The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

NEW-YORK, August 19.

Extract of a letter from Charleston, (South-Carolina,) dated July 12, 1784.

"Our city for the week past has been in most dreadful confusion and riot, owing to our legislature at their last sitting permitting a number of those wretches (who whilst with the British army in our city were our most cruel enemies and greatest tyrants) to return—men who were destitute of the feeling of humanity, and who were the principal means of the banishment of the whigs, who thereby lost not only their fortunes, but what was dearer to them, their friends and relations. To relate to you a particular account of this riot, I fear I shall not be able; but on Thursday night last, about 11 o'clock, Jonah Collins, together with a number of others who had suffered by those people, went to the house of one John Wagner, a most notorious enemy to our country, and not being able to find him, they acted rather imprudently: upon this, the intendant obliged Collins to give a considerable amount for his appearance before the city council the next day. Accordingly the day following he made his appearance and was ordered to find bail for a considerable amount, or go to gaol, the latter of which he rather accepted, and went to gaol: but unluckily the same evening, a large party assembled at Thompson's tavern, and paraded through the streets with a flag displayed, until they came between the market and the State house, where they were attacked by an armed party, on which they were obliged to retire, one or two being wounded. The militia of the city was paraded and every step taken to prevent any further riot: but in about an hour an alarm of fire was given, when a small bake house near the gaol was consumed—this, I believe, was rather an accident, but ever since we are expecting daily tumults, and I am certain it will remain so whilst those Devils are suffered to remain amongst us. I hate mobs and riots, and would to God that the legislature would, at their next meeting, banish every enemy, and quiet the minds of the injured."