Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-09-04


perfect notoriety, even at this distance from
the scene of their villanies. They have seen
the inevitable consequence of the impunity of
crime in the frequency of its repetition. They
have even felt, in the diminished price of the
produce of their land, the effects of the ty-
ranny of a lawless rabble which prevented
the expectation of provisions.
Still, they would have forborne to express
the Indignation which they felt at the conduct
of the mob and its abettors, for such they
must esteem the msgistracy of Baltimore to
be, had not the commission of new and
more fragrant outrage, the direct consequence
OF the IMMUNITY of all which preceded it, ex-
cited feelings too strong to be repressed.
Knowing full well, that in the exacerbated
state of public feeling produced by the late
massacre in Baltimore, the voice of rumour
was not to be relied on, they have waited for
an authentic statement OF facts, verified by
the solemnity of an oath They did not con
slider the official report OF the two branches OF
the ;ty-eouncil, wanting, it did, this most
essential requisite, as entitled to implicit be-
lief If the members of that body desired to
gain credit to their report they should not
have neglected SO obvious an expedient. Ii
they stated the facts, of their own knowledge,
nothing could have been easier than to verify
the statement by their afidavts-if on the
information of others, the administration OF
an oath was doubly necessary, in order to
avoid the imputation of having published, as
IN authe mite statement of facts, mere com
platlon OF rumo"rs
A narrative OF the facts. verified by the
oaths of men of high responsibility and unm-
peached honour, who saw all that passed
and made too, after time had elapsed suili
cient to cool the fervor of indignation, has at
length been exhibited to the world. 1t is 4
narrative replete with details of horrible cru
city, and malignant cold -blooded t1eachery
From the wretches who compose the mob OF
Baltimore, villany of every kind might we'll
have been expected. rabble compounded
OF the scum of Europe, thrown off by twenty
years of fermentation, and of the very refuse
and dregs Of the American people, could not
be expected to possess human feelings, could
not be otherwise than terocious, detestable
and blood-thirsty but, from the high official
characters WHO have acted part in this de-.
plorable tragedy, other and better things
might have been expected In the conduct
of these men is exhibited picture OF un-
equalled depravity. The most sacred duties
negectd-the most solemn promises violated
the majesty of heaven profaned, by being
called on to witness false and deceitful oaths :
d cool deliberate surrender or those who had
reposed faith in their plighted honour, to the.
discriminating fury OF a band OF assassins--
such are the crimes for which these men have
to answer, if not before an earthly tribunal,
before one which to the guilty is far more ter
rible-where earthly passions will neither ex-
tenuate nor aggrayate their effence-where
perjury will not avail to eXculpate, nor rank
to shield them
The individuals composing this meeting.
contemplate, with feelings of horror which
language would in vain attempt to pourtray,
the conduct of Brigadier General Stricken,
in refusing to interfere for the rescue of the
mangled remai1s of the unfortunate victims
of his perfdy, from the further outrages of
band of demons in human shape, when he
was told that some might yet be saved by his
assistance-that the last lingering spark of
life was rot extinguished in all of them. The
man who to such request, most earnestly
and feelingly pressed upon him, could reply,
that 4" 1T zods an improbable tale that eay Of
the prisoners aoere aliUe"--that che zros. ia
tigued and mast return to his repOse'-the
man who could court the return of interrupt
ed sleep, while his fellow creatures, and a.
Inong them some Of the most distinguished
heroes of the revolution, were groaning III
agony, and heaving their last Sigh. beneath
the clubs and knives and unileard-of brutal
ties of blood-thirsty savages-gracious hea
ven! is he less than demon! does one hui
man feeling dwell in his obdurate bosom d
1t is but too evident that to repress at once
the outrages of the Baltimore rabbe, dis
position in the magistracy to do so was alone
wanting. To them is to be imputed the muir
der of General Lingan, and ali those direful
atrocities which will make the twenty eighth
of July black day in the annals of America
The wretches who perpetrated that most in
human murder, should have been, before that
time, immured in the dungeons of the prison