Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1851-02-26
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE AFFAIR AT
BOSTON.

BOSTON.
The statement Of P. Riley, Chief U. S.
Deputy Marshal, at tie head Of affairs in the
absence of Mr.. Stevens, appears in the Bos-
ton papers, in regard to The rescue Of the
fugitive slave Williams, or Shadrach, there,
on Saturday week, by black mob He
states tina, he spplled to Commodore Downs
Tor leave TO lace the prisoner at the navy
yard for safe-keeping, bu, the commodore
declined TO take the responsibility. He also
states:
That from the time Of the first notice 10
the Mayor and City Mashal, Immediately
alter The arrest, as heretofore stated. to The
giving Of This deposition, neither The Mayor
nor the City Marshal has appeared, or aided
in attempting to dlsperse The mob, or in
keeping the peace !: and that, in nv opinion,
was The predetermined purpose of both nc,
to do their duty in keeping The peace in and
about their court house !; for the CITY Mar
shall, when requested by Henry S Halei.
E>q., +" dIsperse a similar mob. which had
collected about The office of his father, u.
Slales Commissioner, during the excitement
IN the "CralIsH case. SAID he had orders no,
to meddle IN the mailer, as ] am Informed
by The said ei,-aDd lha, The CITY Mar
shal gave similar answer ln Watson Free
man, Esq, who asked him al about the
same time why he did no, dsperse The mob,
as | sm informed by The said Freeman.
To his Mayor BigeIow replies as follows,
Il h,p III
sympathy with the fugitive:
On Saturday, between the hours Of IL
and II O'Clock, Mr.. Riley came to my Of
fee in the CITY Hall and said to me 1--WE
have got negro, and thought would call
and let you know received the inlnr-
nation as kindly hin. to look out for
street Disturbances. He made no request
whatever for assistance, nor did he intimate
in any way tina, he wanted any, or that he
had any apprehension Of rescue. After q
few unimportant remarks he retired. ] i'm
medialely sent for the Marshal, and directed
him to preserve order around the court
house, to prevent distractions TO proper
communication there with, Of course lnclud-
ing (as all such orders do,) the protection
of officers IN charge Of prisoners, while get
ting to or from the building.
remained in my office for an hour and
half, after giving these directions, but re-
ceived no further communication on the
subject from any one. The Police, within
my knowledge, have never been called TO
attend the Courts of the Safe or U. States.
and as have already stated, no request was
made to me for such assistance in the pre-
sent case. Knowing that the Marshal Of
the United States has his own officers, and
that he is authorized to appoint as many
deputies, or call to his assistance as many
individuals as the occasion may require
knowing, also, that the Sheriff together with
The deputies and consabIes, are stationed in
The cour, house, had no! The shadow Of
suspicion that Mr.. Riley was wanting in
ample means to retain the prisoner against
unarmed assalanIs.
MIR. Riley makes an ungenerous use of
causual remark which Intended for kind
ness. He was agltated appeared TO speak
with great Inconvenience 10 his lungs, and
remarked that he had great difficulty in
'.sorry for him.''
Mr.. Turkey, the Boston City Marshal
also correcls the statement Of Riley, and
says:
In conclusion, allow me respectfully to
say that in the ordinance creating the office
of City Marshal, do not find that he is to
do the work Of the United States Marshal :;
and if it is the wish of the City Government,
to have me to do il, they have only to pass
The order. and wW arrest The Fugiires
and Keep Them, or acill resign.
How this outrage is fell. by citizens Of
Boston, may be seen from the annexed slate
menl by the Courier, which after reviewing
the hole case. and The cards Of the Mar
shals and Mayor, concludes that there was
on The part Of some Of those whose duty
il is to guard the public peace. The Couri-
err says:
The inef1iciency of the city police, dis
PLAYED in the occurrence of Saturday, has
led TO a voluntary Offer Of service to meet
emergencies OF like nature hereafter. On
Monday a number of our most respectable
cilzenS went to the United States Marshdl's
office and offered To enroll themselves for
the purpose of rendering assistance in exc
cutting the laws.
VIRGINIA ARMoRY SCHOOL BILL De
FEATED.-On Monday week, the bill to es-
tabli>h the institute Of the Virginia Guard,
1 4.