Page:History of Gardner, Massachusetts (1860) - Glazier.djvu/70

66 determined manner on the minds of their followers, interrupted. They did not come there, they said, to listen to long speeches, but to resist oppression: they had the power to compel submission: and they demanded an adjournment without day. Judge Ward peremptorily refused to answer any proposition, unless it was accompanied by the name of him by whom it was made. They then desired him to fall back: the drum was beat and the guard ordered to charge. The soldiers advanced until the points of their bayonets pressed hard upon the breast of the Chief Justice, who stood as immovable as a statue, without stirring a limb, or yielding an inch, although the steel in the hands of desperate men penetrated his dress. Struck with admiration by his intrepidity, and shrinking from the sacrifice of life, the guns were removed and Judge Ward ascending the steps addressed the assembly. In a style of clear and forcible argument he examined their supposed grievances; exposed their fallacy; explained the dangerous tendency of their rash measures; admonished them that they were placing in peril the liberty acquired by the efforts and sufferings of years, plunging the country in civil war and involving themselves and their families in misery: that the measures they had taken must defeat their own wishes; for the government would never yield that to force, which would be readily accorded to respectful representations: and warned them that the majesty of the laws would be vindicated, and their resistance of its power avenged. He spoke nearly two hours, not without frequent interruption. But admonition and argument were unavailing: the insurgents declared they would maintain their ground until satisfaction was obtained. Judge Ward, addressing himself to Wheeler, advised him to suffer the troops to disperse: "they were waging war,