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Letter. Maria [Nicholson] Montgomery, Baltimore, Maryland, to Mr James W. Nicholson, New Geneva, Pennsylvania
Writes of her disappointment at James's resignation of an unspecified, and apparently briefly held, position in New York. Montgomery goes on to provide a highly partisan overview of the Federalist-Republican riots in Baltimore in the summer of 1812, and the ensuing trial: "You no doubt often hear of the abuse bestowed on Mr. M. President James Madison in the federal papers, but those who know him despise the calumny, and feel nothing but contempt and indignation towards the Authors of it. a federal judge (Tory Chase) and packed Jury have acquitted all those honorable Men, who associated together with arms and ammunition in Charles street under pretense of defending the liberty of the press—but in reality to try which were the strongest party, and to cause the streets of Baltimore to flow with democratic gore, if they met with any resistance. they were themselves the mob, they were themselves the murderers, for many were awfully wounded by them, and two killed dead upon the spot who were endeavoring to suppress the riot . . . their the Federalists' lies and misrepresentations unanswered by the democratic party, have caused federal returns to the legislature, but even this will be of advantage I trust, it is a republican principle to wish a change."