After using the Dickinson Chronicles as a starting point, I searched Google Books for related materials that was either available online or in our own library. I began with general searches like “1847 Carlisle Slave Riots”, “Carlisle Slavery”, “Underground Railroad, Carlisle, PA”, and “Carlisle Slave Riot 1847 McClintock”, which produced the best results. I found two books to be very useful and both of them were present in the library.
Within the book Southern Emancipator by John d’Entremont, he discusses the type of professor and man John McClintock was. He refers to four articles that appeared in the Christian Advocate in 1847 written by McClintock within which he argued how slavery could not be supported in a Christian lifestyle. These controversial articles caused enough anger from the readership that the editor was forced to cancel the fifth. According to d’Entremont, McClintock used these letters to show his differing views from the abolitionist movements. Contrary to the Dickinson Chronicle entry, this author states that the riot immediately followed the June 2, 1847 court hearing as the Carlisle Herald explained, “A general rush was made on the slave-owners and constables by the negro men and women and a frightful melee ensued in the street, in which for some minutes paving stones were hurled in showers and clubs and canes used with terrible energy.” (page 30, d’Entremont) (1) (2) This difference in the reported dates of the incident is interesting and will be something to keep track off throughout my research.
I found another discrepancy within the data on the number of slaves actually imprisoned in the book American Mobbing, 1828-1861 by David Grimsted. He states that eleven blacks were ultimately imprisoned for multiple months until the Pennsylvania Supreme court overturned the ruling and acquitted all parties involved. He also discusses the prospect of these eleven blacks being sentenced to make the whites happy. As Grimsted says, “[the eleven blacks were imprisoned]…partly to appease Southern anger at the acquittal of the white man [McClintock] incorrectly alleged to be the mob leader.” (3) This is the only source I have found that directly states that the eleven blacks were imprisoned for the reason of making up for the mistake of the court.
(1) d’Entremont cites the trial testimony printed in the Carlisle American Volunteer on September 2, 1847 as proof that the riot took place on June 2, 1847.
(2) Further proof of the incorrect date in the Dickinson Chronicles is that the quote that d’Entremont uses from the Carlisle Herald is from June 9, 1847 which is obviously before the date in the chronicles, which is June 30, 1847.
(3) George R. Crooks, Life and Letters of Rev. John McClintock (New York, 1876), 143-81; Earl E Sperry, The Jerry Resuce (Syracuse, 1924, 21-29; May, Recollections, 379-81.
Good focus on discrepancies. The Chronicles entries was put together in haste and actually needs revision badly. You could make a major contribution simply by dissecting that entry and helping us bring it up to higher standards. But good pick up with the Grimsted work as well. That one needs follow up, but make sure you provide the information from his footnotes to help us pursue it.