Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-02-28

the rioters crossed over 70 COCntlcS Sllpy lor !
,hc purpose Of attacking the establishment
OF Mcech & Co., but the store of s.. II.
flvrrick & Co. coming first in their way,
tirv commenced an attack upon that. The
windows were first smashed in BY a shower
Of brick bats. and the doors Immediately at
trrward broken. Some twenty or thirty
barrels of -four were then rolled into tho
Street, and the heaLs often or u dozen knock
I'd in.
The number Of rioters engaged in this
work, was comparatively small, and they
soon Gcsis'ed from an in,imaton that q
strong body ofthc police were on their way
thither. Anoiher account is, that they were
induced TO desiSt from the work of mischief
by an assurance from tho owner. that if they
would spare the -four, he would give it to
nc poor to-day. Be this, however, as it
may, the officers were promptly on the spot,
and BY the aid OF the citizens who collected
rapidly, the wretchcd rabhc was dispersed
some thirty or forty of Them having been
taken and secured. at The two points otac-
ton. Unfortunately, however, the rug-
leaders escaped almost if not qai,c to
MIN.
l. would probably he unjust TO say, that
these riois, and tile plumber OF MIR. Hart,
were part and parcel Of the original design
of the meeting, or that all the Signers ofthe
call anticipated such a termination of tho
proceedings. But there is strong clrcum.
s,an,al evidence that all are not mno.
cent. Efforts have been making, in apor-
ton eth penny prcss-that last and most
efficient invention Of Satan, for some time
past, to arouse the popular Indignation
against McSsrs. Hart and Herrick. and, as
the cven's have proved, with too much
SUCCESS. Another circumstance, indicative
of u pre.concerted design to plunder those
warehouses, is mentioned by one of our
morning contemporaries
a letter was recently found in the Park.
with an ANONYMOUS signature. and addressed
TO Il Mr.. w. Lenox, informing him that the
store of Mr.. Hart s; Co. was to be plundered
one Of those nights, by u large party ofper.
sons, and that in order TO enable them to
carry their designs into execution, two
carms of fire were to be given-one near
the Battery, and another higher up the city;
and tha, whilst the wa,chnrn and police
were assembled at those two points, the
coaspirators were to break open the store
and carry off as much flour as they could.
This letter was brought TO the High Con-
stable, Jacob Hays, who showed it 10 Hart
& Co. Besides, this, other anonymous let
ters Of a similar import came to the hands
of the Mayor who, caused their contents 10
be made known to Hart & Co."
Ifthese things are so, the city authorities
ore greatly to blame that efficient measures
for the preservation Of the peace Of the city
were not concerted in anticipation of the
meeting. The evening was the regular time
of the meeting Of the common council
They assembled as usual; but such was
,he condition Of the city, that they lmmc.
date adjourned, and the members at once
placed themselves upon the peace establish
Ncnt. At 8 o'clock all was quiet. We
took a stroll over the scene Of the principal
riot, wading. for considerable distance,
half leg deep in flour and wheat. Several
hundreds Of people were yet lingering
about, but the police were strong. and pa.
,rots OF troops frequent. We saw several
women stealing away with small sacks of
flour; but the weather was too intensely
cold for people long to remain abroad-
and before nine all was deserted and still.
Thus has ended tho first attempt of the
sovereign wisdom ofthis country to reduce
the quantity in market.
Phe troops on duty were dctachments
from The National Guards, under Col. Smith,
and from Col. Helas's regiment. The
night was bright moonlight, and the glitter
ing of the burnlshed armor made quite
riking appearance. Unfortunately, the
spirit Of insubordination 10 the restraints Of
law, is so widely ditfusing itself, that II is
necessary to keep this armor in state of
effective preparation.
Since the above was in type, We have
received the following card.
ACARD.
o. An erroneous impression seems to
prevail that the subscriber has purchased
up and monopollzed the -four in market,
which he holds at an exorbitant price. He
assures the public that there is no flour in
the city 10 any extent, but what is the pro.
perty of mers IN the country, and is held
by their agents here. and under the con-
troll Of the owners ); the agents having no
farther interest in the price, than the com.
missions they receive. The great scarcity
ofgrain throughout the country, may be
quoted as tho cause of the advance in the
price of flour, which at twelve dollars yields
but bare profit, and that the stock now on
hand may be estimated at not more than
half oflast year.