The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-01-15

.
Richmond, TO IL. CLAY, esq. a Represen-
ta,ive from Virginia, gives an impressive ac-
count Of The dreadful catastrophe Maj. Ia!.
RICHMOND, December 27, 1911.
SIR--I have tale OF horru.. 10 tell pre-
pare to hear OF the Ihost awful calamity that
ever plunged whole city into affection.
Yes, all Richmond is III tears children have
lost their parents, parents have lost their
children. Yesterday a believed daughter
gIad1ened my heart with her innocent smiles
to-day she is in heaven God gave her 10 me,
and God--yes, it has pleased Almighty God,
% take her from me. O . sir, feel for NE,
and not Cor rnc only /; arm yourself with for
ti'ude, Wills, l discharge the mouvniu! duty
Of telling you, that you have to feel for your
self Yes, for it must be told, you also were
The father Of on amiable daughter, now, like
my beloved ci.ild, gone TO join her mother in
Heaven.
How can words represent what one night,
one hour of unut,erable hor:our, has done TO
overwhelm hundred families with grief and
despair, No, sir, impossible. My eyes be-
held las, night wha, no tongue, no pen can
describes -horrours that language has no
terms 10 represent.
Lastnight we were all at the theatre ev-
cry family in Richmond, or, at least, very
large proportion Of them, was there--the
house was uncommony full--whcn, dread
iul TO relate, the scenery took fire, spread rap.
idly above, ascending in volumes 8 flame
and smoke into the upper part Of the build
ing, whence moment after il descended TO
force passage through the PIT and boxes In
two minutes the whole audience were envcl.
oped in hot scorching smoke and fame. The
lights were all eX,inguished by the black and
sD,Othcring vapour cries, shrieks, confu-
SION and despair succeeded. . moment Of
iuexpressia!e horrour No,hing l can say,
Can pain, the awful, shocking, maddeninG
scene.--The images of both Of my dear chill.
dren were before me, but was removed by
an impassable crowd from the dear sufferers.
The youngest (with gratitude TO Heaven |
write ~ sprang towards the voice OF her pa
pa, reached my assisting hand, and was ex-
tricated from the overwhelming mass that
soon choaked the passage by the stairs but
no efforts could avoil me to reach, or even
gain sigh, Of the other /; and my dear, dear
Margaret, and your sweet Mary, with her
companions, Miss Gwathmey and Miss Gate
wood, passed together and at once into hap
paw "'N' SuuSS py youi o"b,
when found that neither they nor my below
CT sister appeared upon the stairs. First
ore, and then another and another, helped
down, hoping every moment to seize the
hand OF my dear Child-but no, no, was
not destined to that happiness. Oto see so,
so many amiable helpless females trying, to
stretch to nc their imploring hands, crying
" save me, sir ; oh, SIT, save NE, save me -
Oh God, eternity cannot Danish that specta-
Gle of horrour from my recollection. Some
friendly unknown hand dragged me from the
scene of flames and death---and on gaining
the open air, to my intimate consolation,
found my sister had thrown herself from the
upper window and was saved--yes, thanks
be to God, saved, where fifty others in sim
thar attempt broke their necks, or were crush
ed to death by those who fell OH them from
the same height.
{" Oh, sir, .ru can have no idea Of the
general consternaiion----thc universal griet
that pervadcs this ciiy-----but why do speak
of that scarcely know what write to you.
Farewell. In haste aud in deep affiiction.
The house pf NJ Ioscph Feucrman, in