Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-26
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
Richmond, July Is, 1915.

We were at length enabled to publish on Satur-
1ay, the so long expected report of Messrs King
and Larpent. We did not calculate on finding il
favourable to the prisoners and we have not been
disappointed The statement of the disturbance
of the 4th, does not appear to be materially d,f-
ferent from that ofthe prisoners. But in relation
20 the massacre and the preparatory steps to its
perPetrat,on there appears to be very Little fair
ness and iunarEa6y No man will crimnate
himself, If he Can avoid t, and as the m Tor part
Of the witnesses produced before the commission
were pr ncipals IN the murder, they would cor
Sequently render Their de of he story as far as
possible. The commlss. oner. stat tia he causes
nf the alarm bell beng rung, were first, breacI,
having been made IN the wall suffc emily large for
a full sized man to pass through and number OF
the prisorfers being collected in body near the
place where The gambling tables were.kept, aft er
the hour that the signal was usually gwen for the
prisoners 10 retire 10 their prisons. And second
", that the breach in the wall would serve as !;
communication 70 the place where part of the
arms OF the guard were deposited. As to the
second reason, the committee states that there
no evidsnce to prove that the prisoners made
the breach for the purpose Of obtaining the arms
or that they ever knew the arms were deposite
there they slso state, that, there was no rec
proof OF any prev ous concert or preparat on on
the pari Of the prisoners to escape, IT was merely
Inferred that they intended to do so. The com
iuIttSG arc II a loss I'd ASCERTAIN WnClner tnere
was an order to fire, the Americans declaring
there wasan order gwen by S ortland, the Eng
sf declarng that order was gwen but they
knew not By whom, and Shorthand DENYING that
he gave the order. However says the committee
" The fact Of an order having been gwen at first
provided the firing was under the existing c.r-
cumstances justifiable, does not appear very ma
terisl in any other point cfview than as shew,np a
want Of sei-possession and discipline in TIE troops
e they should have fired without order" we
find some American feeling in the latter part of
! he report where they speak Of the conduct of
! the soldery N firing upon the prisoners who were
ttempLng to enter the few doors left open by
\ me turkeys, as wanton attack upon the lives
ofdeienceless and unoflendng individuals. The
conduct OF the soldieTy IN firing at the doors Of
he prisons IS spoken ofin similar terms.
Let any uaprejud,csd person contrast the re.
| port Of Messrs. King and Larpent with those pub.
hsled n the AReUs Of the 9th inst. and then say
whether any of those d faculties VIII ch presented
lienselyesto Mcs5rs. K. and l.. m ght not have
0een obyiA(ed by Mr. KS exert,ng himself Ia
ob'an the requisite information. In fact the pl
vhIch the prisoners Committee SAID would be
made BY Shorthand as justghcation, has been made
hey knew that itwould be, and for tfe purpose
Of full criminatng him, they IN .behalfof Their
, rIuntrynen addressed note 90 Mi K informing
him tht they would furnish him with proc
positive Of the f,Isty Of shortland's justification
II VIVA DID Mr.. x. do' He took no notice of the
note aud left the depot. As to the prisoners be
ng assembled after the signal bad been give,
them to retire To Their prisons, the statement pub
lished in the Aaeos Of the 18th June, says, thai
ON this memorable evening no horn, as'had beer
customary, had been sounded, though the fivH
Keys had 6eeniE secretly anil iockedthree II the fan
doors Of each pTison Gracious Cod is il posst
bic that an American can affix bis signature ~
report IN which it's specified that British soldt
cry firing on unarmed prisoners without order.