Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-06-21
From the National Iateliigencer of June 9


From the National Iateligencer Of June 9
Portland, Mass. May 90.
A most daring infringement upon tine la ws
took place here on The evening of the 25th.
Two vessels having arrived in the course of
the week. sara 10 be from neutral ports-one
consigned to son of Hugh MLcilsn, 10
scph.) There having been found quantity
of English goods on board. amongst the
salt, it was taken possession of by the sur
yeyor of the port, with his officer, where i,
remained until after sunset. when they were
proceeding with it 10 place of deposit.
near the custom house the officer who
had the goods in charge, when about half
way up Union wharf, was furiously attack.
ed by half dozen Of the despicable gang OF
smugglers, who beset HIM on all sides, with
The view 10 blindfod and gag him he,
however, being stout kept them at bay for
alb M; % minutes, until the surveyor, on per-
ceiving he hustle, ran and cienched one &
held him secure in the mean time some
other. of tho despersdoes had blinded and
ragged the truckmsn and made off with the
load, and by the vigilance of their driver eft
fected an escape with the booty. Forr of
The mob have been arrested by the marsha,
of the district, and are under bonds for their
appearance at court. Their sccomplices
are mostly known, and undoubtedly will,
with those already secured, be punished for
their violence and robbery. These snug.
glers have long been Boosting OF their ex.
plots, and have rioted in their shame but
trust their career is short. A Swedish
captain, whom the officer knocked down
several tunes in his sttempt 10 strike him,
has fed, or at least has not made his APP
pearance since.
The foregoing neat article of news is ex-
,rac,ed from the National lntelligencer. Il
i, difficult to say for which i, is mos, remark
sble-,be truth and accuracy of its state.
ments, or the beautiful am sublime morsli.
~ which il exhibits. Whether it be the
production Of some Portland Custom house
philosopher, or lover of public and private
plumber, we pretend not To determine -
Those who are so plen,ifully bsslsbbsred
with hard names, perhaps though, they had
as good right to their own property as Gus.
tom house pimps and privateersmen-snd in
indicating what they thought their rights,
it appears they were more successful than
the greedy disappointed goods hunters, who
lost their expected prey. As to the rights
or wrongs in this transaction, which is so
shsmefully misrepresented in the Court pa.
per, the public will be better informed by a
Judicial decision, thsn by any communica-
lions or prophecies of correspondents TO the
Na,ion.i In,elligencer.
Cor the information Of those who are plea.
sed with marvellous accounts. like that sent
| 10 Washington city, we publish the follow
ing, which is literally trae-snd of about as
much consequence To The puolic as the first
account.
A most daring infringement upon the
rights OF the feople took place here = fe W
days since. Two boxes of rags arrived IN
the course OF the we. k, soid 10 be from North.
Yarmouth, neutral port. consigned To The
father Of M. Nathaniel Jens lWlllism)-
There having been great suspicion OF there
being English goods amongst the rags, The
Surveyor ordered sn officer 10 take possess
ion OF them-he beng out mar, most
iuriously attacked the boxes, did not keen
them at bay for soout 30 minutes, or kaock
them down but vallently Knocked them
open The Surveyor did not see the busle,
therefore did not clench or secure On, one
but m the mean time the boxes were broken
open by the sigilent Custom house officers,
and, sad 10 tell, they were ful changed With
RAGS. These smugglers have long been
boas',ng of their exploits, and have rioted
IN their shame, a Swedish Cap, ain, NOT
being there, wis no, knocked dowa several
times in his attempt 10 strike the officer, nor
hiss he fed cor nos made h,s appearance
since"