Background
Alexander Hanson was born on February 27, 1786, at Annapolis, Maryland, United States, the second son of Alexander Contee Hanson and Rebeca (Howard) Hanson.
Alexander Hanson was born on February 27, 1786, at Annapolis, Maryland, United States, the second son of Alexander Contee Hanson and Rebeca (Howard) Hanson.
Alexander was graduated from St. John’s College in 1802.
In 1808 Alexander Hanson founded a newspaper, the Federal Republican, in Baltimore, to represent extreme Federalist opinion. As editor-in-chief he secured Jacob Wagner, who had served in the State Department under Pickering and entertained an absolute aversion toward Jefferson and Madison. As the country drifted toward war with England the Federal Republican became more bitter. Numerous threats were issued against it. On June 20, 1812, two days after the declaration of war, an editorial appeared, beginning “Thou hast done a deed whereat Valour will weep. ” The policy of the paper was defined as opposition to the war and hostility to Madison, who was stigmatized as the tool of Bonaparte. On June 22, a mob of infuriated Republicans demolished the newspaper plant, even tearing down the walls.
Thereupon, following the advice of influential Federalists, Hanson decided to take a stand for freedom of opinion and of the press. A building was secured at 45 Charles Street, and transformed into a veritable arsenal. On July 27, the paper was reissued from Georgetown, District of Columbia, but circulated from Baltimore. This issue of the journal contained an attack upon the city government for favoritism toward the leaders of the Baltimore mob. The following day the house on Charles Street was surrounded and doors and windows were smashed. The Federalists responded with gun shots. One man was killed in the crowd. The militia deported itself irresolutely.
Finally, when a cannon was dragged before the newspaper office, the defenders consented to compromise with the mayor of Baltimore and the commander of the militia. In return for promises of safety for life and property, they consented to a temporary surrender. Neither of these promises was fulfilled, however. The place of safety proved to be the jail, which, since the militia was immediately disbanded, was easily forced during the night. A butcher and a French tailor led the mob. The offending Federalists were clubbed into insensibility and hurled out upon the jail steps where the attack was continued with penknives, matches, and candle-grease poured upon the eyelids. Gen. James M. Lingan was killed and Gen. Henry Lee received injuries from which he never fully recovered. Hanson was beaten into unconsciousness, but later was assisted to escape to his country estate.
By August 3, Hanson was reissuing his paper from Georgetown. Baltimore exonerated the rioters, and although the committee of grievances and courts of justice of the Maryland House of Delegates later upheld the Federalists, a wave of apprehension was felt lest this violent outbreak should prove the precursor of Republican terrorism. This Federalist reaction brought about Hanson’s election to Congress. He took his seat in March 1813, continuing his anti-administration charges in the House. In 1816, he resigned in the hope of saving the local Federalist cause by entering state politics, but he failed in the elections for the House of Delegates. He was then appointed United States senator to complete the term of Senator Harper, and he served in this capacity from January 2, 1817, until his death. Ill health prevented him from continuous activity in the Senate. He died at his estate, “Belmont, ” near Elkridge.
Hanson came from a line of fighting patriots and was nourished in Federalism as in a religion. He shared the conviction of most Federalists that the Republican statesmen were “bound over” to French interests, and Wagner’s “inside information” concerning diplomacy was freely used to spread this view.
Hanson married Priscilla Dorsey, June 24, 1805.