The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-04-21

TNs Abolif;on Fermentation in the Federal Csfy.
AZ


INs Abolition Fermentation in the FEDERAL Csfy'
WASHINGTON, April 10, Isis
The effervescence is IN no degree aoated
This morning there was a meeting at the JAIL OF
the owners of the II recaptured slaves OF the
schooner Pearl, or Absurd. The respective
owners proved their respective property before
the District Attorney, who In the outset stated
the law and the penalty for the crime of abduct-
ing slaves from this District. Mr.. Giddings, of
the Hous-, was present. as we are informed, and
narrowly escaped the vengeance of the crowd
collected in and around the premises.
This afternoon, servant man of the United
States Hotel was seized on the Avenue, and car
ried off as slave To Alexandra, where as il is
urged, he is, by the laws of this cont~ deration
free man. The act, even among the shareholders
OF Washington, who witnessed the proceeding,
provoked them to interfere for trial Of the
case but the wise mr. gistrate before whom they
succeeded in bringing the prisoner for exami-
nation, declined any jurisdiction in the case,
and the man, bound hand and foot, was carried
away.
Tonight, at eight o'clock, the mob had col
lccted to the number OF two or three thousand, in
front of the National Era office. Some of the
friends proposed to them TO go across the way to
the front of the Patent office, to hear speech or
two. The crowd accepted the offer, and went
over, filling the stairway and the portlco OF the
puitulu&, ttl0 DlOckiuS up TIC WluS SIICct Win
their nu0bers.
,dr tennox, of the Board of Aldermen, was
Vailed for, and IN the absence Of the Mayor, who
4 sick, addressed the meeting as the organ OF
fhe corporation. He recommended calm and de-
,ibrrate action, and hoped the citizens of Wash
ington would sustain their g cd character before
the country, in their proceedings to redress this
s c9n nr Ss m ssd ae br
at the City Hall, on Friday evening, for d+fnt'
action In reference to the obnoxious press
(Frequent cries Of "to-night, onlght.D BY Fri
day evening, due notice could be given 10 all the
citizens through the public papers, and the voice
of the commuaity could be fairly presented. "a
voice in the crowd" 1t is too late y No, no
was too late for the crown Of France to be placed
on the head of the Count OF Paris but il is not
too late for us to respect ourselves, while we
maintain our rights. "a voice" What rights ~
the Abolitionist y What rights Why, our
rights of property-our rights uuder the consti-
tuton-our social and lawful rights; (Cheers)
Mr. Lennox pleaded earnestly for calmness, and
deliberate action, for selfrespect, and dignity In
redressing our wrongs; but was evidently lis,
tened to by the governing element in the crowd
with more of respect than concurrence.
Capt. ROBINSON next spoke, and more to the
temper OF the mob. which had come in from the
suburbs and from Georgetown. with a determi-
nation to redress the wrongs of their neighbors,
by tearing the abolition office to pieces. He
suggested meeting of the people tomorrow,
(cries of ssto night, tonight, to-night,'') who
should appoint commmlttee to wait on the
abolition editor, and if he refused to leave the
District, with his Office, then let the people move
his effects beyond the limits OF the District, and
thus get rid OF a usance which ought to have
been reported as such by the grand jury, and ex-
PEELED such by the corporation before to-day
Mr. RADCLIFFE next harangued the multitude,
taking the same general view of the subject as
Mr.. Lennox. He urged a public meeting on
on Friday ("too late, too late-tn-night, night
we have II here, now, now Why not o-mor-
49, - h. M afnV
that we should do what we propose to do, in the
In the face of day, and not under the
cover OF night, as IT we were ashamed
of the sunshine The crowd, however,
appointment of committee, and report
might from the editor of the Era. Mr. Rat
clife pleaded with great skill and ability and
perseverance,, for proceedings by daylight; but
the mob were inflexiblr, and the mob ruled the
action of the neetlng Finally, TO appease them,
committee. was agreed upon. Mr. hatchHe
aud Mr. Lennox were elected TO name the com.
miuee, which they proceedt TO do, the tag
generally confirming their appointments, until
between fifty and sixty OF our most resp-ctablc
citizens were named the general committee
OF visitation forth with TO the editor. The crowd
agreed to Wait for a report
Mr. RatclIffr, aud few of the committee APP
pointed, accordingly repaired to the Era oihce,
and to the residence of DR.. Bailey the editor, In
another street They had conference witt the
editor, and urged upon him the niece ssity OF COM
plying with the requisltion OF the excited popuc
lace, In the prompt removal of his Office out of
this District.
Dr.. Bailey, with remarkabl GOODNESS, told the
committee tnat ne was but one mamie had no
power of resistance that there was the office,
and he had no more to say.
Mr. Ratcuffe came back to the multitude at
the Patent Office, and reported progress; and as
last expedlent 10 appease the mob, he proposed
town meeting tomorrow at ten O'Clock The
proposition was not accepted and Mr.. Radcliffe
gave up the contest In despair.
Tne mob then passed over to the Era office on
Seventh street, near BY. with the view OF COM
mencing operations. But there was an awk-
ward obstruction in the way-being nothing less
than the indomitable aud daring Captain God;
dard and his auxiliary guard: The guard stood
In front of the obnoxious building, and the crowd
filled up all the street In the neixebOrhood They
threw stones at the buildlng-they menaced the
police but not one OF them dared to make the
assault in storming the works, because " the
b'hoys' knew that Captain Goddard is not to be
trfed with.
The District Attorney rose and addressed the
gathering. He pleaded the laws Of the land, and
put In most effective argument In saying that
the police were there, and among the crowd
that they knew every man, and would mark
every man who should attempt to take the law
into his own hands. AS we lett, the crowd was
beginning rapidly to disperse, and we suppose
that Inc contemplated assault 10 abandoned tor
the night.
The peace-regarding and abiding citizens
OF Washington are not responsible for this mob.
Ii was controlled by young men and boys whose
object was a frolc, out of which they were
cheated by the police. Col PLUCK.
WASHINGTON, April l9, lS4S.
The Fire.
At midnight last night the bells rung the fire