The Writings of Samuel Adams - Volume 2Adams, Samuel
History
The Writings of Samuel Adams - Volume 2
Adams, Samuel
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1809
The conduct of the Soldiers and of the people in King-Street,
shall be the Subject of a future Paper. In the mean time, I must
desire Philanthrop, who appear'd in the last Evening Post, if he
pleases, to read again what I observ'd upon the case of Killroi in
particular, in this Gazette of the 17th Inst;1 and to consider,
whether he did me justice in saying, that I had publish'd "the
only piece of Evidence produc'd against Killroi and argued upon
that alone:" I then publish'd several material pieces of Evidence
against him; and upon the whole concluded, that what was called
the furor brevis was, in my opinion, of rather too long - a
continuance, to come within the indulgence of the law. I then
tho't, and I believe I am far from being singular in thinking it;
that for a man repeatedly to say, that he had wanted an
opportunity of firing upon the inhabitants ever since he had been
in the Country and that he would never miss an opportunity of
doing it; and afterwards, when forewarn'd against it, to fire upon
the inhabitants, kill one man upon the spot, and then
unrelentingly attempt to stab another, who had not offer'd him any
injury, all which was sworn in open Court: If such a man is not,
hostis humanis generis, he discover'd at least, a total want of
remorse at the shedding of human blood, as well as rancorous
malice from the beginning. Philanthrop further says, that "there
was no evidence given in Court" of the wound in Mr. Gray's head;
and "that it is, in the highest degree unjust, to blame the Court
and jury for not regarding evidence which they never heard": If he
will candidly recur to the aforementioned Paper he will find, that
I expressly said, that the witness being out of the Province, the
evidence of so savage an act of barbarity could not be produc'd in
Court; nor did I take it upon me to "blame the Court and Jury for
not regarding it " - "I do not charge Philanthrop with a design"
to amuse his readers in this, or any other instance; but if he
intends to continue the subject, I would advise him to be more
cautious lest he misleads them for the future. Again he says "the
impossibility of the bayonets being bloody the next morning, is
demonstrable from this, that every gun and bayonet of the party
was scowered clean that very night"; but to borrow his own words
"it is certain no such evidence was given in Court": If this could
have been proved, I dare say it would have been done without fail.
Philanthrop may suppose it to be true, from its being, as he says,
"the constant practice of the army after firing"; but such a vague
supposition will not invalidate the oaths of creditable witnesses
in open Court, who swore that Killroi's bayonet was bloody, five
inches from the point.
To vilify and abuse "the most amiable and respectable characters,"
I detest from the bottom of my heart: At the same time, I leave it
to Philanthrop, or any one who pleases, to write Panegyricks, on
the living or the dead.
VINDEX.
Dec. 25th.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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