens on such occasions, 
 had been wholly misrepresented, and were al- 
 most universally misunderstood, was so high 
 that great numbers of the militia, and some en- 
 tire companies, especially one of cavalry, abso- 
 lutely refused to turn out j many it may be sup- 
 posed, were prevented by their fears. Yet not- 
 withstanding all these unfavourable circumstan- 
 ces, a number did appear, which is stated by 
 some to be sixty, and by others, not more than 
 thirty. Colonel Sterrett was at the head of this 
 fragment of his regiment. Capt. Samuel Ster- 
 rett, who commands one of the companies, was 
 
( 20 ) 
 also at his post. So was Major Richard K. Keath, 
 1 he other officers who appeared are not recol- 
 lected. 
 
 The Brigadier General himself after his sol- 
 emn pledge of his word and honour as an officer 
 and a man, in the presence of God, did not ap- 
 pear. He was not seen with the troops, and if 
 seen in the streets at all, it was in his common 
 
 dress with a rattan in his hand. He no where 
 
 showed himself as the cemmander of the militia, 
 made no call in person on the troops, or citi- 
 zens to rally round him, but contented himself 
 with barely doing what was required of him ac- 
 cording to the strict letter, by ordering out a 
 part of the militia, and rendered that order 
 futile and nugatory, or wosre by combining it 
 with an order to come within efTecdve arms. 
 
 This part of his order was however disobeyed 
 by many, if not all of the militia, who came 
 out — Resolved not to be exposed to massacre 
 by this unaccountable conduct of their General, 
 they furnished themselves, as well as they could 
 with ball cartridges. 
 
 In the afternoon, while the troops were or- 
 dered out, and while they wtrc assembling, 
 Mr. Johnson, Mayor, went to the j^nl, accom- 
 panied by Mr. Hargrove, Register of, the city, 
 and together with General Strjcker, Ju'ige Job 
 Smith, Mr. Wilson, Magistrate, Mr. Calhoun, 
 Brigad-e Inspector, visited die gentleman, in the 
 jail, lo inform them of the eiforts that were mak- 
 ing and would be madcr tor their protection,— 
 They renewed their assurances of protection, 
 and told ihe party to rest satisfied, as the milita- 
 
(2t ) 
 
 ry would be out in a very short time, when there 
 would be no danger of an attack upon the jail. 
 A butcher by the name of Miinama, and two 
 others, understood to be prominent in the Mob, 
 entered in company with the Mayor, and re- 
 mained after him. While the interview be- 
 tween the Mayor, General, &c. and the gentle- 
 men continued, this butcher was employed in 
 observing, and most attentively remarking their 
 countenances and their dress. As many of them 
 were strangers in Baltimore, his object no doubt 
 was to enable himself to identify them, and to 
 point them out to his associates, when the mas- 
 sacre should commence. This very butcher did 
 stand at the first iron gate and knock down the 
 gentlemen as they were brought out. It was by 
 him so stationed, that Mr. Hanson was first 
 recognized and shockingly beaten. 
 
 In the course of the afternoon the gentlemen 
 were apprised, from various quarters, of the 
 fate which awaited them at night, and particu- 
 larly a gen'lemaa of the democratic party (who 
 is, nevertheless, a man of honor, courage, and 
 humanity) after struggling, in vain, to provide 
 mtans of protection, or to avert the danger, in- 
 formed them of all they had to expect. 
 
 Tht: door of the room in which they were 
 confined was very strong, <jomposed of thick 
 iron bars fastened together, so as to make a 
 grate, it enabled them to see what was done on 
 the outside, while, if kept locked it was capable 
 of affording them a very considerable defence. 
 That (hey might make the most of this feeble 
 resource, in the apprehended absence of all oih- 
 
( 23) 
 €rs they sent for the turnkey, Rnd rexiuestecl 
 him to lock the door and give them the key. 
 This he promise d, but did not perform — Th?y 
 sent to him again and reminded him of his pro- 
 mise, which he repeated and again neglected. 
 They saw no more of him until the slaughter 
 commenced. 
 
 The militia having assembled in front of 
 their Colonel's quarters in Gay-street, at a con- 
 siderable distance from the jail. The General^ 
 insteadofpiitting himself at their head, endea- 
 vouring to increase their numbers, and leading 
 them to the jail, left them standing m Gay-st, 
 ^-and hearing that ihe Mob had assembled at 
 the jail in great numbers, he and the Mayor, ac- 
 companied by Joim Montgomery, Attorney 
 General of the Stale, went to them a little be- 
 fore sunset to expostulate with them on the im- 
 propriety of their conduct, and persuaile them 
 to disperse. 
 
 The object which the mob then thought prop- 
 er to avow openly, wa^^to prevent the gt^ntle- 
 men from being admitted to bail. An assur- 
 ance being given to ihem by die Attorney Gen- 
 eral and the judge, ihat bail should not be re- 
 ceived before next day, they are said to have 
 declared themselves satisfied, and to have pro- 
 mised to disperse. Some of them, no doubt, 
 made such a declaration and promise — vviih 
 what intentions will soon appear. 
 
 General Strieker and Mr. Johnson, Mayor, 
 thought fit to be satisfied with these assurances. 
 Some of their friends, supposed to be men of in- 
 fluence among the Mob, arc said to have ob- 
 
( 23 ) 
 tained similar assurances, and to have been 
 equally saiisfied. Be that as it may, tiie Briga- 
 dier General, the IMayor of the city, and the 
 Auorney General of the state, left the jail wich 
 the Mob still assembled before it, and went m- 
 to the city proclaiming that every thing was set- 
 tled, and ail danger at an end. On this ground 
 Gen. Strieker dismissed a bodyot rnilitia under 
 Major Heath, which he met in his way frora 
 the jail, notwithstanding the advice and remon- 
 strance of Major Heath, who exhorted them to 
 go once more to the jail before ihey were dis- 
 missed, and see whether all was safe. 
 
 From Major Heath he proceeded to Colonel 
 Sterett, and ordered him to dismiss the party 
 which was under arms in Gay- street — an order 
 which Mr. Sterett obeyed with a heavy heart. 
 Gen. Siricker ihtn proceeded through the town 
 to his house, which is in a part still more dis- 
 tant from the jail, and on his way he proclaimed 
 that every thing was sealed, all danger is over, 
 and no further need of any protecting force. By 
 this means he dispersed a number of citizens 
 who had assembled with a view of giving their 
 aid. When he reached his own house he shut 
 himself up, and ordered himself to be denied, 
 or was out of the way. 
 
 '1 he dismissal of the military was instantly 
 made known to the Mob at the jail by their as- 
 sociates, stationed for that purpos* ; and they 
 regarded it, as was nrtural, as the signal of at- 
 tack, i hey immediately ^ade a furious attack 
 .upon the outward doors of the jail, which being 
 observed by a gentleman who happened at that 
 
(24) 
 moment to pass on horseback, be rode full speed 
 to Gen. Strieker's house, to give him the infor- 
 mation. I'he gentleman was told *' that Gen- 
 eral Strieker could not be seen ; and that if he 
 could it would be unavailing, for he had already 
 done all he could or would do." 
 
 The gentleman then went in quest of the 
 Mayor, who fearing of being informed of what 
 had happened, had gone to jail with two or three 
 men supposed to have influence with the Mob, 
 whom he had engaged to assist him. With 
 them he attempted to prevent the doors from 
 being forced open ; but his attempts were fruit- 
 less , and at length his assistants fearing for his 
 safety and their own, almost forced him away. 
 The attack then proceeded without further hin- 
 drance or fear of interruption : and when the 
 violence ot the attact upon the outward door to 
 the east increased, a voice from within was 
 heard, saying — " Come round to the other 
 door," — which they were seen to do by some 
 of the gentlemen in prison. 
 
 There can be no doubt that it was in the pow- 
 er of Gen. Strieker to prevent, or easily repel, 
 this attack. Had he put on his uniform, mount- 
 ed on horseback, put himself at the head of such 
 of the military as had assembled, called for 
 more force, exhorted the citizens to volunteer, 
 and marched to the gaol with all the force which 
 he could thus collect, had he, ar, his duty and 
 plighted honor required, taken post at or in the 
 gaol, even with the small body of militia which 
 had assembled, the Mob would unquestionably 
 have been deterred or repulsed. But he was 
 
( 25 ) 
 blind to all such considerations, and left the Mob 
 to their course by dismissing the military, and 
 infusing a false and fatal security into the citi- 
 zens. But above all, after the massacre, when 
 it was discovered that some of the persons thrown 
 into the pile of the supposed slain were not quite 
 dead, and might be restored, intelligence of the 
 fact was carried to town. Upon receiving the 
 information, a distinguished gentleman went to 
 Gen.Stricker's house and had him called out of 
 bed. He communicated to the Gen. the joy- 
 ful tidings and added " the physicians will go 
 out to preserve all they can, if you will furnish 
 a guard or go with them." The General said 
 he was fatigued, had lost his rest the night be- 
 fore, and it was an improbable tale^ that any of 
 the prisoners ivere alive. The gentleman urg- 
 ed and remonstrated, offering to bring him a 
 horse immediately ; but the Gen. flatly declin- 
 ed, and returned to his bed to find repose. God 
 of Heaven ! did he sleep t he " who hath mur- 
 dered, sleep !" — slaughtered honor, patriotism 
 and courage ensnared by treachery, betrayed 
 the brave, and handed them over to the execu- 
 tioner to be tortured in a manner until now un- 
 known in the annals of all time, to satiate the 
 bloody appetites of cannibals and tygers in hu- 
 man form. Have not ages of wickedness and 
 barbarity and guilt, been crouded into days ? 
 An all wise and good Providence will avenge 
 these horrid enormities. 
 
 The Mob gained possession of the principal 
 entrance into the prison, but there were still 
 two very strong doors to be forced before they 
 C 
 
( 26 ) 
 could reach the party within. One of these 
 doors detained them more than a quarter of an 
 hour. Whether ic was fiually forced or un- 
 locked is not known. When they reached the 
 last Joor after a few slight hlows it was unlock- 
 ed. Bentley the gaoler, was the first man who 
 entered the room, to the best of these deponent's 
 recollection^ and was instantly followed by the 
 mob. He was probably compelled to unlock 
 the door. 
 
 From this it appears that a very small milita- 
 ry guard posted in ihe first entry of the jail, es- 
 pecially, with the Brigadier Ciencral and the 
 Mayor at their head would have been a sufficient 
 protection. This was ihe post in which the 
 plighted faith and honour of General Strieker 
 would have placed him. Hut his pledge was 
 forgotien or neglected and the post was left 
 wholly unguarded. 
 
 When the victims saw the danger approach 
 nearer and nearer they calmly prepared for their 
 fate, but resolved to make every possible effort 
 for efl"ectii^g their escape. They had three or 
 four pistols among them and one or two dirks. 
 It was proposed as soon as the last door should 
 be forced, they should shoot as many of the as- 
 sailants with these pistols, for which there was 
 no second charge, as possible. Mr. Hanson dis- 
 suaded from this course, saying it would be of 
 no avail to kill one or two of the Mob and would 
 only increase their fury and render escape mo'e 
 difficult. He strongly recommended that they 
 should all rush among the Mob, put out all the 
 lights, create as mv^ch confusion as possible, 
 
(2?) 
 and by that means many would escape ; as for 
 himself he would be recognized, but every man 
 must do the best to save himself. All seemed 
 at once to embrace the plan, but Vv^hcu th^e Mob 
 were about entering the last door, Mr. Murray 
 and Mr. Thomson presented their pistols, the 
 former saymg very familiarly " my lads, you 
 had better retire, I can shoot either of you." 
 It was replied, '' I can kill you," by the Mob. 
 Murray rejoined " I can kill any one of you 
 first." Mr, Thornsoii v/as also disposed to 
 fire, but General Lee, and Mr. Hanson urged 
 the contrary, and the Mob coming in were rush- 
 ed upon and the confusion commenced. 
 
 The plan proposed by Mr. Hanson availed 
 many of his friends who escaped almosr, and 
 some entirely unhurt, to the number of nine or 
 ten who made their way through the crowd in 
 the confusion that ensued. But it was useless 
 to himself because he was known to MummaihQ 
 butcher, who recognized and knocked him down 
 after he had made good his way to the loby as it 
 is called or hall of the gaol. He was then dread- 
 fully beaten, trampled on, and pitched for dead 
 down the high flight of stairs in front of the gaol. 
 The purpose f«9r which Mumma came into the 
 prison room in the evening now appeared. He 
 was posted at the door to make the victims as 
 they came out, and designate them for slaughter 
 by giving each a blow or two, which was the sig- 
 nal for his associates, who proceeded to fini-ih 
 what he had begun. The fate of Mr, Hanson^ 
 befel General Lee, General Lingan, Mr. Hall, 
 Mr. Nelson, Mr. Kilgaur, Major Musgrove, 
 
( 28 ) 
 Dr. P. Warfield and Mr. William Gaither, all 
 of whom were thrown down the steps of the 
 gaol, where they lay in a heap nearly thr-se hoitrs. 
 During this whole time the Mob continued to 
 torture their mangled bodies, by beating first 
 one and then the ocher ; sticking penknives in- 
 to their faces and hands, and opening their eyes 
 and dropping hot candle grease into them. Sec. 
 Mr. Murray, Mr. Thomson and Mr. Winches- 
 ter were carried in a different direction and not 
 thrown into the heap of the supposed slain. 
 
 Major Musgrove was the last who remained 
 in the prison room when the Mob broke in. — 
 While the slaughter of his friends was going on 
 in the passage in his view, he calmly walked 
 about the room waiting for a fate which he saw 
 no possibility of averting. At length one of the 
 assassins came and called him out. He went 
 and was attacked in the entry, knocked down, 
 and beaten till he was supposed by the butchers 
 to be dead. 
 
 Some of the victims were rendered wholly in- 
 sensible by the fiist blows which they received. 
 Others who preserved their senses and recollec- 
 tion resolved to feign death, in hopes of thus es- 
 caping farther injury. The brave Gen. Lingan 
 lost his life by his endeavours to save it. He 
 so much mistook the character of the monsters, 
 as to suppose them capable of feelings of hu- 
 manity. He reminded them that he had fought 
 for their liberties throughout the revolutionary 
 war, that he was old, infirm, and that he had a 
 large and helpless family dependent on him for 
 support. These remarks served only to attract 
 
(29) 
 their attention to him, and to inform them that 
 he was still alive. Every supplication was an- 
 swered by fresh insults and blows^ At lenth, 
 while he was siili endeavouring to speak^ and 
 to stretch oat his hands for mercy, one of the 
 assassins stamped upon his breast, struck him 
 many blows in rapid succession, crying out, 
 " the damned old rascal is hardest dying of all'uf 
 them^"^ and repeating the opprobrious epithet of 
 Torij I These blows put an end to his torments 
 and his life. In a few minutes afier his remov- 
 al into jail, he expired without a groan. His 
 name will be immortal as his scul. 
 
 While Gen. Lee's mangled body lay exposed 
 upon the bare earth, one of the monsters at- 
 tempted to cut off his nose, but misecd his aim, 
 though he thereby gave him a bad wound in the 
 nose. Either the same person or another at- 
 tempted i-o thrust a knife into the eye of General 
 Lee, v/ho had again raised himself up. 1 he 
 knife glanced on the cheek bone, and the Gen- 
 eral being immediately by the side of Mr. Han- 
 son, fell with his head upon his breast, where 
 he lay for some minutes, wht-n he was kicktd 
 or knocked off. A quantity of his blood was left 
 on Mr. Hanson's breast, on observing v^hich one 
 ,pi the Mob shortly afterwards exclaimed exuit- 
 ingly *'see Hanson's brains on his breast I" 
 
 During these horrid scenes, several of the 
 gentlemen, Mr. Nelson, Dr. Warfield, Mr. Kil- 
 gour, Mr. J. E.Hal!, and Mr. Hanson, perfectly 
 retained their senses. They sustained, without 
 betraynig any signs of life, or gratifying their 
 butchers with a groan or murmmur, all ftieror- 
 C 2 
 
(30) 
 tures that were inflicted on them. They heard 
 without showing any emotion, the deliberations 
 of ihe assassins, about the manner of disposing 
 c^ their bodies. At one time it was proposed 
 to throw them all into the sink of the jail. Oth- 
 ers thought it best to dig a hole and bury them 
 all together immediately. Some advised that 
 they should be thrown into Jones' Falls, a stream 
 which runs in front of the jail. Some that they 
 should be castrated. Others again were for 
 tarring and feathering them, and directed a cart 
 to be brought for that purpose to carry them 
 about town. Others insisted upon cutting all 
 their throats upon the spot, to make sure of 
 them. And lastly it was resolved to hang them 
 next morning, and have them dissected. Point- 
 ing to Hanson, and jobbing him severely with 
 a stkk on the privates, one exclaimed, ** this 
 fellow shall be dissected." Being particularly 
 desirous of insulting and mangling the body of 
 Mr. Hanson, but finding great difficulty in iden- 
 tifying it, they at length thought of examining 
 his sleeve buttons, supposing they should there 
 find the initials of his name. It was insisted by 
 some one present, that he knew Hanson well, 
 and it was not him but Hoffman. Before they 
 seemed to have setded the dispute, their atten-;- 
 tion was attracted to some other object. Dr. 
 Hall, personally unknown to all but one, it is be- 
 lieved, of the sufferers, was instrumental in res- 
 cuing them from the Mob, which he did by 
 a stratagem, which will endear him to all good 
 men, and brighten his course through life. He 
 with the aid of others, not now known, induced 
 
(31 ) 
 
 the Mob, to place the supposed dead todies un- 
 der his care till morning, and he convened them 
 into the jail to the room whence they were first 
 taken. There he was assisted by docioj s Birck- 
 head, Smith, Owen, and a gentleman who as- 
 sumed the name of Dr. Page, but is better knowa 
 by the name of the < Boston Beauty," and was 
 extremely active in assiting Dr. Hall to admin- 
 ister drinks and opiates. Having examined 
 thrir wounds, some of the doctors went to town 
 privately for carriages to carry off the bodies* 
 By management, they had induced nearly all 
 the Mob to retire till morning. Some of them 
 no doubt being fatigued, retired to rest and re- 
 fresh themselves. A large part followed Mr* 
 Thomson who had been carried off in the man- 
 ner stated in his narrative. Some perhaps felt 
 satiated with the cruelties already committed 
 and withdrew. The remainder were in a meas- 
 ure exhausted, and the two democratic physi- 
 cians, Drs. Hall and Owen, had the address 
 ultimately to prevail on all of them to leave the 
 jail for the present. 
 
 While the physicians were gone for carriag- 
 es, Mr. Hanson proposed to Drs. Hall and Ow- 
 en, to convey h\n\ if possible to IMr. Murray's, 
 about three miles off, where his family was en 
 a visit. He said it was likely he might live 
 until morning, when if he remained in jail be 
 would be again taken by the Mob. He was told 
 carriages would soon be at the jail", but upon 
 discovering impatience. Dr. Owen went out to 
 see if he could be safely carried off at once. — 
 When he returned Bendey came with him, and 
 
(32) j 
 
 Mr. H. again urged his removal, upon \ybicn 
 Beniley objected, saying that he bad no' right 
 to permit the prisoners to go awa)^ as they 
 were in custody. He was answered by Mr. H. 
 that the jail being broken open and the prison- 
 ers rescued by the mob and brought back for 
 security without being recoramilLed, he could 
 not be blamed. Bentley replied, "very well, 
 do as you please." A person then presented 
 himself, and offered to carry Mr. H. olf, who 
 fell and fainted several times upon attempting 
 to rise. Dr. Owen recommendt d and gave hini 
 a j:^'lass of brandy, which he tocik and was quick- 
 ly invigorated and enabled with the aid of his 
 deliverer to stand up and walk. He asked to , 
 be carried to General Lingan, over whose dead I 
 oody he stood for- a moment and was hurried 
 off. When he got to the outward jail door he 
 was taken on the back of his deliverer, who ran 
 with him to che falls, conveyed him over, and 
 helped him ov-er into a small gardtn opposite, 
 where he was told to lie until called for. After 
 lying some time wrapped up in a blanket, he 
 heard a wrangle at the jail, and conciuded it 
 was the best liuie to ciawl away as well as he 
 could, which he did to a place of safety whence 
 he was conveyed in the morning at daylight, 
 some distance iiom towf. 
 
 Mr. Nelson and Mr. J. E. Hall, left the jail 
 at the same time Mr. iianson d d. The tur- 
 mer, though among the most injured, found his 
 wav to a secure retreat within a tew hundred 
 yards of Mr. H. and was taken in a cart coher- 
 ed with hay to the same laouic in the country, 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 where the wounds of both of thera were dress- 
 ed, and they were taken to Anna Arundel coun- 
 ty without delay. — Mr. Hall got unassisted to 
 the hous<; of a humane gentleman^ up the falli^ 
 near the jail. This gentleiiian dressed his 
 wounds, put him to bed, and early in the morn- 
 ing sent him further into the country. The 
 names of all the others w ho escaped in this man- 
 ner are not yet known. 
 
 By whom or with what intention he is igno' 
 rant, but Mr. Murray was carried by some per- 
 sons and laid on ihe ground by the fails. They 
 left him there probably supposing he was dead 
 and all went away but one. That person after 
 all the rest were gone approached Mr. Murray 
 and laid his hand up.*n him. He took the hand 
 of the inan and pressed it. He started with sur- 
 prise and dread at feeling his hand pressed by 
 what he had supposed to be a corpse. Murray 
 then begged his assistance to escape which he 
 promised, adding that he was one of the Mob 
 but thought *^ there should be fair play." He 
 then assisted Mr. Murray to rise and conduct- 
 ed him to a neighbouring hov'el whence, at Mur-^ 
 ray's request he went into town to inform his 
 friends where he was and conduct them to the 
 place. This office he faithfully and successful- 
 ly performed, though so much intoxicated as to 
 ! be hardly able to walk. Murray's friends, thus 
 conducted, came and removed him to a place 
 of safety. ' 
 
 General Lee was taken to the hospital where 
 hi.'i wounds were dressed by the physicians, and 
 
( 54) 
 he received every assistance of which his de- 
 plorable and mangled situation admitted.- 
 
 Hence he was next conveyed to the country ard 
 jarrived at Little York, where he is said to be 
 ^ doing well. BJnjor Musgrove it is understood ■: 
 was also taken to the hospital, and carried the 
 next day four miies^'above Eliicoit's nryills on the 
 Montgomery road. A mortification having tak- 
 en place in some of his wounds after he reached 
 home, his life was, for a time, despaired of ; but 
 the skill and attention of Dr. Charles A. War- 
 field, Dr. Mathews and Doctor Allen Thomas 
 have preserved this gallant ofHcer, and he is now 
 out of danger. 
 
 Dr. Peregrine Warfield, Mr. Charles J. Kil- 
 gour and Mr. William Gaither,all of them much 
 juangled, were conveyed without molestation in 
 a hack brought by the physicians about 4 o'clock 
 in the morning, to EUicott's .nills, and thence 
 to the house of the father of Dr. P. W. about 
 24 miles from town. They are all recovering. 
 
 It would'remain now to relate the last act of 
 this horrible and bloody tragedy, which includ- 
 ed the fate oC Mr. rhomson, now safe and re- 
 covering in Litde York, Pennsylvania. He 
 "was the unhappy victim reserved, for w*hat spe- 
 cial cause is unknown, by the butchers for their 
 infernal pastime. His narrative already before 
 ihi' public, saves us the pain of describing the 
 ynheavd of tortures which urtamed ferocity de- 
 lighted to inflict on him. His prayers to put 
 an end to his sufferings by death, were inhuman- 
 ly rejected as often as repeattd. 
 
Such cire the particulars of this atroctou6 and 
 bloody affair, which it has hitherto been impos* 
 sible to collect in an authentic shape, and a par- 
 allel to which is scarcely to be found in the an- 
 nals of revolutionary France, even after the ac- 
 tors in similar scenes there had become harden- 
 ed by custom, and familiar to deeds of horrour, 
 cruehy and crime. The blood hounds of re- 
 publican France, massacreed by thousands those 
 obknoxious to their vengeance, but they de- 
 spatched their'*^'ictims quickly, rarely ever re- 
 sorcing to such ling'-^ring tortures as the exclu- 
 sive republicans of this boasted land of liberty 
 and happiness ii iVe the credit of inventing. 
 
 It is proposed ai Fsoon as pracicable to obtain 
 from each of tht* gentlemen a separate statement 
 on oath, of what he si){fereed himself, and of all 
 thac passed within his observation. Meantime 
 the al)ove statement must receive universal cred* 
 it, every material circumstance being embraced 
 in th<s introductory affidavit. The intended- 
 statements will be publishefl, in order to give a 
 fuller view of these horrible sccnc-s. While 
 they hold up to merited detestation those who 
 by their active co-operaiion, connivance or their 
 dastardly and treacherous supineness coats ibuted 
 to produce the catascroj-he. They v;ili serve a.^ 
 a beacon to warn the ci\ il and military authoii- 
 ,ty oi other places of the danger of temporising 
 wiih the most ferocious, ruthUas, and bloody cf 
 all monsters, a ?vIob ; while ihev teach an in- 
 structive lesson to the !ioni-st hi.u debuled ciiizcn 
 reduced by ihc siren cl:;i: nig ni' !?mocracy. 
 
( 3C) 
 
 The persons named in the above affidavit havf 
 read with mingled regret and indignation, the 
 partial, mutilated, and unjust report of the local 
 authories in Baltimore, while they have seen an- 
 nexed to it with grief and amazement, the sig- 
 iVitures of some worthy, and hitherto firm and 
 independent citizens. Understanding that the 
 justification made for the barbarous cruelties 
 which treachery and black malignity procured 
 to be inflipted upon them, is that an extensive 
 conspiracy was formed to murder, or otherwise 
 molest the citizens ef Baltimore, the above 
 named do, therefore, solemnly swear that no such 
 conspiracy or association ever was even form- 
 ed, but merely a determination entered into by 
 less than a dozen gentlemen in the country to 
 protect the person and property of Mr. Han- 
 son, and defend the liberty of the press with 
 their lives if necessary. The determination re- 
 mains unaltered. The letters of Colonel Lynn, 
 whose advice was volunteered, John H, Thom- 
 as and Mr. Taney have been disengenuously 
 perverted to an unjust and infamous purpose. 
 
 RoCJvVILLE, Aug. 12, 1812, 
 
NARRATIVE OF 
 
 Mr. JOHN THOMSON, 
 
 #NE OF THE PERSONS INTENDED TO BE MAS- ^ 
 
 SACRED WITH GENERAL LINGAN AND 
 
 OTHERS, IN THE GAOL OF BAL- 
 
 TIMORE, ON TUESDAY, 
 
 THE 23th OF JULY 
 
 LAST. 
 
 Oa Monday, the 27th of July last, I was in- 
 vitcd by Mr. Hanson : ) his house ; and in the 
 evening about tNyilight, 1 went there and found 
 from firteen to twenty gentlennen in his house, 
 most of them known to hirn. I was told that aa 
 attack upon the house v^as threatened that night, 
 Vv-hich they had made preparations to resist and 
 defeat. I saw some muskets, pistols, and swords 
 in the house, for the purpose of defence. After 
 being there sometime, I understood an arrange- 
 ment had been made, that in case of an attack, 
 the direction of the defence \vas appointed to 
 Gen. Lee. About eight o'clock, a number of 
 persons were collecting at the front of the house, 
 M'ho were very noisy and began to throw stonus 
 at the windows, and they broke several of them. 
 The house was in front completely closed, the 
 door and inside window shutters being shut, till 
 the stones broke the glass, and burst open the 
 shutters. Mr. Hanson spoke from the second 
 story to the Mob, and told them if they did not 
 desist they would fire upon them, and he warn- 
 ed the spectators to go away. Gen. Lee, in the 
 house, told them r>ot to fire unless it shoidd be 
 D 
 
(38) 
 absolutely necessan-, and the doors w6re forced. 
 The Mob continued lo increase and to throw 
 stones violently, which broke the xvindows of 
 the first »nd second siciies. General Lee di- 
 rected a volley to be fired from che upper atofjr 
 over the heads of the people in the street, to 
 frighten them away without injuring them. — 
 This was executed, and nobody hurt. The 
 Mob huzzaed, were still more violent, and broke 
 open the lower door. They v/ere then fired 
 upon, and a man fell at the door upon the in- 
 side thereof, who was immediately taken up 
 and removed, by some of the Mob. This must 
 have happened about 10 o'clock, or after. Judge 
 Scott made his appearance and came into the 
 house, the door having remained open, after ic 
 was broken, and requested us to leave the house. 
 He was told we should do no such thing, that 
 we could not be secure unless the civil authori- 
 ty interfered, that we were lawfully employed 
 with Mr. Hanson in protecting him and his 
 house against violence, and whenever the Mob 
 would disperse^ or the civil authority interfere, 
 we would retire to our homes, and not before. 
 Daring the night, we continued to defend our- 
 seivts, and never fired but after some new and 
 violent attack, I believe it probable several 
 were wounded. The Mob, during the night, 
 retired and gathered again, and attempted some 
 fresh damage. Just about, or before day-light, 
 the Mob brought a field piece, which was plant- 
 ed near the house, and in front of it, but it was 
 prev'nt(.d Iroiu being diachurged by the arrival 
 „pf Cupt. Barney^s iroop oi horj?;, soi^ne of whom 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 wete stationt<l' round the house, and sixpf them 
 having dismounted, took possession oi the front 
 room on the first floor, and of the backyard. — 
 Hanson and his friends occupied the same pla- 
 ces which they had done durii-Jg the night ; so 
 things remained until Kdward Johnson the May- 
 or, General Strieker, John Montgomery the At- 
 torn^;y Central, James Calhoun, Lemuel Tay- 
 Ibr, and several others, arrived and proposed 
 that we should leave the house. We answered, 
 we had no objections to leave the house, pro- 
 vided the Mob would reti*-e, or we could get 
 home with safe»y. The Mayor said the Mob. 
 c*>'iid not be dispersed, nor would thty b& S'di^ 
 isSed v^ithout we went to gaol, and that we 
 should be protected from them in going to gaol, 
 and vvhde in it. To this proposal, mo^jt of us 
 •xpressly object<-d. General Lee principally 
 earned on the conv'-rsiuion on O'lr part v^^ith the 
 Mayor and General Strieker. 1 he Mayor, 
 General Strieker, and Attornev General, sever- 
 ally declared and assured us, that we should be 
 protected, as well in going to the gaol, as in it ; 
 and the Mayor pledged his life and his honour, 
 that we should be safe, and that he would die 
 with us, if we should be hurt. Gen. Strieker 
 expressed himself in similar terms. Also Mont- 
 gomery, Taylor, Calhoun, and their companions 
 gu^e us assurances of safety if we went to gaol. 
 After these assurances, and finding the civil au- 
 thority wOuld not make any exertion to disperse 
 the Mob, %ve consented wiih the advice of Gen- 
 eral Lee, to deliver ourselves up to the civil au- 
 thority. The Mayor declared his opinion thai- 
 
(40) 
 
 we would not be safe in the gaol without a guard, 
 and he asd General Strieker promised there 
 should be one. About 8 or 9 o'clock on Tues-, 
 day forenoon, we left the house and went under 
 ihe care and custody of the Mayor, who pre- 
 ceded us, and we were placed betwetn two Hties 
 ofiufaniry, consisting as it appeared of about 
 fiity militia, and about twenty dragoons mount- 
 ed advanced before us to the gaol; General 
 Strieker marched on foot with the infantry, stttd 
 an immense concourse of people weic in the 
 streets, some of whom wtnt along, and wc were 
 abused in the most opprobrious language ; some 
 stones were thrown, with violence ai us, cmo^ 
 struck Mr. Kilgore and cut him badly in ih^t 
 forehead, and another struck Mr. H. Bigelow^i 
 and nearly knocked him down. . The dibtancet; 
 from Hanson's house to the gaol was about one 
 xnile. 
 
 At aur arrival at the gaol door and as we en- 
 tered it, several of us were struck by some of 
 the Mob v^hom we iound there. Being deliv- 
 ered into the custody of Jobii H. Bentley, the 
 gaoler, some time in the forenoon, wc were put 
 in a room in the commob criminal department, 
 where we rerriained the rest of the day. '1 he 
 dragoons and infantry left the gaol s:oot> after 
 we w^ere placed in it, and they did not return, 
 Dor was there any military guard afierwaids. 
 In the afternoon the Mayor came to us in the 
 gaol and as;- ured us that there should be a guarcj 
 and that preparations were making to send one. 
 He told us he would lose lii^ own life before 
 we should be hurt. Gen. Stiicker was also at 
 
(41) 
 
 the gaol, outside of it. — The Mayor having 
 been with us about twenty minutes, went away 
 leaving us in the belief that there would be a 
 guard of armed militia sent to protect us in the 
 gaol — During the afternoon we were told sev- 
 eral times by persons admitted to see us that 
 the militia were called out and assembling. Late 
 in the afternoon two butchers one named Mura- 
 ma and the other Maxwell, came into our room, 
 the former havmg a key in hiii hand. Mum- 
 ma asked me the names of several of the prison- 
 ers ; I told him. Mr. Hoffman said Tie woii- 
 dered Mr. Bently should suffer so many men 
 to come into their room who had no business 
 there. Mumma answered that he came there 
 on Mr. liencly's business. They were person- 
 ally known to tne, and to some of my fellow 
 prisoners- — \Ve suspected their intentions were 
 not good, and I inquired of Mr. Bently if Mum- 
 ma was a friend of bis — B-ntly answered he 
 pretends to be so. I replied, you ought to know 
 him well before you tru^t the key of our room 
 in his hands, and I proposed that he should lock 
 the door and give me the key through the grate. 
 — On the ir.side, the door cannot be unlocked, 
 and there was the outer door iocked. Bent ley 
 refused, saying I cannot do so as you are a pris- 
 oner under my carr. The door was immedi- 
 ately locked by some body, and the Mob very 
 soon began to assemble from various quarters, 
 but no troops were arriving. This excite.d 
 much alarm in our room, it being after sunset 
 and we apprehended we were to be sacrificed-^ 
 About dark the back door of the gaol was be- 
 D 2 
 
(42) 
 
 set by the Mob, who entered it without break- 
 ing it by force. By whom it was o[>ened I do 
 not know, but by hearsay. They began to 
 break down the wood and iron gratings in the 
 passage leading to our room, which took them 
 at least three quaiters of an hour. They had 
 the light of torches. The grating of our room 
 was opened instantly without any exertion, 
 which makes me believe it was opened by some 
 one having the key, and I believe either by 
 Mumma or Maxwell. The first person I re- 
 cognized at the grating was Henry Keating, 
 who keeps a printing oiiice, and him i should' 
 have killed with my pistols, but tor General Lee, 
 who laid hold of my arm and begged me not to 
 fire, and also prevented Mr. Murray from fir- 
 ing. It had been agreed that Mr. Murray and 
 inypelf, being the strongest men, should first 
 rush out and make the best of our way, and ev- 
 ery person was to escape as he could. Some of 
 the Mob rushed into the roon^, and Mr. Mur- 
 ray and myself rushed out, both of us armed. 
 I had a pistol in each haad and he a dirk and a 
 pistol. We made our way through the pas- 
 sap:e and hall without injury till I was at the front 
 outer door, when I was struck on the back of 
 iny head with a heiny club by some man I had 
 passed, which threw me forward from the head 
 of the steps, and I fell headlong down about 
 twelve feet. There I saw a gang of ruffians 
 armed with clubs ready to destroy whomsoever 
 should pass down the steps, and six or seven of 
 them initanrly assaulted me while down, and 
 btat me about the head untill I was-ynabls ta 
 
( « ) 
 
 rise — Some then dragged me twenty or thirty 
 yards while others were beating me with clubs 
 —-They then tried to make me stand on my - 
 feet, and looking round I perceived Lemuel 
 Taylor, and I called upon him to prevent those 
 men from taking my life. He told the men to 
 desist and said they had beat me enough, and 
 begged them not to take my life ; they said 
 they would kill me $ he again repeated that I 
 was beat enough, and desired 1 should be let 
 alone and he would be security for my Ibrih- 
 coming in the morning. They disregarded 
 what he had said, they dragged me along, and 
 it was proposed to tar and feather me, and as I 
 went along they continued to strike me with 
 sticks and clubs — one fellow strock at me with 
 an a3i^e, who missed me ; when they had drag- 
 ged me a coosiderable distance and into Old- 
 town, they met with a cart and put me into it, 
 and dragged it alpng themselves to a place 
 where tluy got t^ 1 had left my coat in the 
 gHOi, and they tore my shirt and other clothing, 
 and put the tar on my bare body, upon W^hich 
 they put feathers. They drew me along in the 
 cart in this condition, and calling me traitor and 
 tory and other scandalous names ; they did not 
 cease to beat me with clubs, and cut mtj-with old 
 Tusty swords. I received upon thy head, arms, 
 sides, thighs and back, upwards of eighteen 
 cuts of the sword. On my head one cut w^s 
 very deep, beside which my head was broken jin 
 more than twelve places by other insti^uments, 
 such as sticks and clubs., I received a few 
 blows in my face, and very many severe bra;- • 
 
(44) 
 
 ses on different parts of my body ; my eyes 
 Were attempted to be gouged, and preserved by 
 means of the tar and feathers, though they were 
 much injured. About the same lime, as I was 
 lying in the cart a felloW struck both of my 
 legs with a bar of iron, swearing damn my eyes, 
 I will break your legs. I drew my legs up, and 
 be was led to think ar^ say he h^d broke them. 
 
 Shortly after I received a blow with a club 
 
 across my eyes, upon which I lay as if dead, 
 supposing it would slop their further beating 
 me ; remaining so for some time, I was struck 
 upon my thighs, which I bore as if dead ; a vil- 
 lain said he would soon see if I was dead, and 
 he stuck a pin into my body twice, at which 
 I did not flinch, but I still remained senseless, as 
 if dead. Another said he would show if i^ was 
 dead, he pulled a handful of tar and feathers, and 
 set fire to it, and stuck it on my back, which put 
 into a blaze what was on fv^ back. I turned 
 over suddenly, and rolled upon ihe flame, which 
 put it out before it reached too great a height ; 
 but 1 was burnt in several parts. I thin rais- 
 ed upon my knees and addressed them — " for 
 God's sake be not worse than savages : if you 
 want my life, take it by shooting or stabbing." — 
 Often I begged them to put an end to it. Up- 
 on this, one said, don't burn him ; another said, 
 we will hang him — one in the shafts of the cart 
 turned round and said to me — '*" if you will tell 
 the names of all in the house and all you know 
 about it, we will save your life." Believing 
 all the damage was done which could be done 
 by them,! did not hesitate to say I would* — 
 
They took me out of ihe cart »i[5cnt. the causfly; 
 way at Feirs Point, and carried me to the 3uir^ 
 Head Tavern : there I gave them the names of 
 all the persons in the house (n;ost of them al- 
 ready known to them) which they took in writ- 
 ing, and the reas(!)n ofv)OurMl>eing in the hp,«se, 
 which was to defend Mr*. Hanson and his house 
 against violeoce,.4vi:h which;he hadbeen thrtat- 
 ened. TJfiey detained me about an hour at this 
 tavern, atid offered me some whiskey, of which 
 I took s. veral glasse$,jbeing extremely ^thirstjf 
 and weak from the loss 'of blood. They ihen* 
 made me walk, with several persons on ^each, 
 side upholding me, tov/ards the watch house,; 
 where they said I should be kept till the tnorn-- 
 ing, an^ that I should swea»* tq what I had sai4 
 before a magistrate by 9 o^clock, or if I did not 
 they would hang rae» On my way I was Dna?^ 
 ble to proceed, and stopped twice for resjt.— ?- 
 When I first stopped, some of them said they 
 had got all they could out of me, and they would 
 now hang me. I rose and went on, and some 
 who were against hanging me followed, and I 
 was obliged by weakness to stop again, when it. 
 was proposed again to hang me, and one person- 
 said they would cut off my head and stick it on 
 a pole. The vote was taken and carrid for 
 hanging me ; but some sa^d they sboyld not 
 hang me, that my life had been promised upon 
 condition of disclosing vvhati knew, ariUthat the 
 information I might give them would b^ of use 
 to them. I was then moved on to th^i|«?atch 
 house, and delivered to the Captain of the 
 waich about ^ o'clock in the moining, who wag 
 
C 46 ) 
 told they liekl him resp6tisible for my body at 
 9 o'clock. ^1 laid myself on the floor, a Doctor 
 was sent for by nh« Captain of the watch, who 
 came, aod having removed the tar and feathers, 
 sbv/ed up the wounds on my head, and dressed 
 thfo^'. Between 9 abd 10 o'clock the Mob was 
 gathered at the watch'&oiisev and some were 
 for hvanging ine, sayingf tlllat l-hadnot sworn to 
 whJ^t I hud told themybeiorF! a'tttJjgistratt beh)re 
 9 o'cio'ck^ as hid beeti -Stipulated, and one of 
 them 4^ict th^ rope was'drt'<ady. I observed it 
 was not>my fault, that I was not able to go to a 
 magktratr, and that I* Was ready to swear to it 
 if they '>Voakl bring brie. The^ then brought 
 a-magistrale by the name of Gah, who took my 
 affidavit;- in which w^s stated the iiamea ot the 
 persons in the house; the causeof their meeting, 
 and the name of (he person lander whom they 
 wer&actrng in the hou'^e. It was read aloud, 
 aifid at this period the Mayor, Lemuel Taylor, 
 a«d some others, arrived, who said they Would 
 take me to the hospital, out of the hands of these 
 men. Mn Taylor said he had no idea of see- 
 ing me alive. The Doctor had lent me a shirt, 
 and I was now provided with a pair of trowsers. 
 The Mayor sent for a carriage, but the Mob 
 said I should not ride in it, that a cart was good 
 enough for me, and a cart was brought, into 
 which I was placed, stretched out in the cart 
 and exposed to a hot suti. About 1 1 o'clock, I 
 was carried to the hospital, the distance of a 
 mile, the Ma5ror accomjjanying me amid the 
 noise of a great concourse of people. There I 
 
( 4r ) 
 
 heard the groansc of General Lee, in a roqm.ftdi' 
 joining, who had been saitl to be.dead* . , *> r 
 
 After the crowd had dispersed, some of my 
 friends, vllilOididlnotrthipfc me safe, sent nrfe a 
 carriage,, inlio which J was puty without losing a 
 i^inute^ and General Lee w^s- put into the same 
 ^rriage, -We were hurried away into the coun* 
 try, in our wounded, brujs^d^ and mangled con^ 
 dition J, vfej^rrriyed at.Yojkttiwn, P^nnsylvaniai 
 on Saturday evening, the first of August, where 
 we received the humane and friendly sympa- 
 thies and attentions of the inhabitants^ and the 
 medical aid of two gentlemen of the faculty. 
 
 Possessed of a strong constitution and in the 
 prime of lift:, I cherish the hope, that I shall 
 survive all the bruises and wounds, which have 
 been so crufiUy and maliciousl}'* inflicted by a 
 wicked and lawless Mob, and that I shall be 
 again restored to the full use and enjoyment of 
 my bodily powers. 
 
 Given under my hand this 6th day of Au- 
 gust, 1812. 
 
 JOHk THOMSON. 
 
 John Montgomery, mentioned in the annexed 
 certificate, is the Attorney General of Maryland. 
 We pledge ourselves to produce a respectable 
 name, which is affixed, but which we do not at 
 present exhibit for obvious reasons. We also 
 pledge ourselves to prove, that George Williams, 
 of the late house of Benjamin St George Wil- 
 
(48 J I 
 
 iwmis, expressed himself in the^gam^^urderous 
 manner. — Fed. Republican* ' ■ ^ -'v/ , 
 
 I do hereby cefti^*;' that John Montgome- 
 ry, Ksq. in conv^rSiUion Vith niyself, relative si 
 to the gendtfmen who defer^ded th^ hous'e itt 
 Charles-street, said-i-" itwas the most ihfai^<!)ti4 , 
 pt>6^eeding he had ever known, and \V^ished eVV. 
 i^y scoundrel itifthd hou^e had been killed.*' ' 
 
EXTRACT'- 3 
 
 XROl^.TnE NARRATIVE,, ;P^, 
 
 OTHO SERlQ0i isQuiRE;^ 
 
 [Hew follows a statement' o.f whar passed in the Jiqus€,j 
 wVilch.as it his been ofien toU! by others, we pass oy^rand 
 proceed to what took place at the prjisqn,} . . , '^ : 
 
 A^rrived at the assylum^^ we were ^s<7/e/z/ c!e- 
 poskticl in the criminal apartiinent, where wo 
 were amused with ai re petition of assurances 
 from .General Striclccr that »the Mob * should 
 >valk over their dedid bodies sooner than one of 
 us should be, hurt. These ass-urancesy however 
 didinot appease -the iliiordinatei cravings of hun- 
 ger during the day, W'hich were alleviated only 
 |>y the humahiiy bf sQirie gentlemen of the town, 
 no materials forjthis purpose having Ij^ en con- 
 tributed from any other source. ■<■ 
 
 It onght ;,not. to be forgetten, that we were 
 told, thac.w.€;;might be released on finding bail. 
 Mr. Bovd offered to become bail, after we were 
 f^jtirly housed y. but was told, that we cpuld not 
 be admitted to imW. This circumstance, added 
 to the; appearance of a large, and rapidiy increas- 
 ing assemblkge of the Sovereigns ot Baltimore, 
 in the evening, without a prospect of the solemc 
 and sacred pledge of the Mayor and Genera 
 Strieker, induced ia my 'ojind same suspiciga; 
 
f 52 ) 
 f,'^\v^m}iy of their stvftcruv-h;,xyer<^i^ufficteat to 
 cij^^otve a htan oi /-rtMrpant. . Ptiy sci.sutions 
 
 can oniy bt lti>. L iUgviage' is int^dtquate to 
 
 iheir tkbcrif cion. Hy heart \i as , pierced. I 
 threv/ my^tit upon the floor bthind the door of 
 ittV prison, wh^re^ I lay lor some tin[}e, giving 
 vent to the anguisii of my. soul in a flood of 
 tears. 
 
 Froni this state of prostration I was called 
 by one of the criminals in my apartment to the 
 "Window. There is not a solitary ray of com* 
 passion, or even of common humaniiy, to illu* 
 BfiitiaLe the gloom of diabolical iatrocity that 
 shrouds the behaviour of these savage ruffians* 
 I saw theniH frotn the window, still beating, with 
 I'emorseless fury, the hapless victims of perfid- 
 ious revenge, whom they had dragged from 
 the assy lum of a jail. Murder was succeeded 
 by theft, i distinctly saw. the Mob take seme* 
 thing from the pocket of a victim, virhom I sup- 
 posed to be Mr. W. Gaithei. — He opened it, 
 told his comrade i% was money, and inquired 
 if it was lawful to keep it ? He was answered 
 in the affirmative. 
 
 The Mob^ or many of them, continued in 
 and about the jail the greater part of the night ; 
 and, perhaps, during that period, they never 
 were absent from my door more than an hour at 
 one time. They inquired after the tones, and 
 threatened vengeance should they find them 
 v/ithin. 
 
 Du Prat saved my life^ He protested that 
 none of the tories were there, invited thtm to 
 search, and offered to forfeit his life if he prov- 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 ed to be deceptious. This would satisfy them 
 for a while — Many of them, particularly Irish- 
 men, would tell them to come away. **He is a 
 Frenchman. He has no tories in with him." 
 Thus things went on during the night. The 
 next Jay they did not visit our door so often. 
 
 In the latter part ot the night, the Mob in- 
 quired particularly for several of Mr. Han- 
 son's friends by name. But the next morning, 
 the object of their search appeared to be young 
 
 Mr. \t a still later hour, (7 o'clock) they 
 
 inquired particularly for Graham and Sprigg. 
 This they continued to do till about 1 1 o'clock on 
 Wednesday, when they were reinforced by num- 
 bers, amounting it is supposed, to about 300. 
 During the mfirning, whc^never they came, ihey 
 svvore that Graham and myself were there, and 
 that they would have us. Du Prat, however, 
 had always succeeded by presence of mind and 
 address, in sending them away. 
 
 When the reinforcement appeared, they crow- 
 ded the jail about my door, which they struck 
 several times, swearing most vehemently that 
 Sprigg and Graham were there, and that they 
 would murder them. I was then concealed be- 
 hind the door, and they looking through the 
 grating. This must have been a trying time to 
 the little Frenchman. There can be no doubt, 
 that he would have fallen a sacrifice to the re- 
 sentment of the Mob, if I had been found un- 
 der his protection. If he had been an Attorney 
 General of a state, a commander of a Brigade, 
 or a Mayor of a cir^-, he might have proposed 
 ttrm& to the Mob, and their victim might have 
 
C 52) 
 
 pjiit^rnyty of their ni4l^n]f^^-:,'.wer<*i^u^fficieat to 
 clii^olve a hf4rt oi i-dfuv^ant. < My Rtusations 
 
 can only bfc >el|. L i^lgviage is inp.dtquate to 
 
 their cltscrij tipn. Hy heart was .pierced. I 
 ihrev/ my$ti* upon the floor bthind the door of 
 Kiy prison, wh^rer I lay for sonrie time, giving 
 vent to the anguish of my. soul in a flood of 
 tears. 
 
 Froni this state of prostration I was called 
 by one of the criminals in my apartment to the 
 t^indow. There is not a solitary ray of com- 
 passion, or even of common humaniiy, to illu* 
 janmate the gloom of diabolical iatrocity that 
 shrouds the behaviour of these savage ruffians* 
 I saw thenis froin the window, still beating, with 
 remiorseless fury, the hapless victims of perfid- 
 ious revenge, whom they had dragged froiri 
 the assy lum of a jail. Murder was succeeded 
 bv theft, I distinctjy saw the IViob take some- 
 thing from the pocket of a victim, whom I sup- 
 posed to be Mr. W. Gaithei. — He opened it, 
 told his comrade i|» was monty, and inquired 
 if it was lawful to keep- it I He was answered 
 in the affirmative. 
 
 The Mob, or many of them, continued in 
 and about the jail the greater part of the night ; 
 and, perhaps, during thai period, they never 
 were absent from my door more than an hour at 
 one time. They inquired after the tones, and 
 threatened vengeance should they find them 
 v/ithin. 
 
 Du Prat saved my life He protested that 
 none of the tories were there, invited thtm to 
 search, and offered to forfeit his li/e if he prov- 
 
(53) 
 ed to be deceptious. This would satisfy them 
 for a while — Many of them, particularly Irish- 
 men, would tell them to come away. **He is a 
 Frenchman. He has no tories in with him." 
 Thus things went on during the night. The 
 next day they did not visit our door so often. 
 
 In the latter part of the night, the Mob in- 
 quired particularly for several of Mr. Han- 
 son's friends by name. But the next morning, 
 the object of their search appeared to be young 
 
 Mr. \t a still later hour, (7 o'clock) they 
 
 inquired particularly for Graham and Sprigg. 
 This they continued to do till about 1 1 o'clock on 
 Wednesday, when they were reinforced by num- 
 bers, amounting it is supposed, to about 300. 
 During the mfirning, whc^never they came, ihey 
 svvore that Graham and myself were there, and 
 that they would havo us. Du Prat, however, 
 had always succeeded by presence of mind and 
 address, in sending them away. 
 
 When the reinforcement appeared, they crow- 
 ded the jail about my door, which they struck 
 several times, swearing most vehemently that 
 Sprigg and Gmham were there, and that they 
 would murder them. I was then concealed be- 
 hind the door, and they looking through the 
 grating. This must have been a trying time to 
 the little Frenchman, There can be no doubt, 
 that he would have fallen a sacrifice to the re- 
 sentment of the Mob, if I had been found un- 
 der his proieciion. If he had been an Attorney 
 General of a state, a commander of a Brigade, 
 or a Mayor of a city, he might have proposed 
 ttrms to the Mob, and their victim might have 
 K 2 
 
(54) 
 
 been handed over for sacrifice. But as be wa« 
 an humble prisoner, confined on a charge of fel- 
 ony, he had not yet lost all regard for moral ol> 
 ligation. He had promised to protect me ; and 
 he did. By his address and courage, the mw- 
 derous band were again sent from the door. 
 
 As they retired, ihey swore that we were ; 
 that their numbers were not quite sufficient a( 
 present ; but that towards night they would 
 bring a force sufficient to carry die jail on their 
 shoulders. I sent for the jailor, and desired 
 him to go or send immediately for an Attorney. 
 He appeared surprised and not a little pleased to 
 see me ; and said that he would make applica- 
 tion to Judge Scott and the Mavor, for author- 
 ity to release me. He took my real namey and 
 Graham's, and was gone, I suppose, about two 
 hours. When he rctr ed, he informed me that 
 he had an order from the Judge and the May- 
 or, to release me so soon as the Mob would . 
 leave the house, and he was directed by the 
 Mayor and Judge, to advise me to leave town 
 as soon ais possible, and I would be no further 
 molested-. 
 
 This was early in the afternoon. He left me, 
 and I remained in dreadful suspense till twilight, 
 when i began to suspect that ray danger was 
 equal to thai of the preceding night. I was, how- 
 ever, called by the jailor, who told me to put on 
 my coat and fol'-OkV him, saying the jail was 
 clear. The door of the prison was opened, and 
 I followed him to the lobby or hall, in which I 
 found a number of persons, lliis occasioned 
 &OSXQ appreheusi(^iis which I communicated to 
 
(55) 
 
 ihe jailor. He said that my fate depended qj\ 
 the moment : — that to go out through them 
 would be dangerous ; but lo remain in the prison 
 would be more so. 
 
 I took a round or two through the lobby, had 
 some conversation with the jailor, and walked out 
 cinmolested through a crowd of rough looking 
 men, who had collected at the door. 1 thea 
 went home. 
 
 Graham left the jail at the same time, at the 
 opposite door. 
 
 OTHO SPRIGG. 
 
 Corporation of Fredericksburgb, to Viit :— 
 
 Persunally appeared before me, a Magistrate of the Cor- 
 poration aforesaid, Otho Sprigg, who ni'^de oath on the H.olf 
 Evangelists, that the foregoing Narrative is true. 
 
 Given undermvr hand, at tVv'^^ Corporation of Fredericks- 
 burgh, in the Commor.wealth of Virginia, this XTih 
 day of August, A. D. 1812. 
 
 GILORGE VV. B. SPOQNER, 
 
 EXTRACTS OF LETTERS, 
 
 Extract of a Letter from one of the meritorious.it 
 thoitgli unsuccessful defenders of the freedom 
 of the press at Baltimore ^ to his parents^ da-^ 
 ted August 1, 1812. 
 
 ** On Monday, the 2rih ull. the Federal Re- 
 publican was resuscitaied^ printed at George- 
 town, and published at No. 45, South Charles 
 Street, Baltimore, which was the house former- 
 
ly cccupied by Mr. Wagner, and which Mr. 
 Hanson, who now took possession of it, had fur- 
 nished with arms and ammunition, in the ex- 
 ptctaiion thatii would be attacked, and with de- 
 teimination to defend it. Mr. Hanson was ac- 
 companied to town by several friends from 
 Montgomery county ; among others, were Gen. 
 Lingan, a venerable old gentleman, about 65 
 years of age ; Gen Lee, a revolutionary officer, 
 and the bosom friend of Washington ; Dr. 
 Warlield ; Mr. Murray, a brother in lav/ of Mr. 
 Hanson, and several others. These gentlemen 
 remained to protect him, should it be necessary. 
 Th« supporters of a free press in Baltimore, 
 niortincd to see these veterans leaving their 
 famihes and homes to take upon themselves a 
 duty more peculiarly their own, determined at 
 least to share the danger v/uh them. About 
 twenty-five or thirty of the most respectable 
 citizens of Baltimore,merchants and profession- 
 al men, repaired to the house early in ihe even- 
 ing, (before sunset) and tendered their services, 
 which were accepted. We were all armed and 
 equipped by Mr. H. and put under the orders 
 of Gen. Lee. We then quietly seated ourselves 
 to wait the issue. No sooner was it dark, than 
 a parcel of boys collected around the door and 
 bfgan to halloo and insult us. Their noise at- 
 tracted others. Their shouts were redoubled, 
 and their numbers continued to increase. By 
 eight o'clock, a herd of Irishmen, and negroes 
 and Frenchmen, and ragamuffins, had congr* ga- 
 ted, and encouraged by our forbearance, whi h, 
 they probably attributed to tiDf.idity, comintji.- 
 
(57) 
 
 ced a most violent atiack upon the fjouse ; sdirtc 
 stoneshaci been thrown at rnterv a:s btiori.%butnow 
 they came in voilies. Windows and sashes and 
 shutters were demolished in an inst. whilst bricks 
 and paving stones were flying about our heads 
 wiih the most tremendous crash. It w^s then, 
 for the first time^ General Lee nermitted two or 
 three muskeis to be discharged in the air, with 
 a view to terrify the Mob and to warn them 
 that we were armed and resolved to une our 
 arms. He had before besought them again and 
 again to return to their homes, and had receiv- 
 ed nothing but itjsults m return. We fired ia 
 the air ; but far from having the desired effect, 
 it served only to enrage the rabble, and none of 
 them being hurt, to increase their audacity. 
 Stones and bricks were poured upon us without 
 intermission, and their madness broke out in 
 the most fiendlike yells ; the outer door was 
 soon forced open, and of the lower windows^ 
 not a vestige remamed — It was not however, 
 till the Mob attempted to cross the thr shold, 
 that we directed a single shot at them ; t > for- 
 bear longer was to sacrifice ourselves, and we 
 did not hesitate in adopting the alternative. 
 The Mob retreated for a moment after this re- 
 pulse, but soon Returned to the charge. As of- 
 ten as they attempted to rush into the house^ 
 50 often we fired upon them ; but never else. 
 
 The action was kept up in tliis way till ahoul: 
 hall past two o\.lock m the morning, at which 
 time ?he Mob h .d swindled away to about SO 
 or 40 men, v^hen Muj. Barney appeared with 
 about 30 horstmcu, and had he acted with 
 
(58) 
 
 Promptitude, here the affinr would have en- 
 ded. Bu' like ourselyes he er-ed on tht side 
 ofhuaraniiy,insteadofcharg)ng hemoband dis- 
 persiDg them at once htt bt-givn ? < mnke speec he s ; 
 and from that nionient the rai)bl.; bt-gao again 
 to assemble in greater nuobcrs than ever, and 
 with accumuiijted fury. JVJaj. Barney, hmv^ 
 ever, disn^njnted some of his troop and placed 
 them with .their sabres to guard the aveniies of 
 the house, that none might cnier or esciipe.--r" 
 Auout an hour after, nearly a hundred miliiia 
 were assembled and marched to our relief* 
 Judge Scott, Chief Jubtice of the court of Oyer 
 and lerminer, had been down m the course of 
 the night to quell the not. We admitted him 
 into the house, and promised to retire peaceably 
 to our homes and Mr. Hanson into the country, 
 if he would disperse the Mob — ihat he could 
 not do- — and after using all the argumoits he 
 could think of, he went quietly home. At 6 
 o'clock in (he morning the Mayor of the city 
 appeared, together with the Attorney-General 
 Montgomery, and Gen. Strieker of the militia, 
 we agreed to surrender ourselves into the hands 
 of the civil authority, if that authority could and 
 ivould protected us ; but as a preliminary and 
 as evidence of their power we insisted upon the 
 dispersion of the Mob. They conferred with 
 the Mob and with us, back and forth, bearing 
 the various propositions We niade — to nothing 
 would they consent, but that we shguld be com- 
 xnitted to the county goal to take our trial for 
 murder. The Mob now increaj-ed to the num» 
 ber of 2000. We had .set up the whole night. 
 
I , ( 59 ) 
 
 had nothing to eat, and were worn down with 
 fatigue, and found it necessary to capitulate on 
 some terms. Wc acceeded to the last, and the 
 Mayor at^d Brigadier Gen. Strieker pledged 
 themselves in the most solemn manner and with 
 repeated, asseverations to protect us, or die in 
 0ur d^efence. We gave up our arms, and mar- 
 ched out under the protection of ^he military, 
 jWho, were formed in a hailow square, the horse- 
 ineqjn frpnt and rear, about 50 being by this 
 time collected ; we were then marched through 
 Yne principal streets of the city, at least a mile 
 to the county gaol. All the efforts of our es- 
 cort could scarcely protect us from the fury of 
 the populace. I Wi>s knocked down by a stone 
 whilst under the protection of the military and 
 the magistracy. Between 8 and 9 o'clock, we 
 arrived at the gaol, and were confined in the 
 common receptacle of culprits. — I assure you I 
 never entered a place with a more bounding step, 
 or lighter heart than I did these unhallowed 
 •cells. We then foolishly regarded it as a place, 
 f safetv, confidmg in the promises of the May- 
 r and Gen. Strieker. — We soon couched our- 
 elvcs on the bare floor of the prison, and from 
 xcess of fatigue were able to sleep, even in a 
 ungeon, and on a bad of oak. Our friends in 
 le cour.-e of the day attempted to get us releas- 
 i^ upon giving bail but no ; Gen. Strieker had 
 ven his word to the Mob that we should not 
 i, admitted to bail, and the Judge would not 
 oo it.; They had given their word to us too, 
 iP protect us. Their promises to the Mob waj^ 
 iiost sacredly adhered to-^their solemn pledge 
 
(60) 
 
 to US basely forfeittd. — between two and three 
 o'clock P. M. ©n Tuesday, that very day on 
 which we were coinmkted, the Mob bt-garv a- 
 gain to assemble in the vicinity of the gaol — VT^ 
 sent for Gen. Strieker aftd the Mayor*— they 
 came and endeavoured to appease the rabble| 
 assured them that we v^e.re not bailed, and 
 should not be, but that a day should idinn(edi-», 
 attly be fixed on f«r our trial. They then 
 c-me in to see us — General Strieker told us he. 
 had ordered out two regiments and that he 
 would defend us — the Mayor renewed his 
 promises of protection. 
 
 Thi^y left us about 5 o'clock — the feheriiFcame 
 abo»atthe same time, and endeavoured to pacify 
 the Mob, which was fluctuating till 7-oVlOcl:, 
 increasing or diminishing, but attempting nc 
 violence. Gen. Snicker's troops assembled ac^ 
 cording to his orders and as soon as ihry were 
 formed, ihi?- man dismissed them— and this 
 too, at the moment when their presence had be 
 come absolutely necessary, and when we wer* 
 contidenily expecting thtm. — The Mayor wa 
 no longer visible, and the sheriff had retired 
 We were thus shut up like sheep in the peti 
 waiting the hand of the butcher. We had gi* 
 en vp our arms, and were completely at lU 
 mercy of a Mob to whom mercy is a strange 
 V ho wer« thirsting for our blood, and who, fi at 
 tic with rage, set up a hideous yell. This WJ 
 Xht signal ol destruction.-— ihc cuter gates of il 
 prist n were prostjated in a moment, anid the ^ 
 ntr doors, composed of bars of Iron, were ir 
 mediately tuJ.. 1 he Mob were provided wi 
 
(61) 
 
 every implement for their purpose. Sledge- 
 ham inera and crow-bars soon enabled them to 
 effect it. In fifteen minutes the inner doors 
 were forced, and they rushed into the common 
 passage of the cells ; they soon discovered ours, 
 and the grate between us was but the obstacle of 
 a moment. We had previously agreed that 
 every man should act for h:ims.eif,aind escape if 
 possible, by mingling in the crpwd. One or. 
 two gentlemen who had pistols presented) 
 them — this caused a momentary pause, and- 
 produced some confusion in the assailants — they 
 were, however, pushed forward by those in the 
 rear, and we plunged among ihem, extinguish- 
 ing as much as possible the portal)le lights — 
 those fixed in the passages were beyond their 
 reach. How I escaped I know not, I was re- 
 cognized and knocked down four several timesji 
 beaten when down, held up by the hair of my' 
 head, stamped upon, and in short maltreated in 
 every possible manner ; but at the moment wheat 
 they thought me dead, and when attention was 
 attracted to anutlier quarter, I sprang up, disen- 
 gagc-d myself from those that held me, and fight- 
 ing and retreating backwards, jumped from th^ 
 flight of steps about 10 feel on to the very heaas of 
 the IMobjWho tottered under me ; and the mo . ent 
 I felt myself on m>- feet, rushed into th-; out-r cir- 
 cle of the crow^l, where 1 was again seized^ blooey 
 as I was, by two fellows in the garb of sailors j 
 but a young gentleman, v/hose name I can- 
 not mention, bijt whose nobleness of soul, and 
 whose services to nie I can never forget, inter- 
 posed, and cH'-ibled me to escape from their fi> 
 
(62) 
 ry; and I left the cicy at 2 o'clock the next 
 luorning. Some escaped entirely unhurt, not 
 being known by the Mob, But one life was lost 
 — this v/as the venerable Gen. Lingan. Seve- 
 ral are dangerously wounded. Lee is dispair- 
 ed of. Eignt or nine bodies were thrown to- 
 gecher in a heap, to all appearance, and in every 
 one's belief, dead. The Mob then following to 
 aee Mr. Thomson tared and feathered' in a 
 cart, opportunity was afforded to some well dis- 
 posed persons to carry the bodies to some hous- 
 es in the neighborhood, where they revived, 
 and were carried off by their friends. Some of 
 our friends were enticed in the night (whilst we 
 were parlyingwith Judge Scott) to come out of 
 the house and converse with them, but the mo- 
 ment they got them, they treated them with the 
 greatest barbarity, and left them for de^d. Who 
 were the leaders of the Mob I know not. Among 
 the most conspicuous were a French apothecary, 
 aud a noted Irish pugillist. 
 
 Our last accounts from the ciry, are to Aug. 
 1, at which time the Mob still remained undis- 
 banded ; and the civil authority still powerless 
 and inert. The wounded which liad been tak- 
 en to the hospital, were principally carried a- 
 way to the country, having been threatened with 
 f^irther vengeance by the barbarians. 
 
( 63 ) ' 
 
 Extract of a ktter from A, C* Hanson^ Esqutre^ 
 Cone of the Editors of the Fed kepub.] dated 
 near Baithnre^ Avgust 2>'l^ lfcl2. 
 
 ** Of my ft lends and fellow martyrs, vthen 
 I say they would vie wi^h the |>icked men of 
 Lconidas, facts wJi attest die tiuih ot the as- 
 sertion. Although they had nor slept for 36 
 hours, to the last nmrnent^ tlicv v/ert cheerful, 
 conversable, aiu] sometimes gay. Not even 
 when the foiceing ot ;he jail door was announ- 
 ced by the sav.^ge veil of the Mrb, nor whtn 
 they came to the door of the apartment in which 
 we were confined, was there a look, a whisper, 
 or motion of the body, exmessive of any thing 
 but cool, collected courage and contempt of 
 death. A different conduct was not to be ex- 
 pected of men, who had embarked in such a 
 cause, with a perfect knowledge of all the con- 
 sequences, though they never could have an- 
 ticipated being delivered over to the execution- 
 er, through the inhuman ireacherv of tlie civil 
 authorities. The Libtrty of ihe Pitss, the se- 
 curity of property and person, the rights, civil 
 and political, belonging to the meanest citizen, 
 the very principles and privileges, for the asser- 
 tion and defence of which die War of Indepen- 
 d-ence was declared, we had plecigf-d Oufselv^.s 
 to maintain, and at the risk of our lives, and at 
 every extremity not forbidden bv ihe laws. 
 With the Mob and civil auihoritv united ogau'st 
 us, the C9,ntest v/as indeed unequal. However, 
 my situation allows Cie to add but litde. 
 
(64) 
 ** All my partners in persecution and suffer- 
 ing v\hom I have seen or heard tVom s nee ihe 
 massacre, agree in ascribing their injuries to the 
 same men. The names of the Mayor^ Gefieral 
 Stnicker^ and John Montgomerij, are fi?st on 
 the catalogue o) the perfidious, and barbarous 
 monsters ; and v. Vvill appear, that the advice 
 of the latrer, dictated by cowardice^ ^YodwctH 
 ihe catastrophe. 
 
 " Mv writing to jou is more of an experi- 
 ment than other wiftf, and I cannot dictate, as 
 no one will be my amanuensis, the doctors and 
 nurses all uniting in their vows that I shall not 
 %\rite or talk, as I can do neither without dan- 
 ger. 
 
 '' I hai'e six wounds on the head, either of 
 which, sufficiently stvf re to induce an infiama- 
 tion of the brain, without great care. Both 
 collar bones are hurt. The extremitj' of the 
 spinal bone injured, and excessively painful.— 
 The breast bruised, and now painful. The 
 fore fiv.gcr of die right hand broken, and the 
 whole hand injured, having been twice stabbed, 
 once through, with a pen knife ; and the nose 
 brjken. — l hese are the injuries I have received, 
 but they do not give me half the pain that the 
 desprndency of my political friends (in Balti- 
 more) inilicts,'* 
 
PUBLIC FEELING. 
 
 TOWN MEETING. 
 
 At a meeting of the citizens of Georgetown, convened at the 
 Union Tavern, on the 7th of August, for the purpose of 
 expressing their sense of the outrage recently committed in 
 Saltimore, and declaring to the world their testimony lo 
 the virtues and worth of the late General Lingan-- William 
 Marbury, Esq being called to the chair, and George French, 
 Esq. appointed secretary — the following pteamble-and res- 
 olutions were unanimously adopted : — 
 
 Whereas the Patriots who established the 
 government, under which it is ouv happy lot to 
 live, devoted their exertions and shed their blood, 
 in oixler to protect the lives, liberties, and prop- 
 erties of their countrymen, equally against un. 
 bridled licentiousness and individual violence — 
 And whereas, under our inesiimable govern- 
 ment, deriving its power more iVom reason than 
 force, outrages have been committed against the 
 lives, liberties, and properties of the citizens, 
 which the civil power has been found too timid 
 or unwilling to punish : It has become the duty, 
 as it is the right of the people, to express their 
 opinions, and let their determinatioabe knovrr^ 
 so that practices big with danger to every thing 
 man holds dear in life, may be Arrested in their 
 progress, with whomsoever they may originate, 
 or by whomsoever they may be promoted — And 
 whereas we consider the freedom of speech, and 
 of the press (at once the peculiar privilege of 
 freemen, and the best support qf "freedom) as 
 F 3 
 
C66) 
 
 dreadfully endangered by the lawless violenc^ 
 of a Mob, as by the force of a despotic power— ^| 
 Therefore Resolved — That we view with the 
 utmost detestation and horror, the conduct of the 
 Mob in Baiiimore, which has at different times, 
 violently destroyed the property of our fellow- 
 citijtens, and then inhumanly murdered those 
 who dared to make that opposition to their can*, 
 nibal fury, which the laws of nature and socicty| 
 concur in approving. 
 
 Resolved — That we reflect with wonder aud 
 delight at the firmness and bravery of Alexan- 
 der CoNTEE Hanson, and his little band of he- 
 roick supporters, in a recent encounter with 
 wretches, who, with more than savage ferocity, 
 attacked his life, destroyed his property, and 
 "butchered those who clung to him in the hour 
 of danger. 
 
 ResoliMed — That the blood of our friend* In- 
 liumanly spilt on this memorable occasion, ought 
 to be avenged by the legal punishmient of the 
 offending criminals. 
 
 Resoked — That in testimony of our deep sor- 
 row for the death of General Lincan; a sorrow 
 doubly aggravated by the horrible circumstances 
 of his massacre — we, the assembled citizens of 
 Georgetown, who remember, with a melancholy 
 satisfaction, his endearing virtues while he was 
 our fellow-townsman, will for the space of thirty 
 days, wear the accustomed badge of mourning. 
 Resohed^ — That a subsoription shall be imme- 
 dia.:ely opened for the erection of a monument 
 to Che memory of the departed General. 
 
(er) 
 
 JResohed-^Thzt when the civil power formecl 
 for tiie protection of social rights, either through 
 lukewarmness or timidity, suffers those rights to 
 be invaded or destroyed, their protection de- 
 volves on the virtuous and brave of societyt 
 whose duty it ia to rally round the law, and en-* 
 force its execution. 
 
 Resohed — That the attempt to destroy the 
 liberty of the press by the Mob of Baltimore, 
 in pulling down the house, and destroying the 
 press of the " Federal Republican," with the at- 
 tending circumstances, far exceed in atrocity 
 and violence, the cruel murder by the de«>pot of 
 France of the German printer Palm for the free 
 expression of opinion ; and ought to meet with 
 unqualified detestation from every friend to free- 
 dom. ^ 
 Resohed — That although we confide too much 
 in the good sense of our fellovv-citisens to ap- 
 prehend any similar horrors in this quarter, yet 
 being conscious that a state of nreparatiqn for 
 danger is the only security in times of peril like 
 the present, should any such outrages be attempt- 
 ed within our reach, we pledge our lives and 
 sacred honour to each other, and to society, that 
 we will cheerfully and immediately obey the call 
 of the civil power ; but shoal4 that be too slow- 
 to redress the wrong, we as faithfully pledge our- 
 selves to rally round the laws, and support and 
 defend with our lives, the injured rights of our 
 fellow-citizens, and the essential principles of 
 our beloved republican government* 
 
 Resohed^-'That Francis S. Key, Esq* be sof- 
 llcited to deliver aa oration on the death of our 
 
( 68 ) 
 
 beloved friend and lellow citizen James Lin 
 gaa. 
 
 Resolved — That a committee consisting of 
 tbjfcc persons, be appointed to carry the preced- 
 ing resolutions into ei^ct, and that the follow- 
 ing gentlemen compose the committee aioresaid 
 — 1 humas Peter, John 1. Stuli and George 
 Johnson. 
 
 Refiohed — That these resolutions be publishr 
 ed m ihc Spirit of '76. 
 
 WM. MARBURY, Chairman. , 
 
 George French, Secreiary. 
 
 Meeting in Prince George's County. 
 
 At a naeetingof the citizens of Prince George's county, held 
 ai Upper Marlborough, on the 13th of August — James 
 Sonnerville, Esq. was called to the chair, and S. Addison, 
 Esq. Secretary — The folowing preamble and resolutions 
 vere reported by a comnoittee appointed for that purpose, 
 and unanimously adopted :— 
 
 Whereas the bill of rights has declared, that 
 llie liberty of the press ought to be inviolably pre- 
 served, and deeming it essentially necessary for 
 the security of freedom that it should be unaw- 
 cd by power and unassailable by licentiousness, 
 we have viewed with abhorrence and indigna- 
 tion the attempts which have been made to des- 
 troy this sacred right. Our indignation has 
 been greatly increased when we have seen that 
 the civil ainhorities in this state, instead of in- 
 terposing their power in pro<eciing its citizens 
 
( 69 ) 
 
 in the full and free enjoyment of this inestimable 
 privilege, have been silent specta ors ol the 
 most atrocious eooraiities that ever disgraced a 
 civilized community. Wc have seen with eno- 
 tions of honor not only the invasion and ats- 
 truction of private property, but the lives of "ur 
 fellow citigens sacrificed by an infuriated Mob, 
 with ;Ul the merciless rage cf the savage Indian, 
 while they were ttobly defending and support- 
 ing those rights, which were guaianieed to tht m 
 by our constitution — And whereas this lawless 
 force commenced their outrageous violatiosis of 
 the law on the 22d June last, and with impunity 
 have repeated the most wanton acts of violence 
 and bloodshed — believing as we sincerely do, 
 that the liberty of the press is the palladium of 
 all our civil, political and religious ughts ; that 
 they must exist, or perish together- — believing 
 that a succession of such outrages will nor only 
 lead to the prostration of the press itself, but to 
 the destruction of every thing held dear atid val- 
 uable by freemen — Who do, therefore, in the 
 spirit of that liberty, derived to us from the val- 
 our of our fathers, 
 
 Resolve — " That all persons invested wit'i 
 the legislative or executive powers of gov- 
 ernment, are only the trustees ot the people, and 
 as such, accountaHe ior their conduct," that 
 tht refore it is the r gh: of ihe people at all times, 
 either by liberty of s|;eerh or through the medi- 
 um of the press, freely to ex^imine into the 
 measures of government, to lay open and expose 
 to the public the conduct of their rulers, boldly 
 to set forth and publish any delinquency or mis- 
 
( ro ) 
 
 iiiianagement in their administration, that the 
 pto le may see and judge whether ihe govern- 
 ment committed to their charge has been wise- 
 ly • irt'cfed, and whether it has been conducted 
 in such a mani^ei and upon such principles as 
 ixia}' b^sif conduce to the interest, the happiness, 
 and prosperity of their country, 
 
 Resolvtd — i hat if the Jibeny of the press be 
 su -verted, it is a matter of perfect indifference 
 to '3 by whom. The consequences are precise- 
 ly ihe saa.e, whether it be by the wicked am.bi- 
 tio< or criinin;.! relaxation of our rulers. The 
 municipality of Baltimore have the power, and 
 it •'< imperatively their duty to protect the citi- 
 2rns thereof, both in thcii persons and theii pro- 
 perty , against all lawless force and violence, and 
 to secure to them the enjoyment of all their 
 rights and privileges; consequently, their failure 
 to curb the unbridled cruelty and savage outrages 
 of the Mob, merits the severest execration and 
 animadversion of all \A\o duly estimate the 
 pt ace dnd good order of society, and evinces a 
 criminal acquiescence in a detestable usurpa- 
 tior- of the authoritj^ of the laws. . 
 
 Resolved — That from a deliberate and impar- 
 tial examination of the report of the civil au- 
 thority of Boltimore, we consider the conduct 
 of the Mavor and Brigadier General as distin- 
 guished and characterized by perfidy and cow- 
 ardice. — Perfidy, in not affording that protec- 
 tion they had promised to unarmed men, who 
 had confided in their honor for the safety of 
 their persons and security of their property — 
 
an4 cowardice, in being deierred bv tbe mena- 
 ced of the Mob from the cxecuuon of their du^ y. 
 Resolved — That the executive of this sta^e 
 artj the constitutional guardians of the law, and 
 coisetvators of the peace of Maryland, and it^s 
 th(^ir duty to take care that the former be faith- 
 fully enforced, and the latter inviolai>ly main- 
 taiiied — when they fail to discharge the high 
 tru$t confided to them, they will merit the sc- 
 veriest censure of their constituents. 
 
 kesohed — That as a tribute of respect to the 
 meimory of the brave Lingan, uhu died in de- 
 fence of that liberty he fought to achieve, it be 
 recommended to our citizens to wear crape oa 
 theileft arm for the space of thirty days. 
 
 Resolved — 1 hat Francis >i. liall and Rich- 
 ard W. West, be authorised and requested \o 
 repair to Annapolis, and to lay a copy of rh^be 
 resolutions before his excellency the governor. 
 
 Resolved — That the proceedings trf this met- 
 ing be published in the " Federal Republican/' 
 the " National intelligencer," and the " Mary- 
 land Gazette." 
 
 T^B END, 
 
'H' 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS