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Story
August 11, 1840
The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
The Worcester Palladium defends its accusation that Senator John Davis cheered the British sacking and burning of Washington in 1814, countering denials from Whig papers by quoting a 1814 National Aegis report of leading Federalists expressing gratification over the event.
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SENATOR DAVIS
John Davis is the man who gave THREE CHEERS, in the streets of Worcester, when he received the news that the British army had sacked the city of Washington, and BURNT the Capitol.
This statement we made on the authority of an unimpeachable witness, who stood within a few feet of Mr. Davis at the time. All three of the whig papers of this town, the Spy, the Aegis, and the North Bend, have denied that any thing of the kind ever occurred, and have hurled at the Palladium the keenest shafts their malice could command. But not intending to be browbeaten by them, out of what we believed to be the truth, we have persisted in the truth of the statement. The Aegis has pursued us with singular virulence, declaring as follows:
"It is FALSE that ever a man of our population rejoiced that the Capitol had been captured, sacked, and burned,"—and that "there is no person, gentleman, or of other description, now residing in Worcester, who will say that he ever knew or heard Mr. Davis, by word or act, exult over any victory of the British, because such an act was never done by him. It is a libel on our town to affirm that ANY OF ITS CITIZENS shouted when the intelligence, which stirred every breast with indignation, of the capture of Washington, was received."
Now mark how plain a tale shall put our revilers down!
From the National Aegis, of August 31, 1814.
"HORRIBLE DEPRAVITY.
When the news of the CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON reached this town, SOME OF THE LEADING FEDERALISTS OPENLY expressed their GRATIFICATION, mingled with a REGRET, that the PRESIDENT was not involved in the DESTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL!"
If we are rightly informed, the democratic Aegis of 1814. (not the federal Aegis of 1840.) was under the control of a brother of the present editor of the Aegis. Of course we shall have no more denials from that quarter, that "some of the leading federalists" of this town, were so horribly depraved as to openly express their gratification at the destruction of the Capitol. Shall we have any retractions? Our accusations against Mr. Davis lags far behind that of the Aegis of 1814. We have not accused him of expressing a 'regret that the President was not involved in the destruction of the Capitol;' though from the temper of his writings at that time there can be little doubt that the destruction of Mr. Madison would have sent a thrill of joy through the frame of a man whose daily habit it was to calumniate him as base, perfidious, cowardly, and a "buffoon."—Worcester Palladium.
John Davis is the man who gave THREE CHEERS, in the streets of Worcester, when he received the news that the British army had sacked the city of Washington, and BURNT the Capitol.
This statement we made on the authority of an unimpeachable witness, who stood within a few feet of Mr. Davis at the time. All three of the whig papers of this town, the Spy, the Aegis, and the North Bend, have denied that any thing of the kind ever occurred, and have hurled at the Palladium the keenest shafts their malice could command. But not intending to be browbeaten by them, out of what we believed to be the truth, we have persisted in the truth of the statement. The Aegis has pursued us with singular virulence, declaring as follows:
"It is FALSE that ever a man of our population rejoiced that the Capitol had been captured, sacked, and burned,"—and that "there is no person, gentleman, or of other description, now residing in Worcester, who will say that he ever knew or heard Mr. Davis, by word or act, exult over any victory of the British, because such an act was never done by him. It is a libel on our town to affirm that ANY OF ITS CITIZENS shouted when the intelligence, which stirred every breast with indignation, of the capture of Washington, was received."
Now mark how plain a tale shall put our revilers down!
From the National Aegis, of August 31, 1814.
"HORRIBLE DEPRAVITY.
When the news of the CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON reached this town, SOME OF THE LEADING FEDERALISTS OPENLY expressed their GRATIFICATION, mingled with a REGRET, that the PRESIDENT was not involved in the DESTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL!"
If we are rightly informed, the democratic Aegis of 1814. (not the federal Aegis of 1840.) was under the control of a brother of the present editor of the Aegis. Of course we shall have no more denials from that quarter, that "some of the leading federalists" of this town, were so horribly depraved as to openly express their gratification at the destruction of the Capitol. Shall we have any retractions? Our accusations against Mr. Davis lags far behind that of the Aegis of 1814. We have not accused him of expressing a 'regret that the President was not involved in the destruction of the Capitol;' though from the temper of his writings at that time there can be little doubt that the destruction of Mr. Madison would have sent a thrill of joy through the frame of a man whose daily habit it was to calumniate him as base, perfidious, cowardly, and a "buffoon."—Worcester Palladium.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Biography
Deception Fraud
What themes does it cover?
Betrayal
Deception
Justice
What keywords are associated?
John Davis
Worcester
British Sacking Washington
Capitol Burning
Federalists Gratification
Political Controversy
War Of 1812
What entities or persons were involved?
John Davis
Mr. Madison
Where did it happen?
Worcester
Story Details
Key Persons
John Davis
Mr. Madison
Location
Worcester
Event Date
1814
Story Details
John Davis allegedly cheered in Worcester streets upon hearing of the British sacking and burning of Washington and the Capitol in 1814; Whig papers deny it, but the Palladium cites a 1814 Aegis report of leading Federalists expressing gratification and regret that President Madison was not destroyed.