The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-02-08
EXCITEMENT AT ANNAPOLIS.

1t will be seen. by the letters from Annapo.
lis that a person has been arrested there on
the charge ofbeing an incendiary. The An
napolis Republican of this morning has the
following notice Of the affair:
"Ihe Reporter of the Northern papers, who
attended the first session of the Shareholders
Convention, became suspected, on taking his
seat at the re-assembling of the Convention on
thursday evening, and a considerable excite
ment ensued. He was invited out Of the hall
by The door-keepe1, and went from thence TO
the gallery, from which he was soon after con.
Quoted, and taken into one of the committee
rooms. The excitement increased-he was
accompanied from thence 10 his lodgings at
Coopers Hotel, where his papers and effects
were taken possession of and it was thought
advisable by Justice Hunter, FOR his safety and
public peace, to commit him.
Next day he was brought up under a writ of
ha6eds corpus and a very interesting examina-
ton was had before associate Judge Brewer,
which lasted four hours-for the prisoner
Thos. 5. Alexander of Annapolis, and Mr..
Palmer of friedrich, for the prosecution, Mr..
Causin of St. Mary's and T. F. Bowls Esq.
of Prince George. The prisoner was recog
niZed as the Reverend Charles T. Torrey, one
Of the Reporters from the City of Washington
employed 10 report for Northern papers, and
as a part of his contract TO attend and report
the proceedings ofthis Shareholders Conven.
ton Maryland.
He was finally rcmanded for further. exami-
nation"
The above, which we cut from the Washing
ton "Globe," affords a fair indication of the
state of feeling at the South, and the course of
treatment they seem determined 10 adopt
towards the North. The truth is, it is full
time for the North TO wake up. and look about
them 10 see where they are, and how things are
going.
Here is a reporter, employed by some
Northern paper 10 attend a public meeting at
Annapolis, and report their proceedings for The
press, deliberately arrested, brought before a
court ofjustice, (!) and committed TO prison
as an lncendiary. If it be a criminal offence
for a Northern gentleman 10 attend q public
meeting at the South, for the purpose of listen
ing to their proceedings, or of reporting them
for the press. it is full time for US TO know it.
If it be a crime for u Northern man 10 60
~peacably and quietly into the Southern States,
and 10 endeavor 10 gain personal information
in regard to their peculiar institutions, not by
those which they have themselves adopted for
making them public, we say again, let US of
the North so understand it, that we may govern
ourselves accordingly. If the laws of the
slave holding States make it the act OF an in
cendiary, for a Northern man 10 attend a pub
lie meeting among them, and 10 communicate
their proceedings TO his friends at the North, it
is time for us 10 prepare ourselves properly 10
meet those laws.
If the South be determined to persist in this
course, the crisis must soon come, and the
sooner the better. They threaten US with a
dissolution of the Union but what have we
10 fear from such a step that does not apply
with ten-fold force to theml The North has
so long remained quiet under their insults and
bullying, that they think 10 brighten US by this
bug bear cry. God forbid that we should
speak lightly Of such all event. God forbid that
we should by any means advance it one step.
We are fully convinced that if such a disSolu-
ton is ever brought on, it will be by the mea-
sures of Southern. and not of Northern fanatics,
and on them rest the responsibility. Let the
South conduct themselves like reasonable men,
and not like foolish madmen, and we will an
swcrf for it that The foolish ~outcries Of the lit
tie company of Northern denu %Iciators will
never effect anything further than 10 raise a
dust 10 hide them.-B--. Burlington Free
Press.