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Primary Sources relating
to the Actors
Hanson
“We have reason to believe, that the life of ALEXANDER CONTEE HANSON
has been preserved. This gentlemen, a son of the late Chancellor of Maryland,
was born in January, 1786 and since he attained the age of manhood has
been eminently distinguished for eloquence, courage and patriotic ardor.
For the last four years he has laboured with industry and zeal in the
public serivce—he has laboured without reward, for the paper has
never been a profitable establishment. He has made greater sacrifices,
submitted to greater losses and has exposed himself to greater dangers
in the defense of truthand in support of the interests of his country,
than any person of our aquaintance—His only reward has been the
knife of the assassin! We earnestly hope soon to hear of his complete
recovery, and to see him placed in that station, of which his ability
will render him so great an ornament.”
The Federal Republican, Vol. 6, No. 852, Friday, August 14th
Hanson's Friends
“Of my friends and fellow martyrs, when I say they would vie with
the picked men of Leonidas, facts will attest the truth of the assertion.
Although they had not slept for 36 hours, to the last moment, they were
cheerful, conversable and sometimes gay. Not even when the forceing of
the jail door was announced by the savage yell of the Mob, nor when they
came to the door of the apartment in which we were confined, was there
a look, a whisper, or motion of the body, expressive of any thing but
cool, collected courage and contempt of death. A different conduct was
not to be expected of men, who had embarked in such a cause, with a perfect
knowledge of all the consequences, though they never could have anticipated
being delivered over to the executioner, through the inhuman treachery
of the civil authorities. The Liberty of the Press, the security of property
and person, the rights, civil and political, belonging to the meanest
citizen, the very principles and privileges, for the assertion and defence
of which the War of Independence was declared, we had pledged ourselves
to maintain, and at the risk of our lives, and at every extremity not
forbidden by the laws. With the Mob and civil authority united against
us, the contest was indeed unequal.”
“An exact and authentic narrative, of the
events which took place in Baltimore, on the 27th and 28th of July last.
Carefully collected from some of the sufferers and eyewitnesses. To which
is added a narrative of Mr. John Thomson, one of the unfortunate sufferers,
...”American Memory, 63.
“He was aware, that the execution of his
plan would be accompanied with much difficulty and danger, but his friends
admired and approved it the more on that account, and volunteered to accompany
him to Baltimore, to participate his dangers or successes, in maintaining
the rights of person and property, and defending the Liberty of the Press.
They were nine in number:--General James M. Lingan, (murdered), General
Harry Lee, Captain Richard I. Crabb, Dr. P. Warfield, Charles J Kilgour,
Otho Sprig, Ephraim Gaither, 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
information in confidence from others:—Major Musgrove, Henry G.
Gaither, and William Gaither. On the evening of the attack, they were
joined by about twenty gentlemen living in Baltimore, one or two only
of whom were invited to the house by Mr. Hanson.”
“An exact and authentic narrative,
of the events which took place in Baltimore, on the 27th and 28th of July
last. Carefully collected from some of the sufferers and eyewitnesses.
To which is added a narrative of Mr. John Thomson, one of the unfortunate
sufferers, ...”American Memory, 5.
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The Mob
“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 humanity. 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 their attention to him, and to inform
them that he was still alive. Every supplication was answered by fresh
insults and blows. At lenth, while he was still endeavouring to speak,
and to stretch out 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 of them,” and repeating
the opprobrious epithet of Tory! These blows put an end to his torments
and his life. In a few minutes after his removal into jail, he expired
without a groan. His name will be immortal as his soul.”
“During this whole time the Mob continued to torture
their mangled bodies, by beating first one and then the other; sticking
penknives into their faces and hands, and opening their eyes and dropping
hot candle grease into them, &c. Mr. Murray, Mr. Thomson and Mr. Winchester
were carried in a different direction and not thrown into the heap of
the supposed slain.”
“An exact and authentic narrative, of the events
which took place in Baltimore, on the 27th and 28th of July last. Carefully
collected from some of the sufferers and eyewitnesses. To which is added
a narrative of Mr. John Thomson, one of the unfortunate sufferers, ...”American
Memory, 28-29.
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Baltimore's Mob and the Authorities
“Near the front of the house Major Barney halted and addressed them
[the mob]“. On this they again returned. He told them he was their friend,
their personal and political friend, that he was there to protect person
and property, to prevent violence, 'to secure the party in the house,'
and that those in the street must disperse. They then asked him by what
authority he came.—He answered by order of the Brigadier General
Stricker. They demanded a sight of the order which he consented to show
them, and for that purpose went round the corner into an ally where they
assembled round him to see it. He said something in a low voice on hearing
which the mob gave three cheers.”
“An exact and authentic narrative, of the
events which took place in Baltimore, on the 27th and 28th of July last.
Carefully collected from some of the sufferers and eyewitnesses. To which
is added a narrative of Mr. John Thomson, one of the unfortunate sufferers,
...”American Memory, 10-11.
Hanson and the Authorities
“When the Mayor arrived he sought to speak with Hanson. '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 of maintaining the defence against the force
which would soon come in aid of the attack. The Mayor asked for and addressed
Mr. Hanson with warmth and great agitation. Spoke of a civil war, saying,
we are impressed with the belief that a civil war is inevitable, and I
consider this a party thing, and the commencement of it. He complained
also of the government's being implicated in the dispute between parties
and the paper, and added such 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 duty to disperse the Mob.
The Mayor and General Stricker then declared their own inability to protect
the party in the house while there, and proposed that they should surrender
themselves into the hands of the civil authority, and be taken to the
public jail as a place of safety, promising an effectual escort on the
way, to be composed of Mr. Hanson's own friends, in town if he pleased,
and also an effectual guard at the jail till they could be released on
bail.”
“An exact and authentic narrative, of the events
which took place in Baltimore, on the 27th and 28th of July last. Carefully
collected from some of the sufferers and eyewitnesses. To which is added
a narrative of Mr. John Thomson, one of the unfortunate sufferers, ...”American
Memory, 13-14.
Full citation and source information
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