Montgomery County sentinel., 1888-04-06
THE MOB AT ROCKVILLE.


! ttttl We ctoOTu-AOtO HB O6cTetUFy "
State soas Brought to Terms Why
Mr.. Cameron soent to Kansas, dc.
! Editor of the Sentinel Il noticed an ex-
! tract in your paper, some months ago, cop
led from the Washington Eoening Star,
about q certain Hugh Cameron, who was
| you asked for information in regard TO it,
l have waited for some one else to inform
| you, but have waited in vain.
| In The first place will write how came
4 70 know him, his personal appearance, abil-
tiles, &c, as he appeared to me after having
several interviews with him, also his zeal for
Temperance, which eliminated in the mob.
In January, 1854, l met Uriah Forrest,
ESQ.,, of Rockville, at Bakers Hotel, corner
of Sth and D streets, Washington, d. c.,
who transacted some legal business for me.
At this hotel a young man by the name Of
| Hugh Cameron boarded. He was stranger
to me, and was introduced tn him by
| friend of mine from Virginia. He was
young man, should judge, about "a years
| of age, about 8 feet, 8 inches in height,
straight as an arrow, well formed and mus
cular, with firm, determined expression of
| countenance, and of more than ordinary
talent. His natural and acquired abilities
seemed in class No. 1. He was pleasing in
his address, good conversationalist never
using three words when two would answer
his purpose as WELL He was foe to alco-
hol, strict teetotaler, true to his convc-
tions, and would not swerve an iota from
his temperance principles whatever inf1u-
ence was brought to bear on him. For in
stance, when clerk in the State Depart
ment he was invited by Senator Seward, of
New York, to supper, (which was esteemed
q great honor to confer on clerk but he
offended the Senator by disregarding table
etiquette in not partaking of glass of wine
proffered him at table.
Drinking to excess was common at this
time by all classes, and Mr.. Cameron was
using all the influence he possessed, by lee
turing, &C., to Danish king alcohol from So
ciety. He felt special interest in reclaim
ing eur congressman from the foe; he SEEM
ed wholly absorbed in this great work. 1t
seemed to him the sin of sins. said to him
was afraid his efforts would not yield much
fruit, the drinking habit was so universal.
He said: "Mr. Dodge, am afraid am be-
coming a misanthropist, for l sometimes
think it would be well to hold out induce
ments to these old topers and urge them on
in their mad career until, las Robert Pollock
says in his Course of Time of the suicide,)
with their own hands they open the portals
of eternity, and sooner than the devils hoped
arrive in hell" "My hope" he said, 'is in
the rising generation"
He said he had been school teacher, and
as that had been an employment of mine
| for a series of years we conversed about
schools, &c. He said the last school he
taught was in the vicinity of Rockville. He
| had a pleasant school, patrons and scholars
pleased with him, and he was delighted
with his employment. All went well until
he met temperance lecturer by the name
| of Chapman, who delivered temperance ad
| dresses in Washington, various places in
the District of Columbia, and | believe in
Rockville also. Mr.. Cameron attended sew
eral Of his lectures, and as Mr.. Chapman
was. a fine orator, and logical in argument,
Mr.. Cameron was highly pleased with him,
| sought an introduction and obtained some
statistics from him, on temperance, that he
very much priced.
After Mr.. Chapman had concluded his
lectures and ready to start for the North,
Mr.. Cameron was astonished to hear that
| he had induced several slaves, owned by
Senator Tombs, of Georgia, to get into his
carriage and ride with him to the land of
the free. Mr. Chapman was Immediately
| pursued by the authorities in Washington,
overtaken at what we now call Sligo, in this
| county, the slaves taken back to Washing
| ton and Mr. Chapman, horses and carriage,
taken to Rockville, Mr.. Chapman locked up
in Jail and horses and carriage locked up in
a livery stable. Mr.. Cameron did not ap-
prove OF this act of Mr.. G., and thought he
had committed a great wrong. After Chap
man had been confined in Jail short time
Mr. Cameron said he was anxious to get
some more temperance statistics he knew
Mr.Chapman had. He went to Rockville,
was permitted to see Mr.. c., and obtained
what he wanted. 1t was soon rumored that
| MT Cameron had visited Mr.. G. in Jail, the
| cry was Immediately raised that he was an
] accomplice of Mr.. Chapman in spirting
away Senator Tombs' slaves and that he
was a free esoiler, abolitionist, &c. Mr.. Cam
eron tried to convince his friends that he
was innocent of the accusation. He now saw
that in his zeal tor temperance he had over
stepped the bounds of prudence. Great agi-
tatiOn existed at this time on the slavery
question. The pro-slavery party was jeal.
Gus of him, they broke up his school and
prevented his getting employment any
| where In modern phrase, he was COM
pletely boycotted. His pecuniary means
were about exhausted, he was so lily treated
without cause, he gave way to spirit of re-
yenge. He said, "Mr. Dodge, it seemed to
me the very evil one had got possession of
me. was determined to give my pro-slavery
friends good reasons for saying | was an ac-
complice of Chapman. For this purpose
made another visit to Rockville, and was
permitted to see Mr.. Chapman. l induced
him to give me an order on the livery stable
keeper Tor his horses and carriage. Armed
with this order went TO the stable, present
ed my order and demanded the property,
The keeper was nonplused, but after think
ing few moments he was wiser than an
ticipated He told me he did not like to
give them up until he had counseled with
the authorities"
Mr.. G. said when the keeper came to that
conclusion he saw trouble ahead, but he had
gone so far with it he would not back out,
SO he waited the result of the council. He
did not wait long before the keeper came
back with host of .counselors at his heels.
They Immediately accused him of being a
free .soier, abolitionist, &c. He told them he
was, and they said, "We will make short
work OF you" He stood with his back to
the stable so they could not attack him in
the rear and defed them told them not to
lay hands on him, as the first one that put a