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Further Details Of The Mob At Washington

Further Details Of The Mob At Washington image
Parent Issue
Day
5
Month
May
Year
1848
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A Washington correspondent of the Jourial of Commerce, April 20, says : - The city and both Houscs of Congress have beenthrown nto a ferment by tho events connected with he late aftair of tho slaves. A meeting of the citizens was held last night n front of the Patent office, and violent proceedings against the Era (abolilion paper) ofice were intended by them. Many cilizetis with cooler heads, proposed ihat the people sliould wait fir the intervention of law ; and until the editor of the Era should be notified 0 leave the city. The Committee waited on Or. Bailey, and received for a reply that he wished his press to namaio where it was ; that ie would notyield it except with his life ; that ie was alone and unarmed, and in the power of the people. A mob lef't the meeting and iroceeded to the Era office, but offered no vi )lence, though they made threuts of it, if the laper should not be discontinued. Mr. Giddings went to the jail yesterday to see the Captain of tho vessel who abducted he slaves, and offered him counsel for his de'ence, a nuniber of persons who were collectthc-e, rnenaced him with violence, but he was rotected by the pólice. This morning in both Houses, the subject wasbrought up, and most exciting debates took place. Resolutions were offi!redby Mr. Palfrey in the House, and Mr. Hale in the Senatefor an ii.quiry into the Facts concerning alawless mob which had menaced a member of Congress and the lives and property of individuals. The Southern mem bers took the chief part in the debate that followed. They insisted upon it that the mob, if tliere had been one, was jusdfiablf) ; and that members of tho House particularly, had insti gated the slaves to rovolt and runaway ; and tliey deserved whatever they might receive f'roin a mob; and ought to be expelled from the House. These remarks wore pointed purliciilarly at Mr. Oiddings, of Ohio, who luid lately declared in debate that if a slave killed his muster in a struggle to prevent his arrest in Ohio, he would be justified in the eye of the law, and he (Mr. G.) would cali him a good fellow. Mr. Foote invited Mr. Hale to Mississippi, promising him elevation to the highesl tree m 1 the State. Both Ilouses will investigale the subject by Committces. It wil! serve to arouse Congress and tlie public, md prpmote abolitiouism. I f'ear that tliere will be a ruinous mob to-nigbt, and that violenco will be commkted. P. S. The President has given orders to the clerks and employees of Government to holtl thcmselvcs in readincss to preserve !aw and order, and the peace of the city. The Cemmon Council have issued l!ie following: To THE ClTIZENS OF WASHINGTON: It is well known'to you that events have transpired within the last few days, deeply affecting the peace and character of our community. The danger has not yet passed away, but demands increased vigilance from thu friends of' order. The cool, delibérate judgement of the people of this community, unexceplionably and unequivocally declared, eau, and will, we doubt not, if the law is found insufficient, redress grievances in a manner vorthy of themselves ; but the fearful acts of lawless and irresponsible violence can only ag grávate the evil. The authorities, municipal and pólice, hav thus far restrained actual violence; and they now invoke the citizens of Washington to sustain thein in their farther efïbrts to maititain the pcace and preserve the honor of the city. The peace and character of the Capitel oí' the Republic 7nu.1t bo preserved. The Mayor of the city (confined to his bed by sickness) fully concurs in the above. W. LENOX, Pres, Board of Aldermen, J. H. Goddard, Capt. Auxiliary Guard. April 20, 1848. April 21. Last niglit, a crowd assemblee] in front of the Era office but showed no symptoms of a disposition to violenco. But after the assembly had disperscd, and the pólice and clerk had retired, after the Aldermen, and al! tho conservators of' the poace who had been relied on had disappeared, the real mob rallied in secret and silence, to the numlier of two hundred and proceeded, with a chosen leader, to Dr. Bailey's house, and called him out. Here was a tryirtg occasion. Dr. 13.. as editor of the " Era," was called for, and promptly came out upon the step9 alone and unarmed. The leader said, we are Marylander and Virgimans, and we have come to lar and feather you, and destroy your press. The Dr. requested to be heanJ. " Hear him, hear him!" was the general shout. The Dr. spoke sotne ten minutes, and vvas applauded by Gome n ihe crowd, to whom the leader cried, " what lave you to say 1 yon don't own any nigger." This remark WU resented and created a disrutation ; but after tliis episode, tlie Dr. mado a few more remarks and was responded to wilh approbation. Mrs. Bailey, his wifo, uppeared, in the mean time, as his onlv backer. Mr. Ratcliffe, the lawyer, who was influential to calming the popular feeling iho other night then happened to arrive ; and, after a lew remarks, proposed an adjournment sino die, which was agreed to ; and, in five minutes, there was not an individual to be seen in the street. The spirit displayed in the House today was nnt so calm and well tempered. - Politician3 are less cool and reasonablo on thi subject than the people. Dr. Bailey said wcll in his remarks to the mob last niglit, that hit paper suppressed many violent things uttered in Congress, as calculated to do He told them what is true, " that the other paper of this city publish things against slavery that he would not publish." But Southern men go beyond prudent bounds. their speeches on this subject, and defeat their own purposes. Mr. Cnlhoun lost his self-possession yeelerdaj, for the first timo so far as I have ever observed. The Housa continued the discussion of Mr. Palfrov's resolution to-day. Southern members appear u be more apprehensive than they ever were of the " ciinsoiidation of liberty" at home. - There has nevr-r bei'ii such a discussion in Congress on the subject of' slavery, in its political and social aspeets, as theae luis been during this last week, and it is to be continued to the end of the session, on whatever nifasure may presentan opportunity for discussion. S aturdav, April 22. A few more cases of negro stealing here, and a mob ur two, in this city, would great'y help to keep up the spirit of' the discussion. - The effect of these débales will be to unite tho South, bolh Whigs and Democrats, on Gen. Taylor as their available candidate. Tho Democrats will be obliged to go for a Northern man. Shouhl Mr, Clay be the nominee of the Whig convention, General Taylor will be yet brought forward with such strength by the united South that he will come as the leading candiate into the House, where he will unquestionably be chosen. '1 he prospect of a general war in Europe, seems to require of our people great caution in the preservation of their neutrality. W need the wisdom and the coolness of a. Washington, to direct our councils. Tbero never was a time when it was more necessary for our countrymen, in view of the state of things abroad, at home, lo put at the head of' affairs a man, who can look beyond party purposes, to the preservation of peaco, of tho (Joustititution, and of the Union.