New Hampshire Statesman And Concord Register

Copy of a letter from Dr. James L. ARMSTRONG, author of the Tennessean,' dated Davis's Mills, Bedford Co., Tenn. 17th July, 1828.

In the 3d No. of the Tennesseean, I have said, that I was afraid of the daggers and pistols of Gen. Jackson's assassins.' This has been verified. On yesterday, about 12 o'clock, four men rode up to my shop, got down, and went in. I was sitting in the front piazza of my dwelling house, and saw them. Supposing them to be men who might have business with me, I left the house unarmed and alone, and proceeded to my shop, almost 150 yards distant. The assassins had seated themselves in the back room of my shop, with their backs toward me, two being on each side of the door.—As soon as I had entered and discovered who they were, I was convinced some outrage was intended. The assassins were by name—MALCOLM GILCHRIST, from Alabama; Jesse Taylor, from the Western District of Tennessee; and WILLIAM GILCHRIST and ARCHIBALD YELL, from Shelbyville, Tennessee. On casting my eyes around, I discovered that they were armed with large clubs; and also in the breasts of several I could see the handles of dirks and pistols, especially the assassin Yell. This is the same Yell who is a member of our Legislature, and figured as the Jackson bully at the last session.—He is the same Yell who certified for Parish that I was the author of "The Tennessean." and procured certificates against the character of John Woods. These fellows very soon produced a paper, which they said I must sign. Perceiving it was their object to force me to sign something disgraceful, I told them I was unarmed and alone, and that it was very unfair to be thus set upon in my own house. At this time I was standing near the back door of my shop, and had time to reflect that there was a neighbor who lived about three-hundred yards distant across the creek, where there was probably some company, and also where I might procure arms to defend myself. I determined to risk being shot, rather than sign the paper, which I did not see, nor do I know its contents.

Seeing me disinclined to look at the paper one of them swore I should sign it, or he would—At this moment, believing from the movements of the party, that they certainly designed to assassinate me, I sprung out of the house, and retreated as fast as I could towards Davis' store: the assassins followed me rapidly. One of them, (Malcolm Gilchrist, who lives in Alabama, had been selected to perform the deed. The fellow pursued me in front of the others, and in endeavoring to draw his pistol—from his breast dropped and lost it. The pistol has since been found, and was heavily loaded—and it is now in my possession. On the return of the assassins to their horses, a crippled youth who was near my shop, saw them looking for it, and heard the fellow say how he had lost it.

I was pursued across the river, and in attempting to climb the bank on the other side, the two Gilchrists overtook me and knocked me down with their clubs, and would surely have killed me if Mr. Davis and a number of other men had not come to my relief. I am old and have grand children,—the assassins were all comparatively young men. I am bruised and mangled all over, and my head is cut to the skull, and am just able to hold my pen, and cannot do this subject justice, as I feel a considerable concussion of the brain.

On last Monday morning I was in Shelbyville, procuring documents to write a No. on General Jackson's intimacy with Burr. This no doubt these fellows had heard, and it was determined to put me out of the way, or disgrace me. Thank God, they have not, as yet done either. But I really consider my life in danger, and therefore suppose I shall be compelled to desist from giving information to the people, relative to Gen. Jackson. As a parting word, I ask my countrymen to pause, and think before it is too late, what kind of a man they desire to make President.

JAMES L. ARMSTRONG.

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Tennessee.

P. S. I have just seen a gentleman from Bedford county, who says that the physician called in to the aid of Dr. Armstrong, represents his injuries as very serious. This is Jacksonism in its true colors—such as the Hero in early times has often acted himself!

-It is but fair to remark that there is another side to the above story, which we shall endeavor to give in our next paper.