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To the Free Impartial and
unbiased Citizens of
Savannah.
, IT , <* uc , t 0 myself as an American, bom, educated and protected in this my native country, md in which
Iha cr’Ughted to live from my earliest infancy, enjoying more inestimable privileges and blessings, inseparable
t m r ul Liberty, secured by the awiul sanction of our excellent Constitution, and the binding solemnity of
our Laws—lt is due to myself as a Freeman, who scorns degrading subserviency in Ins political opinions, and
would rather suffer the extinction of life than relinquish principles founded upon truth and Justice, enlightened
by the brilliant example of the Great Washington, and confirmed by the event of ages—lt is due to my self us a
member Os this Society, enjoying those immunities common alike to all—lt is due to myself as Editor of this Pa
per, in the exercise ci an honorable vocation, demanding Independence, Impartiality and Firmness to glveacor
rtX” narratii e to the public, ol a mo.it daring and atrocious attack upon my person, l ist evening, lor the purpose
o! ouvi. ting the falsehoods industriously circulated, to screen its authors Iroin the odium and infamy if any cun
attach to such low wretches, which justly await them. J J
Sixteen numbers ol the American Patriot have been issued- which generally gave exeat offence to the De
mocrats ci this city. Incapable of refuting the statements and arguments, or impeaching the correctness of the
I' 1 i'.-.ip;£s advanced, they , at an early period had recourse to threats, with a view of intimidating me from the dis
charge of my duty, to which I am bound by every tic—Their menaces were treated with merited contempt, and
excited ray warm indignation against their unprincipled anthers.—Finally, the statement of the p-oecedim-s of
die meeting of citizens, drawn up with the greatest care to avoid incorrectness, and published yesterday, to every
scene of which I was an attentive eye witness, and to the accuracy of the report every honorable and unbiased citi
zen uiil willingly attest. -This defeating their corrupt views, aroused the Democrats into a state of perfect fren
zy, further inflamed by some general remarks on the principles of the Amelia business, and in rerdv to some of
the curious arguments urged in favor of that infamous affrir—they could no longer repress their malice, but asso
ciating together to the number of fifty or sixty, determined to trample upon every thing hitherto held sacred r
raong us, and to give a vital stab to that Freedom, which it. is their hypocritical boast of being the ei;!v protect ed.
It Was intimated to me early in the evening, by a valued friend of an intention, collected from various cir
cumstances, on the part of the Democrats, to attack me personally that evening, and recommended my being pre
pared—not attaching much importance to bullying threats, so often abortive, I merely primed a pair of Pocket
Pistols, which I usually carry, and left untouched the charge which they contained for several clays—This was im
prudent “on my p .rt, but perhaps rather fortunate for Humanity, in saving the life of a deluded” wretch. These
?Etch being placed on the table, at which I was reading, at the early hour of nine, not anticipating the visit of
cowardly assassins, and relying upon my usual safeguard, I was surprised at hearing man) foot-steps on the stairs,
!•-. ding to the room I occupied, and immediately upon seeing two fellows, one by the name PITCHER, the oth
er, an Irishman, a Tavern-Servant 6c Billiard-Marker, by die name of BURKE. Their presence in suc h a manner
rhweieped their object—l seized the pistols, cocked them, and demanded their business—they equivocated, and
shuffled, upon my telling them to stand off, or I would fire, others of .their brutal comrades appeared—(all having
gained admittance to the house through the gate they entered) —my attention was for a moment distracted, and I
felt a repugnance at shedding the blood of a fellow-creature, until compelled by necessity : mv left arm was seized
ar.doue pistol wrested from me ; I presented the other to the breast of one of the gang, which flashed.—l was
thus disarmed, and surrounded by several stroi g bodied men, who with heavy clubs struck me with such violence
ever my face aiid uncovered head, that it was my impression at the moment, they intended committing murder.
Upon my calling for assistance, Mr. Pratt, my partner, ran down stairs, from the room above, and fired a pistol at
one of the assassins, which missed him ; and perceiving his aid would be of no avail against numbers, overpow
ering an unarmed individual, went to rally a sufficient I'orce for my rescue. Among this base, cowardly and bru
jtd gang, f could only recognize another fellow, a bakor, whose name I am not acquainted with, and a fellow by
the name of ASH, a carpenter. Ail the Savages were alike distinguished for the dastardly use of their clubs,
After having thus sneaked into the House, and violated the sacred rights of a native American in such assas
sin-like style—those degenerate cowards, not content with bruising, Jxit must drag me out of my own dwelling,
into the street, where I was surrounded by a large mob, the very filthy dregs of corrupt Democracy, who hurried
me along vi h abuse and blows, to an adjoining pump, where they gratified their hellish malice. 1 jhcre recog
nized two other characters among the cowardly rnob—one of them an old man by the name of GREER, who
did me the honor to poke me with a cane several times, when my situation allowed him impunity, abase, a worth
less character, whose silver hairs instead of honoring, disgrace a venerable age—the other a boy, a student at law,
by the name of JOHN BULLOCH, the nephew of Wm. Bulloch, Esq. Mayor of the city.
What were the stimulating motives of the cowardly mob, who tyrannically trampled upon Liberty, in the
person of a Freeman, cannot be divined, unless they arose from the encouragement of the Democratic lead
ers. 1: is my .clear conviction, that they were the instigators of the whole plot, for they have in their hands
the municipal power and the direction of the police—yet there was no interference, although several Alder
men were seen at cr near the spot shortly after the work was hastily done.—Some of these me n are of so
low a character, that they are really beneath contempt. As to myself, the personal ill-treatment I have re
wired, arising from my humble exertions in a cause just, glorious and interesting, I view as a mark of dis
tinguished honor. —It is a proof they have not been entirely unavailing, and they shall be continued with ren
ovated ardor. After violating personal freedom in the above infamous manner, these Democrats or blood -
thirsty anarchists, upon the motion of tint miserable old man, GREER, then resolved to destroy our Pa ess
Palladium of Liberty !! ! Can a gang cf these brutel savages pretend longer
and Murderous character ? Safety is no longer secure, it is the duty cf every
: es, TO GO ARMED AGAINST LUSKUTG ASSASSINS. Thdybcdj of a m.n is
taking unprincipled villains, but his honor, his character, and his principles are,
•ach cf their clutches. J car.net avoid expressing my surprize at the modesty
my apartment in contenting themselves with a single pistol amid a variety of
arueiea, winch the/ could with the greatest facility have similarly disposed of.
I-shill conclude by expressing my warmest thanks to those gentlemen, who interested themselves in ray
behalf, and with the greatest alacrity came to my relief.
b ‘ JOHN S. MITCHELL.
JUNE 5,