Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-02-01
Attempted Assassination of Gen. Jackson

On Friday, the 30th of January, the Presi-
tended the funeral ceremonies of Warren H.
Davis, Esq, in the hall of the House of Rep
resentatives-of which body Mr.. Davis had
been member from the State Of South Caro-
lima. The procession moved out with the
body. and its front had reached the foot of the
broad steps of the eastern portico, when the
President, with Mr.. Woodbury., Secretary of
the Treasury, and Mr.. Mahon Dickerson,
Secretary of the Navy, were issuing from the
door of the great rotunda which opens upon
the portico. At that instant person stepped
from the crowd into the little open space, in
front of the President, levelled a pistol at him,
at the distance of about eight feet, and at
tempted TO fire. 1t was a percussion lock,
and the cap exploded without firing the pow
der in the barrel. Tho explosion of the cap
was so loud that many persons thought the
pistol had fired. heard it at the foot Of the
steps, far from the place and great crowd
between. Instantly the person dropped the
pistol which had missed fire, took another
which he had ready cooked in the left hand,
concealed by cloak, levelled it, and pulled
the trigger. 1t was also percussion lock,
and the cap exploded without firing the pow
der in the barrel. The President Instantly
rushed upon him with uplifted cane and the
man shrank back Mr.. Woodbury. aimed a
blow at him; Lieut.. Gadney, of the navy,
knocked him down he was secured by the
bystanders, who delivered him to the officers
of justice for judicial examination.
The examination took place before the
Chief Justice of the District, Mr.. Cranch, by
whom he was committed in default of bail
His name was ascertained TO be Richard Law
renee, an Englishman by birth and house
painter by trade, at present out of employ
ment, melancholy and irascible. The pistols
were examined and found to be well loaded !;
and fired afterwards, without fail, carrying
their bullets true, and driving them through
inch boards at thirty feet distance nor could
any reason be found for the two failures at the
QOOI VI tNG IOluuud. OH HIS cAdfHludtiOu VIE
prisoner seemed to be at his ease, as if uncon-
scious of having done anything refusing to
cross-examine the witness who testified
against him, or to give any explanation of his
conduct. The idea of an unsound mind strong
ly impressing itself upon the public opinion,
the marshal of the District invited two of the
most respectable physicians of the city, (Dr.
Canssin aed DR.. Thomas SewelD to visit him
and inquire into his mental condition. :
1t is clearly to be seen from the medical ex-
animation of the man, that the attempted as
sassination of the President was one of those
cases of which history presents many instanc-
es-a diseased mind acted upon by general
outcry against public man. Lawrence was
in the particular condition to be acted upon
by what he heard against General jackson; a
workman out of employment, needy, idle;
mentally morbid, and with reason enough to
argue regularly from false premises. He
heard the President accused of breaking up
the labor of the country! and believed it-of
making money scarce and believed it-of
being tyrant and believed it-of being an
obstacle to all relief! and believed it. And
coming to regular conclusion from all these
beliefs, he attempted to do what he believed
the state of things required him to do--take
the life of the man whom he considered the
cause of his own and the general calamity
and the sole obstacle to his own and the gen.
eral happiness. Hallucination of mind was
evident, and the wretched victim Of the dread
lul delusion was afterwards treated as insane,