Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-08-28

nobs are, cowardice, temerity, ana totai
disregard of law and right. Ii fesolutely op
posed. they will fly before the " twentieth part
q, the tythe, of their number--if unrcsisted,
they will dare every thing, attempt every
thing, and trample law and order and liberty
under foot. Unopposed, they are like the
mountain torrent, bearing every thing before
it with impetuous violencs-resisted, they are
rs harmless as the rivulet of the valley
The mob OF B lltm ore was unopposed and,
from the eel Of june until few days since,
when it was checked in an attempt to pull
down the post-oifice, it kept the city of Balti-
more in tho most servile bondage. The sane
tuary Of private dwellings was invaded in fire.
quent searches for obnoxious persons-the
sailing of vessels from the port was repeated
ly arrested-many respectable citizens were
compelled, by terror, or by real danger, to
nv from the city--none dared to question the
correctness of these proceedings. Within the
limits Of Baltimore, the liberty Of speech and
of the press was at an end.
Under such circumstances, what were the
editors Of the Federal Republican to do p
Were they to relinquish an establishment on
which twenty THOUSAND dollars had already
been expended, and which by their persever-
ing application, had at length become lucra-
tive, and promised to remunerate them for all
their tolls, and to repay them the large sum
which they had expended? Wore they to suf-
fer their fortunes, and the liberty of the press,
to perish in one common wreck, without even
an effort to rally? Prudence aud manly spirit
and patriotism all forbade SO dastardly q
course Of conduct
They determined to re .estahlis' their press
in Baltimore, and, if an attack on their lives
and property should again be made, to defend
them by force The legality Of such course
of conduct has been questioned, and even de-
MED But q very slight investigation will
shew that its propriety is equally recognized
BY the law of nature and by tho law of the
land.
The principle Of selfpreservation has, for
wise purposes, been implanted by nature in
every animated being 1t is one of her fun
damental and Interchangeable laws. From it
arises the right of selfdsfence against lawless
violence right which no system of legisla-
ten has ever attempted to infringe. "The
right OF defence says Foster, in his Crown
law, D. 27i +" is founded in the law of nature,
and is not nor can it be superseded by any law
of society"
But, il Mr.. Hanson had right to defend
himself, it is said, he had not a right to as
semble an armed force for the purpose 1t
was violent and unlawful proceeding, calcu-
lated to produce bloodsaed and civil warfare
No man has right to assemble armed men
in his house, and thereby erect it into garri-
son-mere especially in the very heart of
populous city. Let the law speak for itself
Is The house of every one is to him as his
castle and fortress, as we'll for his defence
against injury and violence, as for his repose y
Every one may assemble his friends and
neighbours to defend his house against vio-
lence." Gro. Rep. 5, 95-
An assembly of a mans friends in his
house for the defence of the possession there
of against those who threaten to make an I'M
lawful entry into, or for the defence Of his
person against those who threaten to beat him
therein, is INDUCED by law: for mans
house is looked upon as his castle"
Haukias, 9, So
s' If a man be in his house and hears that
others will come to his house and beat him.
he may call together his friends, &C. into his
house, to aid him in the safety of his person
for mans house is his castle and defence"
Go. Rep. IL, Sr2
1t were an useless parade to cite further au-
thorities in support of doctrine equally
founded on reason and recognized by law
The affair of the e2d of June, had sufficiently
demonstrated that, in the city of Baltimore
Mr. Hanson's life and property were both in
danger. In consequence of this danger he ex
ercised his legal right of assembling his friends
for his defence.
His house was attacked by furious and
blood thirsty mob, with the evident, nay, the
avowed, intention to destroy both life and pro
perty. The windows were broken in pieces
and the door burst open. In this extremit,
the defenders of the house fred on the assail-
- H.. a..
this was lawful homicide, the following ex
tract from Blackstone's Commentaries will
sufficiently establish:
IL any uerson attampt tbe ,ourdar ~, ,.oL