The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-09

Thou shalt take no satisfaction for the iii
OF murderer; he shall surely be put TO death.
Though hand joined In hand the wicke
snail not pass unpublished
The memory Of the just is blessed"
BosToN, March r.
Inc town OF Boston affords a recent and me
lancholy demonstration of the destructive con
sequences OF quartering troops among citizens i
q time oil peace, under pretence of supporting
me laws and aiding civil authority. Every con
siderate and unprejudiced person among us, wa
ueePy impressed with the apprehension @
these consequences,Swhe il was known that
number OF regiments We're ordered 10 this tow,
under such pretext, but in reality to enforce ON
pressive measures, TO awe and control the lepis
ative as well as the executive power of the nro
vince, and TO quell a spirit Of liberty, which
however II may have been opposed and eve,
ridiculed by some, would do honor to any ace q
country. few persons amongst us had deter
mined TO use all their influence TO procure so des
tructye measure, with view to their secured
enjoying the profits Of an American revenue
and unhappily, both for Britain and this country
they found means TO effect it,
II is TO Governor Bernard, the commissioners
their conhdants, and coadJutors that we are in
debted as the procuring cause Of military fore,
in this capital. The Boston Journal of Occur
rences, as printed in Mr. Hollis York Gazette
from time TO time, afforded many striking instan.
ces OF the distress brought upon the inhabitants
by TINS measure, and since those journals have
been discontinued, our troubles from that quar-.
Yer have been growing upon u.s. We have
known party Of soldiers in the face of dav fire
OIL a loaded musket upon the inhabitants; Others
nave been pricked with bayonets, and even our
magistrates assaulted and put in danger of their
lives, when offenders brought before them have
been rescued and why those and other bold
and base criminals have as yet escaped the pun
lshment due to their crimes, may be soon matter
OF inquiry by the representative body of this
people 1t is natural to suppose, that when the
inhabitants OF this town saw those laws which
had been enacted for their security, and which
they were ambitious fholding up to the soldiery.
eluded, they should more commonly resent for
themselves-and accordingly it so happened
Many have been the squabbles between them
and the soldiery; but il seems their being often
worsted by our youth in these rencontres, has
only served to rrtate the former What pass
ed at Mr. Gray's ropewalk has already been
given to the public, and may be SAID TO have led
the way TO the late catastrophe That the rope
walk lads, when attacked by superior numbers,
should defend themselves with so much spirit
and success IN the club-way, was too mortifyine
and perhaps it may hereafter appear, that even
some OF their officers were unhappily affected
with this circumstance. The evidence already
shows that many threatenings had
been thrown out by the soldiery, but we do not
pretend to say that there was any preconcerted
plan; when the evidences are published, the
world will Judge We may however venture to
declare, that it appears too probable from their
conduct, that some of the sodiery aimed 10 draw
and provoke the townsmen into squabbles and
that they then intended to make use Of other
weapons than canes, clubs, or bludge9ps,. ,,,,.,
night last but we hope they will excuse ou-Ls
ing so particular as we should have been, had
we not seen that the town was intending ON in
qury and full representation thereof.
On the evening of Monday, it being the 5th
current, several soldiers Of the goth regiment
were seen parading the streets with their drawn
culasses and bayonets, abusing and wounding
numbers Of the inhabitants. A few minutes al
ter O'Clock four youths, named Edward Arch
bald William Merchant, Francis Archibald,
and John Leech, Jun, came down Cornhill to-
gether, and separating al Doctor Loring's corner,
the two former were passing the narrow alley
leading to Murray's barrack, in which was SOL
der brandishing broadsword of an uncommon
size against the walls, out of which he struck
fire plentifully A person of mean counte-
nance, armed with large cudge bore him COM
pany Edward Archibald admonished Mr.. Mer-
chant to take care of the sword, on which the
soldier turned round and struck Archibald on the
arm, then pushed at Merchant, and pierced
through his clothes inside the arm close to the arm
pit, and grazed the skin. Merchant then struck
the soldier with short stick he had, and the
other person ran TO the barrack and brought with
him two soldiers, one armed with pair OF tongs,
the other with shovel he with the tongs pur-
sued Archibald back through the alley, collared,
and laid him over the head with the tongs.-
The noise brought people together, and John
Hicks, a young lad, coming up, knocked the
soldier down, but let him get up again; and
more lads gathering, drove them back to the
barrack, where the boys stood some time as j,
were to keep them in. In less than minute 1C
or IL of them came out with drawn cutlasses
clubs, and bayonets, and set upon the unarmed
boys and Young folks, who stood them little
while, but finding the inequality OF their equip
ment, dispersed On hearing the noise, one Sam
ue Atwood came up to see what was the matter
and entering the alley from Dock Square, hearc
the latter part of the combat and when thu
boys had dispersed, he met the 10 or IL soldiers
aforesaid rushing down the alley towards thu
Square, and asked them If they intended I,
murder people2 They answered yes, by Cd
root and branch! With that one of them slrucl
MIR. Atwood with club, which was repeated By
another. and being unarmed he turned TO 90 of
and received a wound on the left shoulder
which reached the bone and gave him mucl
pain. Reteating few steps, Mr. Atwood me
two officers and asking them what is the matter
They replied, you'll see by and by. Immedi
ately after those heroes appeared in the Square
asking where were the boogers where wer
The towards? Notwithstanding their fierce
ness 10 naked men, one of them advanced 10
wards youth who had split Of raw stave il
his hand, and said, damn them, here is one @
them. But the young man seeing person nea
him with drawn sword and good cane ready t
support him, held up his stave in defiance, an
they quietly passed him up the alley by M
Ssby's 10 king-street, where they attacked sir
gle and unarmed persons till they raised niue
clamor, and then turned down Cornh-stree