United States oracle and Portsmouth advertiser — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-04-23 00:00:00, page 1

Riot at the State Prison,
NEV-YORK.
-
From the Nemo-York, Evening Poss.
S^-Prfn, Zip ril 5, 1803.
&R. Coleman,
Agreeably to your request, I fend
you the following account of the Riot
which tcok place in the Prison.
JOHN PRAY, Keeper.
Monday, about 5 o'clock in the after
noon, word was brought to the keeper
of the back Door, by Jacob Barnet, a
convid, that a Riot had bugun in the
jard, and that the prisoners were at
tempting to scale the walls of the pri
son; this was communicated to the
front, and the alarm bell was rung—
The following are the particulars re
lating to the Riot, as reported by the
Keepers of the different Halls and
Workshops. Daniel Thorne, Keeper
of Hall No. 5, reports as follows:
*'That the rioters locked the door lead
ing from the dining Hall into the large
room, and to prevent the alarm being
given at the front, ceptriv^d to get the
black boy who was employed there,into
the large room : this gave no suspicion
Until Donald M'Dohald (having on a
Keeper's watch coat) came to him and
laid, we are determined to have cur li
berty, or die in the attempt ; therefore,
take case of yourfelf, and make no op
pofition,and you shall hotreceive harm,
& then called upon some person to take
charge of me, upon which two or three
perlons stepped up and offered their
service ; these men were friendly, and
opposed the rioters."
The Keeper was then efcoTted to the
large prison room at the weft end of
the fouth wing, where he was desired
to remain quiet. Abraham Burling
ame, John Hollenbeck, and many o
ther prisoners who refufed to join the
riotous party, were driven into the
room with the Keeper, and the rioters
(supposed to be about forty in number)
remained in poffeffon of the large work
ing Ball, ^ome of these fell back from
their purpose, but about thirty repaired
to the yard ; soon afterwards, some
returned from the yard and imperiouf
)y commanded every man in the Hall
to go down and join the difaffeded
party, but could prevail upon none.—
Comfert Carpenter, prisoner for life,
was seized by two of the rioters, who
infilled he should join the party, but he
broke their hold,and declared he would
die rather than be concerned in filch an
attempt to break the prison. The rio
ters being armed with knives and ham
mers, threatened vengeance to all who
would not join them ; the other party
immediately took knives, and with
much difficulty a skirmish of the par
ties was prevented. Some of the rio
ters set fire to the beds and bunks in
two of the rooms, with intent to burn
the prison, which was, however extin
guithed by the well disposed prisoners.
Stephen Baker, Keeper in the Work
shops in the Yard, reports as follows—
“ That Donald M'Donald, Benjamin
Nicholson, Oliver Sprung, and Several
others, came into the Yard with drawn
knives, upon which Jesse Smith, prifo
rer for life, gave him the alarm : he
then repaired to the Yard, and addrefß
ed the 'rioters to know their bufmefs,
upon 'which they direded him to go
with them to Hall No. 5 ; he accom
r§:f<m near to the door,and then
attempted to go to the front, but was
prevented by some of them, who, with
dreadful imprecations, threatened his
life ; he returned to the Shops, which
he (raveifed to the lower end, and was
soon after confined with twoother Keep
ers, who were forbid to remove from
their Rations.
After the Keepers were conhned,
the rioters (about twenty) proceeded
to ered a fcaffold, in order to scale the
wall. The alarm at this time became
general, the great bell was rung, the
centries fired in the air,and immediate
ly afterwards, the soldiers appeared
and repeatedly called on the rioters to
defift,.but they answered by throwing
Bones, hammers, ^c. upon which the
ouard fired on them ; one man,but not
a rioter,was killed on the fpot,and four
very dangerously wounded ; the riot
was ther quelled and the rioters retreat
at® the Shops for shelter. Thomas
Hartly, a Keeper requested to be heard,
and addressed them to the following
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John Bailey,keeper in the work-Drops,
reports, that three of the convicts, viz.
Daniel Callahan, George Thompson,
and James Dougherty, told him that
they would stand by him, and as far as
Was in their power, prevent him from
receiving anv iniury.
The rioters called on the men in the
lower (hops to join them, who all re
fufed, -except John Smith, John Far
mer, William Merchant, and Felix
Conner, and remained remarkably
peaceable and quiet, and offered freely
to protea the keepers—Connor was
violently outrageous .
The following prisoners set fire to the
prison :—Oliver Sprung, William
Staight, and Moody Dufton. r
Isaac Lytle, jun. a flipper maker in
the work-fhopsin the yard, went to the
window in the fouth end of the (hop,
merely from curiosity, and was there
killed on the spot. He was uniformly
2 well behaved man, and did not dis
cover the least disposition to join the
riot, or to have any kind of concern
with the rioters.
— , -
The Swedish (hip Louisa, capt. Torngren
Was in 1802, wilfully funk in the Baltic,
for the purpose of defrauding the under
writers, and a young man, who was con
cerned in the conspiracy, but who had
quarrelled with and been beaten by the
captain, was left in his birth and periled.
The following is the lenience pronounced
by the Swedish Tribunal -on the perfous
concerned in this most attrocipus tranfec
tion. } , ^ , c .
“ Capt. Torngrep to be beheaded, and
his body exposed on a wheel ; his proper
ty to defray the expences of the prosecu
tion ; Lullig, the mate, and another sai
lor, molt active in the crime, to be be
headed, the merchant to pay a fine of four
times the value of the lading, fradulently
taken off,or to receive forty pair of gripes
three to the pair, and to do penn^nce on
a Sunday at the church door, after which
he is to work three , ears- at the hulks in
Carlfcrona, and his property to answer
all judicial expences. The broker J. Lov
ell. with his brother T. Lovell, the Dis?
tridt Crown Executor, for complicity, to
be deprived of their offices, to be confined
for one month on bread and water, and
to do three years hard labour at the bulks ;
the Poftchiffer, and the two Lightermen
who conveyed the goods off in the night,
to be imprisoned twenty-eight d^ys on
bread and water ; the Strand Surveyor
for neglect of duty, sixteen days of the
fame penance ; and the pilot twelve days ;
betides a number of pecuniary fines on all
such as were proved to have bought any
of the goods competing the cargo,"
0
The Marquis La Fayette. —A late London
paper mentions that M. La Fayette had
broken his thigh, from a fall on the ice, as he
was coming cut of the office of the Miniftcr of
Marina
After making the ftri&eft enquiry, it
does not appear that there were more
than about fifteen prisoners who came
from the fouth wing, and four or five
whoj oined them from the ffiops in the
yard who were actively concerned in
the riot ; although there were in the
fouth wing about ninety men, and in
the ffiops in the yard nearly two hun
dred.
Henry Maffenburgh, John Farmer,
Jedediah Gilbert,and David Buffi,were
dangerously wounded,and Farmer died
this morning.
On the firft notice of the alarm, the
assistant keepers were Rationed in differ
ent parts of the prison, and were ex
ceedingly active and alert throughout
the whole, and manifefted a steady and
£tm determination to do their duty.
Fraud on Underwriters.
Thomas Hartly further reports,that
Daniel Smith threatened to take his
life, but Maffenburgh stepped up and
declared he would protect him, and
that he would rifle his life in his defence.
He adds, that James Weatherly, a pri
foper for life, gave him the firft intima
tion of the riot.
effed : " Let me entreat you to desist
from further violence; confider the
danger you are in ; you are sport
ing away your lives as of no value ;
fee that poor unhappy being, who is
now apparently breathing his last, and
who was with you a few minutes ago ;
put a stop to your hazardous attempt
now, and it may be a means of allevi
ating your future punishment." . „
The bell in the yard, which is tfed
every evening to call in the prisoners,
was soon after rung, when the prisoners
repaired to their different halls, and
quietly fuffered themselves to be lock
ed in their rooms.
IX/ "'" ° e '"' * at there's 'ft.
Vv curity to (he freedom of man
kind from the moderation with which
this enormous power is to be exercised?
Vain delusion ! This power is not the
result of accident. At the moment
when France dethroned her sovereign
it was easy to forelee that a contest mull
ensue, in which her exigence would be
flaked against the empire of the world.
If not conquered by any surrounding
princes (and the hope of such conquest
unless by the aid of her own citizens
was idle) her numerous armies acquir
ing discipline must eventually conquer.
She has the advantages of licu3tion,and
those which result from union opposed
to councils uncertain and felfifh. It was
easy also to forefee that, in the fame
progress of events, some fortunate sol
dier would feat himfelf on the vacant
throne : for the idea of a French Re
public was always a ridiculous chimera.
Bonaparte has placed himfelf at the
head of that nation by deeds which call
a luftre upon his name. In his. Iplen
did career he must proceed. When he
ceases to ad, he will cease to reign.—
Whenever in any plan he fails, that mo
ment he falls. He is condemned to
magnificence. To him are forbidden
the harmonies and the charities of so
cial life. He commar.dsa noble and
gallant nation, paflionattly fond of glo
ry. Ihat nation ftimulaie< him to glo
rious enterprises, and b-canfe they are
generous and braye, they enfiie his
luecefs. Thus the fame principle pre
sents at cnee the object and the means.
Impelled by imperious eiicumftances
he rules in Europe, and he will rule
here also, unless by vigorous exertions
,u set a bound to his power.
Having call thus a rapid glance on
the general state of Europe, it remains
to look particularly at the condition of
England and Spain, so far as they may
be affected by the cession of those prov
inces to France. England will fee in
it am increase of commerce and naval
force for her rival. She will fee immi
nent danger to her islands, and partic
ularly to Jamaica. The climate of Pen
sacola has already been noticed. The
position is of incalculable moment. —
During the sickly and hurricane season,
fleets and armies may wait there in fafe
ty till their ^nemy shall be enfeebled
and unprotected. /Where will the Brit
ish fleets and attires be Rationed with
equal advantage ? If they aft an asyl
um in your ports you muftrefufe; for
should you listen to any such proposi
tion, your kindness would be considered
as a hostile aggreffipn. The influence
of France on the United States, (which
has already been noticed) will give dou
ble weight to her repfefentatiohs. And
this very influence is among the effeds
which Britain must deprecate. I have
not time to dwell on this fubjed, nor
many others, as fully as I ought. The
condition of Spain is not less worthy of
notice. No two nations on earth have
more footed hatred for each ocher than
France and Spain. ..There are none
more different in essential points of char
a&er. United however underfovereigns
of the fame families, these antipathies
were wearing away, ^ut the fatal
stroke which destroyed the French mo
narch has fevered that band. , Force
has since produced, net union, but sub
mission. It is not in nature that the
Spanish King should fofter kindly sen
timents for him who has decked him
felf with the spoils of his house. The
proud, the brave, 2nd the loyal Caftilim
groans under the yoke which galls him,
but which he cannot break; and sick
ens at the recolle&ion of his antient glo
ry. His deep resentments are known,
and it is to prevent their effeds that he
has been compelled to make the c^ffion
of these provinces. France will then
hold at her diferetibn tlie Spanish trea
sures, and the rich provinces of the New
World. At the lirft symptom of hos
tile sentiments she arrests the means of
aggression. Thus the dependence of
Spain is rendered absolute, & her chains
are riveted forever. "Does Spain be
hold this Rate of things with calm indif-
„—-0 -
Speech of Mr. Morris,
On eke Rs^orjiic'.-e ^ ^ |RO3S.
[Concluded.]
American Senate.
ference ' —No. She leels all the pangs
of wounded pride, driven to the neceffi
of perpetuating its own humiliation.
A few words, after what has already
been said, will fuffice to Ihew the im
portance cf these provinces to France.
This rcfolts from the influence on her
rival, on Spain and on the U. States ;
by means of the position, the resources
and the means of aggre^on which those
provinces afford. Enough has been
said of the position. The resources are
great and increasing. Not only cotton
and indigo will be furnished for herman
ufaddres, but supplies and fuhfiftence
for her colonies and her troops. These
resources too will be at the very point
mod important both for defence and
aggression.. The fame force will be
ready to operate either against England,
Spain, or America. Thus that force
will be tripled in its mortal effect, and
influence alike the cendud of all against
whom it may be dire&ed w To what
has been said on the facility with which
we may be assailed, I might add much,
but it is, unneceflary, It behoves us
however to confider well the spirit of
the French government, which in all
its changes has never loft fight of this
obje&. The French miniftet Monsieur
de la Luzerne, when Coqgrefs were
deliberating on the ultimata for peace,
obtained a resolution that our ministers
should, as to our Weftern boundary,
treat under the dilation of France.—
Our ministers difdamed the condition,
and refilled to obey. Their manly con
dud obtained for you the countries
whose fate i^nov^ iufpend ? d on your de
liberations. Never, no never has France
led fight of Louisiana. Never for a
moment.has she been blind to its im
portance. _ Those who, driven from her
bosom into exile, wandered about a
mong us, have gathered and communi
cated the fulled information. While
they enjoyed your hospitality they prob
ed your weakness, and : meditated the
means of controling your condud.—
Whatever may be the fair appearances,
rely on it that every Frenchman bears
with him every where a French heart,
and so he ought. I honor him for it.
O ! that Americans had always an A
merican heart !
It remains to notice the advantage of
this country to the United States, as it
may relate to our power, our peace,
our commerce, and above all to our
Freedom. As to our power, something
has already been laid on the peaceful
influence which results from the depen
dence of colonies belonging to the great
rations of Europe—add to this, that
the product of those colonies must pals
by cur doors, and be exposed to ocr
cruisers. A further advantage is to ba
found in the ready means of invasion,
(in concert with the troops cf others) if
driven to the necessity of war- The
polTeflion of power will give us not on
ly Security but peace. Peace indeed
can never be fafe,but by the aid of pow
er, Qur disposition is pacific. It is our
interest to be at peace, and the form of
our government, while it secures to us
the enjoyment of as much liberty as is
poffib)e, renders it particularly impru
dent to rifque in war any change of the
constitution. Grant us these provinces,
and we can dilate the conditions cf
our commerce with the inlands. Pos
sessed of them it will be doubly lucra
tive, and without them wholly uncer
tain. .There is another dream of pro
fitable trade which will then dew in our
channels. The rifone and difficulty
which Spain experiences in bringing
home her treasures when she is at war,
will naturally foggeft the advantage of
remitting them through, this country.
The produce of the Me, * an mines may
then be Dipped dire&ly ')Afia. It will
be paid.to Spain by bills on the com
mercial nations, and thus furnjfh to her
the easy means of obtaining the supplies
she may stand in need of. The bullion
will be so much the more valuable, as
the danger and expence of transporta
tion are diminiffied. This, therefore,
would have a beneficial result upon the
whole commercial world. It would
more especially emancipate Spain from
her present thraldom. It would give a
happy change to all her anterior admin
istration, and increase both her absolute
-and relative force,. Let me fay here
that it is our interest to preserve the
authority of Spain over her American
tertiary. We have enough ofour own.
We can have no with to extend our do-
minion. We want men, not land. We
ate therefore the natural and fafe guar
dians of Spaih. On us she may rely
with perfect confidence. We can de
rive from that commerce, which it is
her interest to permit, all the advantage
we ought to ask. But great as are the
benefits which will result from the pof
feflion cf the b loridas and New-Orleans,
great as is their tendency to advance
cur power, secure our peace, and extend
our commerce, there is a confederation,
in comparison with which, commerce,
peace and power are of but flight avail.
These provinces will fortify the defences
of our Freedom. My honorable col
league has dated to you his apprehen,
fions from (landing armies. And yet,
fir, if ^e be net puffed of this territory,
Jhndi*:g armies become nectary. With
out an imposing military force, the in
habitants of the weftern country will be
in such immediate danger, that the,
must league with a neighbour who will
have every thing to offer, and from
whom they will have every thing to
fear. This will lead to the worst of all
wars, to civil war, and when that shall
happen, liberty will soon be 101 l The
army which has defeated one half the
nation will easily lend itfelf to enslave
the other. Such is the hiftory,and such
will ever be the fate of man. In this
view, then, above all others, is that poC
fehton mott precious. When it is in
our hands we need no standing army.
We can turn our whole attention to
naval defence, which gives complete
security both.at home, and abroad—
When we have 20 Ihips cf the line at
sea, and there is no good reason why
we should not have them, we shall be
refpeded by all Europe. The sense of
security resulting from such force must
give a new spring to indr.ilry, and en
creafe the Hock of national wealth. The
expence compared with the benefit is
moderate, nay, trifling., And let me
here fay one word as to national ex
pence. Sir, whatever fur:: are necefar^
to secure the national independence must be
paid. They will not amount to one
half of what it mull cost us to be sub
dued. Ifoe^ill not pay to be defended,
ye must pay for being conquered. There
is no medium, and but the tingle alter
native. In the proper expenditure for
defence, therefore, is true economv,
and every pitiful saving incontinent
with that obje&, is the worst, the m^ft
profligate profusion.
Having now considered, in its vari
ous relations, the importance of these
provinces, the way is open to estimate
our chance of obtaining them by nego
ciation. Let me a/k on what ground
you mean to treat ? Do you expert to
persuade? Do you hope to intimidate ?
It.to persuade, what are your means of
persuasion " Every gentleman admits
the importance of this country. Think
you the birft Consul, whole capacious
mind embraces the globe, is alone ig
norant of its value ? Is he a child whom
you may win by a rattle to comply with
your wishes ? Will you, like a nurse,
' n g t° hrm a lullaby ?If you have no
hope from fondling attentions & sooth
ing founds, what have you to offer in
exchange i Have you any thing to give
which he will take ? He. wants power—
You have no power. He wants do
minion. You have no dominion. Ac
lead none that you can grant. He
wants influence in Europe. And have
you any influence in Europe ? What,
in the name of Heaven, are the means
by which you would render this nego
tiation fuccefsfil? Is it by some secret
spell ? Have you any magic power >-—
W ill you draw a circle and conjure up
devils to assist you ? Or do you rely or,
the charms of those beautiful girls with,
whom the gentleman near, me fays the
French grenadiers are to incorporate ?
If so, why dont you fend an embassy of
women / Gentlemen talk of the princi
ples of our government, as if they could
obtain for us the, desired boon. But
what will these principles avail ? When
you enquire as to the force of France,
Austria, or Russia, do you aft whether
they have a habeas corpus aft or a trial
by jury ? Do you, to estimate their
power, difeufs their interior police ? No-
The question is, How many battalions
have they ? What train of artillery cap
they bring into the fidd? How man,
Blips can they fend to sea ? -These' are
the important circumflances which com.
mand refpeft and facilitate negociation.
Can you difplaythefe powerful motives?
Alas! Alas! io all theft queftipp,