The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-03
THE LIBERTY PARTY PAPER, ONCE MORE.

In our entire editorial experience, we have
never known ourselves 80 grossly, so recklessly
misrepresented, as by the editor Of the Liberty
Party Paper
Ii may be recolected that in April, 1s4s, an at
tempt having been made to carry off large num-
Der of slaves from the District, deep and gen.
eral excitement in this city against aboltionists
and anti slavery men of every class, was the i'm
mediate result Lawless persons, who had long
been seeking an opportunity to mob the Era,
thought the occasion favorable, and popular in
dgnaton was directed against our press. few
pretended to think that we were concerned in the
abduction of the slaves, and circulated such ru-
NOR for effect A large mob was raised, and for
three days and nights it sought tc destray our
Press, and drive us from Washington Without
passing judgment on the transaction which had
led to the excitement, we simply denied that we
had taken any part in it, as we should have deni-
ed any false statement calculated to place us in
false position and one inconsistent with the dec
laration of principles and measures issued by US
on coming to Washington. At no time did we
compromise any of our principles, or concede one
iota to the demands of the mob. We stood simply
upon our rights, maintained them, and at last,
after three days struggle, through the aid of
the civil authorities made good our position-a
position we have held without disturbance ever
since.
Now, read the version given by the Liberty
Party Paper of this affair;
"The mob over which DR.. Bailey triumphed on
the occasion alluded to, if We remember right,
was occasioned by the attempt of Drayton and
Sayre to give freedom to about eighty slaves,
which came on board the Pearl in the Chesapeake.
The mob, supposing the Doctor sympathized with
Drayton and Sayre and aided their attempt to
to run the slaves proceeded to his house to mob
hm-and Doctor Bailey put down that mob
but how did he put it down IL our memory is not
altogether in fault, he made q speech to it on the
door Of his dwelling, and assured THAT be neither
aided or approved Of the conduct Of Drayton and
Sayre That he held it to be wrong to assist
slaves to escape from their masters in the District
of Columbia, or elsewhere-that he washed his
hands Of all guilt in that affair." and that his heart
was clean from the thought Of aiding slaves to
escape from the District or elsewhere. That his
paper always insisted that it was wrong to break
the laws of slavery in that way-that it was not
only illegal, but immoral and dishonorable to do
so-that he had always been obedient to the laws
no louder complaints against slavery, than did
the Wing and Free Soil papers, and many men,
bers of Congress He regarded slavery as wrong,
and would persuade the citizens to do it away
but that he would be passively obedent to it so
long as the law of slavery was the law Of the Dis
trict That, was what paci6ed the mob, if we re-
member right
You do not remember right" nor did you take
the pains to remember right" Your statement
is false, from beginning to end. Tuesday,
w ednesday, and Thursday nights, the mob was
afoot Wednesday night, it appointed large
committee to wait upon me, at my house, and de-
mand from me the removal Of my press-not any
disclaimer, recantation, or explanation. refused
peremptorily, aud asserted my rights without
qualification. Let the Liberty Party Paper turn
to the New York Tribune published few days
after the transaction, and he will find an exact
report of what passed between the committee and
myself prepared by DR.. Houston, Senate Re-
porter, who happened fortunately to be present.
What took place on Thursday night, We re-
ported ourselves No friend was present to give
any account Of it--no enemy ever attempted to
report it. We were the coolest man in the crowd,
spoke without any haste, and recollected very
distinctly what took place. Our account was
brief and here It is:
ain the evening, thousands collected about the
Office of the Era, but the array Of the civil power
was such as to look down all attempts at violence
Not even stone was thrown. About ten o'clock,
some one or two hundred men, under the leader
ship of q man called Captain Thomas, slipped
away, unobserved by the police, and paid me
visit They Numbered at the door, and demand
ed my appearance. opened 1t, went out on the
step, and they asked whether was the editor Of
the Era Il am-wha: do you wish7' Captain
Thomas, acting as spokesman, said that they were
a company Of vrginians and Marylanders-tbey
were going to do things up in their own style
They wished to put my press into the canal, and
give me coat Of tar and feathers. well, sup
pose you will hear me first replied. There was
little tumult, but cries Of hear him! hear
him y soon prevailed, and, though occasionally
interrupted, | addressed them for ten or fifteen
minutes They became comparatively quiet, and
at the close Of my remarks Mr.. Radcliffe jumped
on the steps before me, made short but earnest
appeal to them, moved an adjournment, pat 1t to
vote, and the crowd resolved to adjourn with but
one dissenting voice. la ten minutes not . man
was to be seen about my dwelling. The crowd
gradually melted away from the office, and BY
twelve o'clock everything was quiet. Law had
triumphsd, the Liberty Of the Press had been
recognised, the honor Of the city was secured
order reignsd"