Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1845-05-29

IN America, to places beyond seas to b,
tried"
] In reviewing the report Of the commis
sioners, our surprise is not SO much ex
cited at The conc clusion to which the)
came from the evidence before them, a
at the small amount Of testimony they
collected. 1t would he doing great in
Of Gov. Wan,on, Judges Horsmanden
Oliver and Auchmuiy, TO suppose tha
they suppressed any evidence, or di'
not exert themselves TO the utmost 4
procure testimony. The course they nf
forwards took in the war Of the revolu
,ion, when they joined the ministerial
party in the country, is sufficient guar
aniy that they wore, by no means, luke
warm in the service Of his Majesty
They we're surrounded, too, at the time
Of their sessions, by the officers of tn,
crown, and individuals high in rank anc
standing, who were eager in the chase
Of those who insulted their sovereign il
The person Of bis representative, Lieut..
Duddingston. Under these circums,an.
ces, il is passing strange, that no per
sons could be found, who could iden,i
fy those engaged in the enterprise, OF
that the great reward offered on the oc
casion should not have induced some one
TO have turned inlormer. That the en-.
,erprise was suddenly conceived, there
can be no doubt but every circumsta nee
shows, that no great care was used to
preserve secrecy. They were called
together by the beating Of drum in the
streets. The collecting o(ihe boats, the
assembling at public house, the EN-
barking from a public wharf, all mus,
have attracted The notice of the inhabi.
tanis. The parties assumed no disguise
OF any kind but went in their usual dress
Among them were some, little conscious
Of the crime they were committing and
the penalty they were incurr ng. Mr.
John Rowland says, TINT on the morning
after the ailair, JustinJacobs, a young
man, was parading himself on "the great
BRIDGE" then The usual place Of resort
with Lieutenant Duddingston's gold
laced beaver on his head, detailing to a
circle around him the particulars of the
transaction, and tho manner IN which he
ob,;i iaed the hat from the cabin OF the
Gaspee. II required sharp words to 10.
duce him TO retire and hold his peace
There were others, probably, equally
indiscrect and yet no, an individual
could be found who knew anything about
the affair.
With The following song, made on the
occasion, il is designed to close this
prolix account ofthe Gaspee:
SONG.
Twas in the reign of George the Third,
Our public peace was much disturbed
Nv ships of war that came and laid
Within our ports, TO stop our trade.
Seventeen hundred aud scventy.two,
In Newport llarbor lay n crew,
Tint played the parts Of pirates there,
The sous of freedom could not bear
sometimes they weighed aud gaye them chase,
such nc'ions sure were very base.
No honest coaster could pass by
But what they would let some shot 1y
And did provoke, To nigh degree,
Those true born sons of liberty
80 that they could not longer bear
Those SOUS of Belial staying there.
But twas not long 'aforr it fell ont,
What William Duddings,on, 40 stout,
Commander Of the Gaspee tender,
Which llc has reason lpIcm'mbrr,
5rcaus, IA people do assert,
I'o almost had his Just desert,
I leru on the irul day rla>t June,
iIriviAt the hours of twelve and onr,
Did chas" the sloop, called the Hannah,
Df whom one Lindsey was cnmmaDdrr.
They logged her up Providence Sound,
Mud there the rascal got aground.
The news oft llcw iha, very day,
That they on Namqui Point dld lay.
! hat night about half after ten
Some Narragansctt Indian men,
Being sixiy:four, if remember,
w Vhich made thr stout coxromb surrender
Mad what was best of all their tricks,
rhcy in hi- brt ech ball did fix;
II cn set the men upon the land,
nd burnt her up, we understand
u hch thing provoked tue King 50 high
lie said those men shall surely die;
80 it be could but find them oui,
rhc hnngnan he u employ, no doubt;
'ur hos declared, IN his passion,
ell havo them 'rIcd new fashion.
\ow Tor to fnd these people out
King George has offered very stout,
Due thousand pounds To fnd out one
That wounded William Duddingston.
DIE Thousand more he says he'll spare,
'or those who say lhoy shcrIis were
Dne thousand NOR. there doth rrmain
For To find out the leaders name
likewise five hundred pounds per man
'nr any one Of all the clan
}ut let hlm try his utmost skill,
IN apt 10 think he never will
'iud out any of those hearts Of gold,
hougb he should offer fifty fuid,
The mare OF the author Of this song il
ost lie richly deserves the thanks, mot
,nly Of his contemporaries, hut Of postcri-
y not 50 much for the sweet poetry Of his
Al l.li.l 49,. -, ,,.h,cb f. Ia, /