Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-13
BOSTON, August Z.
MEETING AT FANUElL HALL


| independence and liberty, and to consider Of
and of the press at Baltimore. BENJAMIN
WELD, Esq was chosen Moderator.
The following preamble and resolutions
were submitted, and supported by Mcssrs.
SUMNER, OTIs, SULLIVAN ard LIyERMoRE,
and opposed BY Mr.. BLAKE and Mr.. EAMEs
They were, however after the failure of d
motion by Mr.. BLAKE to alter them, adopted
without dissenting vote.
RESOLUTIONS.
The inhabitants of the town Of Boston, have
learnt, with heartfelt concern, that in the city
OF Baltimore most outrageous attack, the
result of deliberate combination, has been made
upon the freedom of opinion and the liberty of
the press. An infurilte mob has succeeded
IN accomplishing It's sahguinary purposes, by
the destruction ofprinting presses and of other
property, by polling down buildings that were
merely leased to the conductors of those press
es by violating the sanctuary of dwelling
houses; breaking open the public prison, and
dragging forth from the protection of the CT
vii authority, the victims Of their ferocious
pursuit, guilty Of 40 crime but the expression
of their opinions and completing the tissue
of their enormitics, by bruises, wounds and
murders, accompanied with the most barha-
rous and shocking indignltics.
IN the circumstances attending the origin,
the progress and the catastrophe Of this bloc.
dy scene, we discern, with painful emotion,
not merely an aggravaton of the calamities of
the present Uni ust and ruin0us war, bat pre-
lude to the dissolution OF all free government,
and the establishment OF reign of terror
1t is, beside, marked with strong resem-
blance to the early excuses Of the French re-
volulon, When opinion was punished will
death, and when mobs were employed in the
breaking open of prisons, and the sacrifice OF
many innocent persons who sought protection
within their walls
Mobs, by reducing men to state ofnature,
defeat the object of every social compact -
They are equally dangerous to the govern
ments they attempt to subVert, and to those
which condescend to court their support, and
connve at their outrages. But of all mobs,
those which volunteer prolessedly in support of
government, are the most to be dreaded, un-
less their assistance is openly and promptly
rejected By accepting, or even tolerating
such dangerous allies, it becomes manifest
that government dares not confide in It's own
strength, or in the unbiased appreciation of
of the people Opposition is discouraged by
the violence OF such mob, because it assumes
TO represent and inforce the will and pleasure
of government, and the banditti, who, unre-
proved and uncontradicted, lead the lawess
multitude, feel the confidence Of commission
ed officers. In such State, the civil maeis-
trate finds an excuse for his ZION, or veil
for bis corruption. he sober citizen, who
trelnbles in beholding the fury Of the mob,
seeks refuge from lts dangers by joining in
its scclamations. The laws are silenced-
New objects of violence are discovered
Danger besets all men of all parties in sue
cession. The government Of the nation and
the mob government change places with each
other. The accessory becomes the principal
The mob erects its horrid crest over the ruins
OF liberty, OF property, Of the domestic rela-
tons of life, ard of civil institutions until
satiated or fatigued with slaughter, it resigns
It's bludgeons and Its pixies at the feet of a dc
tator, and raises its bloody hands TO worship
some God OF its idolatry, to whose more to-
lcrable despotism, all ranks of men become
ready to submit.
When it is considered that this country
P<so9eo 'ii"HSl Z" SNolutiCn, loP@lVInS It's
dearest rights without single instance of
ferocious and sansuinary excess on the part
OF the people; thereby affording a memora-
bic proof OF their moral feelings; their virtue
and enlightened character: And when it is
also considered that the present unhappy war,
SO repugnant to the wishes and feelings of an
immense majority ofnative citizens, does not
involve interests in any degree comparable
with those which were at stake in our revo-
lutlonary war, 1t is derogatory and inconsst-
ent with the American character, that in the
commencement of such war, excuses should
be committed which the virtue of oar citizens
would not endure in crisis when our liber-
ties were In danger, and our country actually
occupied and Invaded by standing armies -
We are therefore compelled to believe, that
the putrages at Baltimore were instipated by |