Muncy Abolition riot of 1842 facts for kids

The Muncy Abolition Riot of 1842 was a big event that happened in April 1842 in Muncy, Pennsylvania. It started when a speaker who was against slavery came to town. Local Quakers invited him to speak at a schoolhouse.

During his speech, a group of people attacked the school. The speaker and his host, Enos Hawley, had to run away. They were followed and attacked again at Hawley's house. Later, eighteen men were arrested for causing the riot. Thirteen of them were found guilty. However, the Governor of Pennsylvania, David R. Porter, later pardoned them.

Slavery in Pennsylvania

The state of Pennsylvania started to ban slavery slowly in 1780. A new law said that people who were slaves in 1780 would stay slaves until their owners freed them. Children born to slaves would also be slaves until they turned 28. This slow process of ending slavery lasted for 67 years, until 1847. That's when slavery was fully banned in Pennsylvania.

In 1790, only one percent of Pennsylvania's population were slaves. This was much lower than in states like New York or New Jersey. Two main groups in Pennsylvania helped keep the number of slaves low.

Quakers and Equality

The Quakers, who founded Pennsylvania, were usually against slavery. They believed that all people are equal in the eyes of God. They thought everyone deserved to be treated fairly. Quakers were leaders in the movement to end slavery. They also worked for women's rights and better treatment for people who were mentally ill or in prison.

Pennsylvania Dutch Settlers

Another group of early settlers was the Pennsylvania Dutch. They liked to live simply and on their own. They didn't need slaves for their way of life.

Not Everyone Was Against Slavery

Even with these groups, not everyone in Pennsylvania was against slavery. Many new settlers were not abolitionists. They worried that freed slaves would compete for their jobs. It's a common mistake to think that everyone in the northern states was against slavery before the Civil War. In fact, many people in northern states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Delaware supported slavery.

The Muncy Riot of 1842

Enos Hawley was a well-known Quaker in Muncy. He was a strong supporter of ending slavery. Hawley invited a speaker to Muncy to talk about why slavery should be abolished. We don't know the speaker's name today. This speech led to a large riot that damaged a local schoolhouse.

The speaker gave his talk at a one-room school in April 1842. While he was speaking, eighteen men gathered outside the school. They started throwing rocks and other things at the building. All the windows of the school were broken.

Enos Hawley and the speaker were both hurt during the attack. As they ran from the school, the rioters threw eggs at them. The group followed Hawley and his guest to Hawley's home. They kept attacking his house until after midnight. Finally, local police officers stopped the riot and arrested the men.

Trial and Pardons

The men arrested for the riot went to trial in October. Thirteen of the eighteen men were found guilty. The jury took a long time to decide. One jury member, Abraham Updegraff, was a strong abolitionist. He was also a key person in the Underground Railroad in Lycoming County.

Updegraff convinced the other jurors that the rioters should be punished. At first, the jury voted eleven to one to find the men not guilty. Updegraff was the only one who voted guilty. He argued that they had to follow the law and the evidence. He also spoke in German, which helped convince three other jurors. The next vote was nine guilty to three not guilty. Finally, all the jurors agreed, and thirteen men were found guilty.

Governor Porter's Pardon

However, this decision was later changed by Governor David R. Porter. He pardoned the rioters just a few days later. Governor Porter said that the case was started more for political reasons than to keep law and order.

Porter blamed the riot on the abolitionist speaker. He said the speech was "offensive" and "calculated to bring about a breach of the peace." Because of this pardon, Governor Porter was given nicknames like "Previous Pardon Porter." Historians believe that Porter pardoned the rioters because of strong political pressure about slavery. This kind of pressure was common before the Civil War.