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[Page 23]
January 1808
known by the inclosed Paper, from a respectable Settler. In five minutes the whole House was surrounded by an armed Force consisting of between three or four hundred Men all their Musquets [muskets] loaded with Ball Cartridges, the Officers attending in their places, without ceremony they broke into all parts (even into the Ladies Room) and arrested all the Magistrates and my Secretary; also Mr Gore the Provost Marshal, and Mr Fuller Clergyman, who had flown up to me to report what they saw was going on. Thus the Civil Power was annihilated, and the Colony in the Hands of the Military, guided by McArthur and Bayly - nothing but calamity upon calamity was to be expected, even Massacre and secret Murder.
41st - I had only just time to retire upstairs to prevent giving myself up, and to see if anything could be done for the restoration of my authority; but they soon found me in a back room, and with a daring set of Ruffians under Arms headed by Sergeant Major Whittle intoxicated with Spiritous Liquors, which was given them for the purpose, and threatening to plunge their Bayonets into me if I resisted, seized me - I was now obliged to go below, where I found the Rooms filled with Soldiers, and presently Lieut [Lieutenant] Moon came forward and presented me with
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