Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-03-24
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THE BOSTON MOB,

Letter from the Hon. Daniel Webster.
The Boston papers of Saturday publish the follow
ing letter from the Hon. Daniel Webster in reply TO
the resolutions of the City Council of Boston, relative
te tho late slave rescue IN that city:
WASHINGTON March 10, 1851
Hon buNP BGELow M ayor of Boston:
Sr-The President has had the pleasure to receive
your litter OF the 18th of February, enclosing official
copies Of the order and resolves lately adopted by the
Two brhnches of the Government OF the city OF Boston,
1t affords him great satisfaction to receive, that
such measures have been taken by the authorities OF
Boston, as give assurance that no other outrage, ST.
milar u that which was, he presumes the immediate
cause their adoption will be permitted 10 take place
IN yourcity.
From his earliest you'll, he has been accustomed to
regard with the greatest respect and veneraton the city
OF Bosom and the Commonwealth OF Massachusetts
He has been taught to believe that their inhabitants
were almost above all others, the friends OF order and
good government intelligent enough to appreciate the
advantages of free institutions OF their own CHOICE and
capable of understanding and resolving that great po
tca problem, OF the compatibility oil freedom with
order, OF liberty distinguished fom lcentou-ness, and
OF segovernment the arthest removed from the dam
gers of anarchy; that they are especially devoted to
the union of the States and to the Constitution which
Established and still maintains that Union, and that
their patriotism would never iail to counsel mem
aulil all their Obligation under the Constitution, Just
iy and luly, and in the very spirit In which such OBJ
legations were entered into by their crowned ances-
tors
Entertaining these sentiments, it was difficult for the
President 10 credit the accounts which received at
the Outrage on all law, perpetraled in Boston, eli the
18Th of February last.
That prisoner, in lawful custody within the walls
OF the Court House, in the centre othe CITY and in full
sight OF the offices otbe municipal authorities had been,
at MONDAY iorciIy rescued by a mob of one or two
hundred persons from the officers OF the law carried
out OF the building and through the phblc streets in
sort Of triumph, and enabled to escape altogether,
without an attempt the part OF any of the au-
thores or any of the citizens, to preserve order and
maintain the law, to pursue ana retake the fugitive,
was a statement that seemed to him too improbable to
be true.
1t was with feeling of great relief That he received
such EXPLANATIONS of this strange occurrence, as showed
it to have been an entire surprise upon the citizens,
and upon the authorities an act OF successful temerty
the part of Il very inconsderabe number OF isons,
which only needed have been appIehendtd Inc snort
est time beforehand to have been prevented
The President is confident that the great majority OF
the citizens of Boston entirely loyal to The Consti
outra GEES and all attempts whether by writing or spea-
OF violence and that they are ready to discharge the
duties ncumben. Them by the Constitution and laws
of the United States faithfully and feaessy under all
thorties.
The occurrence OF the 18th February certainly
greatly to be regretted il gives occasion to those not
your fellow citizens 10 comply with their constitutions
obligations in good faith and the history Of such an
outrage is spread far and wide, reaches where ex
PLANTATION OF may never follow, and creates i'll feelings
towards those whose only connection whit is that they