Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1879-12-26
TXEAS0N TM wARTED.

Governor GnrceiOn's Attempt 10
Seize the Arms In the state Ar
senai OF Maine An Indignant
Crowd CsanpeIs The Return Of
| Arms.
BANGOR, Me-, Dec. 25.--Bangor was
to-day the scene OF an excitement IN.
paralleled since the day when the
guns OF the rebel battery made their
assau 1t on Fort Sumter. 1t had been
known that during the day Major Jo-
seph l.. Smith (the Green back candidate
for Governor) and Mr.. Folsom Of Old
town, and others, were in consultation
at the Exchange Hotel with Mr.. French
clerk in the Adjutant Generals Office
at Augusta.
The result of their conference was sp-
parent about 4 O'Clock this afternoon.
when word came down town that two
t0o-horse wagons loaded with 100
Springfield cadet rifles and a, 900 ball
cartridges, from the Slate Arsenal on
Essex ST., were on their way through
the city.
When the teams reached Keduskeag
Bridge they were stopped by a crowd
OF people, and inquiry was made of the
drivers as to what authority they were
acting under and what was the intend.
ea destination of the material of war.
The tsamsters said they had been
engaged by hackman from the hotel
to take the material to the Main Gen.
tral depot, bat did not know under
whose authority. By this tine the
crowd began to grow larger, and the
bridge was soon filled with a large and
excited mass of people determined that
no shipment Of arms should bs made
through the city unless under uAmis-
table authority.
The Mayor told Mr.. French he had
not forcs enough to guarantee the safety
of the munitions if the attempt to IT.
Aoye them was persisted in while the
people were excited. He said he would
take no responsibility for the trouble
that might ensus. MIR. French decided
1t best to return the arms to the ANAL
rather than to incur the hazard @ q
riot, and the Mayer furnished th5u ,,o-
lice 10 protect them on their return.
AS lLe teams started on their rstuin
three hearty cheers were given by the
crowd. After giving his order for
their return, Mr.. Folsom, of Oldtown,
Major Smith S lieutenant, upbraided Mr..
French for not doing his duty by in
sisting on carrping out the plan agreed
upon. He was promptly rsbuked BY
Captain Boutelle, of "The Whig and
Courier" in front of whose office tho
crowd was gathered. Captain Boutells
informed Mr.. Folsom that neither Mr..
French nor the citizens of Bangor need
ed any satellites from Oldtown to in
struct them as TO what was their duty.
Mr.. French has returned to Augusta
to await further action and instructions
by the Governor. The excitement in
this city is at fever heat, and crowds of
our citizens are gathered on the streets
and in the stores and Offices discussing
the situation. If in q time of peace the
arms are to be taken from the Arsenal,
carried through the streets OF our city,
and thence to Augusta, and the Capilal
put in state of siege, they are deter
mined to know the reason why.
While there is strong and deeply
seated determination to see the outrage
attempted to be committed at Augusta
thwar'ed. and that by peaceabls and
iaHful u-thods, the people are in NO
mood t" l~ tritisd with, and any at
tempt to precipitate a conflict will be
met with the determination, opposition
and resistance of bold and resolute
men, who know their rights, and know
MY dar- maintain them.
The following address has been sent
10 tn uoyeluol:
To His Excellency, Alonzo Garcelon,
Governor of the State OF Maine:
The citizens Of this city were much
sarprised Oh the afternoon of Christmas
Day 70 learn that the arms and ammuni-
tion were being removed from the State
Arsenal located here to the railroad
depot. The first actual knowledge Of
the fact was upon Seeing teams loaded
and passing through the principal
streets. immediately there wss a
spontaneous uprising OF our best eiri-
zans, so filling the streets as to prevent
the passing OF the teams.
The Mayor, who had been sent for,
having no knowledge of the authority
under which the arms were being NOV
ed, first demanded who assumed the rs
spousibility of the movement. He was
answered by MIR. French representing
himself to be- clerk in the Ad jutant-
Generals Office, that he was acting uu-
der verbal instructions from Governor
Garcelon to remove tie arms and anu
milton by railroad to Augusta. Mr..
French, seeing the difficulties in the
way, and being informed by the Mayor
that he might be unable to restrain the
people with the force at his command,
decided to return the arms to the Ar
senal, and the citizens quietly dispersed.
While deploriug the act of the State
authorities in moving large quantities
If deadly weapons through the streets
If peaceful city in the present excl
ted condition Of $he public mind, VIZ
shall endeavor, to the extent of oar
sbility, to prevent any action which
'hould impair our good fame as law
Lhidiny ciLizens.