Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-03-13
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
February 10, 1851.

To the Senate of the United States:
have received the resolution of the
Senate of the 18th inst, requesting me
to lay before that body if not ncom-
patible with the public interest, any in
formation | may possess in regard to
an alleged recent case of forcible re.
ss,ance TO the execution Of the laws of
the United States in the City of Boston,
and to communicate 10 the Senate, un
der the above conditions, what means
| have adopted to meet the occurrence;
and whether, in my opinion, any add.
tional legislation is necessary TO meet
the exigency Of the case, and TO more
vigorously execute existing laws.
The public newspapers contain an
affidavit of Patrick Riley, a deputy mar
shal for the district Of Massachusetts
setting forth the circumstances of the
case. a copy Of which affidavit is here
with communicated. Private and un'
official communications concur in estab'
fishing the main facts Of this account
but no satisfactory official information
has yet been received, and in some i'm
portant respects the accuracy of the ac
count has been denied by persons whom
it duplicates. Nothing could be more
unexpected than that such gross vio'
lation of law, such high-handed con
tempt of the authority of the Uniteo
States, should be perpetrated, by banc
of lawless confedera,es, at MONDAY il
the city of Boston, and in the very TEN
pie of justice. regard this tlagltlou
\ proceeding as being a surprise, not un
attended by some degree ofnegigence
nor do doubt that, if such act of vic
lence had been apprehended, thousand
of the good citizens Of Boston woul'
have presented themselves valuntaril
and promptly 10 prevent it; but th'
danger does moi seem 10 have been time
Iy made known, or duly appreciated b.
; those who were concerned in the execu
tion of the process la a communit
+ distinguished for its loave Of order an
respect for the laws-among peopl
whose sentiment is liberty and law, an
not liberty without law, such an out
rage could only be the result of sudde
violence. unhappily too much unprePai
ed TO be successfully resisted. |, woul
be melancholy, indeed, if we were OF
Iiged to regard this outbreak again;
The constitutional and legal aulhorit
of the Governmen, as proceeding frol
the general feeling of the people, in
J spot which is proyerbially called 18Th
cradle Of American liberty"
E Such, undoubtedly, is not the fact
1t violates, without question, the gene
al sentiment of the people Of Bosto
I and of vast majority of the whole PEI
d pie Of Massachusetts, as much as it vi
i. lates the law, defes the authority of II
= Government, and disgraces those Co
cerned in it, their aiders and abetters
> 1t is. nevertheless, my duty 10 lay b
: fore the Senate, in answer 10 its res
/ luton, some important facts and cons
n erations connected with the subject.
# A resolution of Congress, of Septer
ber 23, 1889, declared:
!" THAT it be recommended 10 the /.
J gislatures of the several States TO pa
C laws. making il expressly the duty
is the keepers of the jails 10 receive al
). safe keep therein all prisoners commi
, ted under the authority of the Unit,
States until they shall be discharged
D. the course of the laws thereof und
j. the like penalties as in case ofprisone