The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-27 00:00:00, page 1

TOWER of LONDON, O&ober 24.
BETWEEN the hours of nine and ten yesterday morn
ing, Mr. Stavely, of Half-moon street, Piccadilly, and
Mr. <Mann, of (^een Anne street, Westminster (both
King's messengers) attended by a constable, repaired
to the houle of Stephen Sayre, Esq; in Oxford-ftreet. As an
excuse to obtain an interview with Mr. Sayre, these beggarly
catchpoles of power pretended, that a forged draught, for
two hundred pounds, had been issued by the bank, of which
Mr. Sayre is a proprietor. Obtaining by such rascally means
the interview they desired, Mr. Sayre no sooner appeared
than the catchpoles acquainted him, that “ they had an or
der signed by Lord Rochford, one of the Secretaries of State,
to take him into euftody, on a charge of high treason ; and
to search for, seize, and carry with them, such of his papers
as they might deem effectual for their purpose."
Mr. Sayre heard the summons with composure, and obeyed
its dictates with a manly dignity. Confeious of his innocence,
he smiled at the heinousness of the charge, and, in a perfed
reliance on his own integrity, he permitted the government
riders to plunder his elerutores, to ransack his boxes, and to
pillage his bureaus. No sooner did they lay their hands on a
letter from Mrs. Macaulay (sister to the Lord Mayor eled)
another letter, addressed to the Livery of London, under the
signature of " Barnard's Ghost," than they seized them with
the hand of rapacity; and carried them off with as little feel
ing as men unaccustomed to honesty, in the service of govern
ment, usually experience.
Mr. Sayre exprefled his readiness to accompany the King's
catchpoles unto Lord Rochford's house, having previously
despatched a servant to Mr. Reynolds, requiring his atten
dance with the utmost expedition. The King's messengers,
thief-takers or catchpoles '(call them which you will) con
ducted Mr. Sayre to the presence of Lord Rochford,, and,
left justice should perceive the villainy of oppression, her eyes
were blinded, for Sir John Fielding was present. An infor
mation from one Richardson, an Adjutant of the guards, was
read. The charge contained in this information was to the
following purport :
“ That Stephen Sayre, Esq; had expressed to him, the said
Richardson, an intention of seizing the King's person, as
his Majesty went on Thursday to the Parliament House;
also an intention of taking possession of the Tower, and of
overturning the present government."
After this information had been read, Mr. Sayre replied to
the Separate charges with that fort of composure which ever
accompanies heart-felt innocence ; he stated how very lightly
he was acquainted with Adjutant Richardson, the informer ;
he mentioned the only conversation which had ever passed
between them ; and he was about to enter more largely into
the futility of the charge, when it was announced to Lord
Rochford and the blind Justice, " that Mr. Reynolds de
manded immediate admittance to his client." That the chica
nery of courts might not be laid aside, several messages passed,
but that which could not be denied as a matter of right, was
soon, very courtecufly, granted as a matter of favor. Mr.
Reynolds was admitted, because it was impossible, confident
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47
Mr. Reynolds replied in the affirmative. Sir John Field
ing, with#a greater ffiare of audacity than decorum, said,
" that this was not true." Mr. Reynolds, with a very proper
degree of spirit, replied, " that Sir John Fielding, as a ma
gistrate, might fay that which, as a gentleman, he could not
jufofy." The blind Knight then desired that it might be
aiked of Mr. Sayre " Whether he had sent for Mr. Rey
nolds ?" Mr. Sayre replied, " he had sent for him, without
mentioning the place where he was to attend."
These particulars being adjusted, it was agreed that Mr.
Reynolds might attend the private examination of his friend.
The firft advice Mr. Reynolds gave to Mr. Sayre, was this,
" that he should answer no interrogatories which Lord
Rochford or Sir John Fielding might propound ; and that he
should not sign any paper."
The information, which contained the charge, was a second
time read at the request of,Mr. Sayre, who, smiling at the re.
cital, Mr. Reynolds joined in the laugh, and said, " that the
whole was too ridiculous to be seriously attended to." An
altercation then ensued between Mr. Reynolds and Adjutant
Richardson, the informer. The two Middlesex justices, Lord
Rochford-and Sir John Fielding, were requeued by the infor
mer to silence Mr. Reynolds. He saved them the trouble by
observing, " that he should always pay a proper deference to
authority, but whatever he had there said of the informer, he
would repeat in any other place whatever."
Mr. Reynolds then told Lord Rochford, “ that if after
consulting the great law-officers of bate (which his Lordfbip
would do of course) as the information did not amount a
dired charge against Mr. Sayre, his Lordship should tnink
himfelf warranted to receive bail, ample and fufficient bail
should be given ; but if it was thought warrantable to commit,
he scorned to ask a favor for his client,"
Mr. Sayre was ordered into an adjacent apartment, and he
was soon afterwards committed a elofe prisoner to the Tower.
It would be a scandalous omission to conclude this narrative
without doing jufiice to the behaviour of Mr. Sayre. As a
fubjed of a free state, his demeanor was manly; as a patriot,
it was intrepid ;as a gentleman, it was polite. He treated the
malice of informers with the utmost contempt, the futility of
informations, when preferred by the creatures, and countenan
ced by the authority of government, this he smiled at with
ineffable disdain. "The unhappy effects of such informations
government (Mr Sayre said) had amply experienced by giving
ear to Bernard and Hutchinion. By falfe informations, and the
vilest of suggestions, these men had consented to become the
willing instruments in carrying on the purposes of a bloody
minded administration. But whatever informers government
might encourage, integrity was a shield which would pretext
men of honor from their fhafts. Defended by that shield,
Mr. Sayre said, he should enter the appartments of a prison,
copfeious that they would prove a fafe asylum for virtue."
with justice, to refafe his admittance. Having been intro
duced to Lord Rochfod and Sir John Fielding, the latter put
the following question to Mr. Reynolds:
“ Is it Mr. Sayre's desire that you should attend in his be
half?"
[Num. 159,