The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-08 00:00:00

UNITED STATES.

The Boston papers contain the following- accounts-of a
shocking outrage committed at Charlestown, near Boston, on
the 11th ult., when a Catholic seminary of eduoation was de.
stroyed by the mob:—
(From the Boston Morning Post.)
It is well known that for some days a groundless rumour has
prevailed in Charlestown and its vicinity, that a young lady,
placed in the Catholic Convent, as a candidate for the veil,
has been secreted or abducted, through the machinatipns of the
controlling agents 'of the establishment, and was not to be
found by her friends. In consequence of this rumour, a great
excitement was created in Charlestown, and open threats of
burning down the convent were uttered, but scarcely credited,
till ten o'clock on Monday night, when a large mob collected
round the institution, calling out, " Give us the Figure
Head," meaning, probably, the Superior, and communicated
to the inmates their design to carry their threats into execu-
tion, and gave them a certain time to retire. At this moment
the convent contained twelve nuns, and fifty-seven female
scholars, some of whom were of a very tender age. One of
the latter informed us, that at the first annunciation, all, or
nearly all, the nuns swooned, and were not aroused to a
sense of their dangerous situation until the heralds
of destruction returned and reiterated their mission,
with threats of burning the nuns with the building.
The unfortunate ladies then retired to the garden, carrying
with them such articles of value as were within reach. In
order to accelerate their flight, tar barrels were brought near
to the walls, and ignited, and as soon as the building was de-
serted, the assailants entered, with flaming torches, and after
flying through the apartments which were fitfully illuminated
by the transient, but glaring blaze of the torches, they were
simultaneously applied at twenty different 'points, among the
curtains and drapery of the rooms, and instantly the interior of
the institution was enveloped in one general conflagration.
The astounded refugees first gathered round the tomb 'at the
bottom of the garden, but were soon driven from this sanctuary
by the ruthless avengers of an imaginary wrong, and were
compelled to fly to the adjoining fields and neighbouring
houses for safety. A large number found a retreat in the
house of Mr. Joseph Adams, at Winter Hill. The mob burst
open the tomb, and ransacked the coffins, but retired without
offering any other outrage to the ashes of the dead. The
torches were applied about eleven o'clock, and the Boston
engines, responsive to the tocsin of alarm, immediately re-
paired to the spot, but were prevented from acting against
the fire, by the surrounding multitude, which, we are in-
formed, was not less than four thousand in number. The
mobocrats did not cease from their exertions till the main
building, together with the chapel, outhouses, and even the
gardener's dwelling were entirely destroyed. The few articles
that the nuns and scholars succeeded in conveying to the gar-
den, were seized upon by the destroyers, and thrown back into
the flames, and nothing was rescued from ruin except what was
actually attached to their persons. When the nefarious un-
dertaking was thoroughly accomplished, fragments of fire and
combustibles were collected, and a bonfire lit up as a signal of
triumph. A majority of the scholars were Protestants, some
of whom have no relatives in the vicinity, and their distressing
situation, being stripped of everything, is indescribably la-
mentable.
The theatre of the outrage, yesterday morning, presented a
melancholy scene—parents anxiously, but without avail, in-
quiring for their daughters, and brothers for their sieters--
were to be met with on every hand. Thousands of spec-
tators thronged the hill—some staring, more sorrowing, a
miserable few rejoicing, at the evidence of ue,parralleled de-
solation.
We hope that no attempt will be made by the Catholics at re-
taliatory measures—this would only augment the evil ten fold,
and forfeit the sympathy, and allay the deep indignation which
the unjustifiable outrage on Monday night has excited.

GREAT MEETING AT FANEUIL HALL. •
An immense multitude assembled at Faneuil Hall, in pur-
suance of an invitation from the Mayor, this day, at ono
o'clock (although the notice was given but two hours previous)
to take measures relative to the riot at Charlestown. The
resolutions were offered by Josiah Quincy, jun., Esq., who
prefaced them with a few most eloquent remarks.
After the resolutions were read, the Hon. Harrison Gray
Otis addressed the assembly. On making an allusion to the
good Bishop Cheverus, he was interrupted by loud and con-
tinued applause. There was an excellent feeling pervading
the vast multitude, and the resolutions were unanimously
adopted, amid applause never before exceeded within the walls
of old Faneuil.
Resolved... That in the opinion of the citizens of Boston, the
late attack on the Ursuline Convent in Charlestown, occupied
only by defenceless females, was a base and cowardly act, for
which the perpetrators deserve the contempt and detestation
of the community.
Resolved—That the destruction of property and danger of
life caused thereby calls loudly on all good citizens to express
individually and collectively the abhorrence they feel at this
high-handed violation of the laws.
Resolved—That we the Protestant citizens of Boston, do
pledge ourselves, collectively and individually, to unite with
our Catholic brethren in protecting their persons,,' their pro-
perty, and their civil and religious rights, &c.
Resolved—That the Mayor be requested to nominate a com-
mittee from the citizens at large, to investigate the proceed-
ings of the last night, and to adopt every suitable mode of
bringing the authors and abettors of the outrage to justice. A
committee was nominated by the Mayor.

(From the Boston Transcript.)
The whole party were disguised. All of them, so far as we
can learn, had their faces painted—some after an Indian
fashion, and others in other ways; and a part of the number
employed devices and disguises of various other descriptions,
adapted to conceal the individuals concerned in the outrage
from recognition.
The nuns, and those of the pupils whose relatives do not
reside in the neighbourhood, are now quartered with the Sis-
ters of Charity, in Hamilton-street. Mr. Cutter, we under-
stand, gave an asylum to a large number of them during the
night. We are told this afternoon by one of the pupils that
the only one of their number who saved any clothing was a
little girl 12 years of age, who had packed up some dresses
in a large handkerchief some time before the alarm was given,
supposing there might be trouble sooner or later, and carried
them away in safety.

(From the Boston Commercial Gazette.)
Fears were entertained yesterday that there would be fresh
disturbances last evening. It was reported that the Irish la-
bourers on the Worcester, Lowell, and Providence rail-roads,
were on their way to the city in great numbers, for the pur-
pose of aiding their Irish brethren in avenging the insult that
was offered to them by the destruction of the Catholic seminary
at Charlestown. It is true, we believe, that several hundreds
of these labourers arrived in the city last evening ; but we
have heard of no acts of violence on their part, or from any
other quarter. The evening passed off quietly, at least so far
as this city is concerned, although the streets were thronged
until a late hour. We have rarely seen so many people abroad
as there were last evening.
Much credit is due to Bishop Fenwick, for the exertions
he made to dissuade the Catholics from all acts of retaliatory
violence. He dispatched five or six priests in different direc-
tions during the afternoon to intercept the labourers, who
were known to be on their way to Boston, and to instruct them
not to raise a finger in defence of what they considered their
violated rights. This was a judicious movement, considering,
the unparalleled state of excitement into which our citizens
have been suddenly thrown, by the outrageous conduct of a
portion of the people of Cambridge and Charlestown.
We understand that all the independent light infantry com-
panies were under arms last night, prepared with ball-car-
tridges, to act in any emergency which might require their
services. Hundreds of respectable citizens were also "on
hand," to aid the civil and military authorities. Most sincerely
do we hope there may be no occasion for them to act.
So great was the excitement among the Catholics yesterday
that Bishop Fenwick deemed it necessary to call them together
in the afternoon, at the church in Franklin-street. At six
o'clock several hundreds had assembled, when the Bishop came
in and addressed them for about thirty minutes, in a most elo-
quent and judicious manner. He deserves the warmest com-
mendations from his Protestant fellow-citizens for the admira-
ble style in which he managed this business.
The value of the buildings destroyed at Charlestown on
Monday evening is estimated at 20,000 dollars. They cost
that sum. The furniture of the principal house was elegant
and costly, and was probably worth about as much more.
There were ten or twelve pianofortes, some of them splendid
instruments—three harps, one of which cost 500 dollars—and
five guitars, among the articles destroyed. The females lost
all their clothing, except what they had on when they flew
from the incendiaries. The above facts were obtained from a
source that may be relied on.
At eleven o'clock last evening the city was quiet, and we had
heard of no act of violence in Charlestown.
(From the Boston Daily Advertiser.)
Besides the nunnery, several other buildings belonging to
the establishment were also burnt. The fire was deliberately
communicated to the chapel, to the Bishop's lodge, the stable,
and the old nunnery, a large wooden building situated at a
short distance from the others. It is asserted also that the
cemetery was opened, and its contents taken out and exposed
to view. The work of destruction was continued until day-
light, when the mob dispersed. Of the pecuniary value of the
property thus destroyed we cannot give any accurate estimate.
It is supposed to have cost from 50,000 to 100,000 dollars.

SPORTING EXTRAORDINARY.—As Mr. Samuel
Robinson, of Melbourn, in this county, was shooting on the Ist
of September, with a double-barreled gun,
his gun burst and
laid open his left hand, and otherwise injured him. 131,it so keen
was he after sport, that after holding. his wounded harm in
warm water, at the sign of Sir Francis Burdett, fcr about an
hour, he took a single-barreled gun and traversed the re-
mail:der of the ground with his left hand in his bosom ; and in
that state, having the opportunity of firing five times, he killed
four of his birds.--Derby Reporter.
TENTH HUSSARS AT A DISCOUNT..--A rather
whimsical circumstance took place at Dungannon on the 18th
inst. A boy was to be publicly whipped through the town on
that day ; and, for carrying the sentence of the law into effect,
the hangman d
had to be brought from Omagh. A great crowd
was assemble to witness te punishment • they were keeping
the sharp look-out for the hangman, when a'
unfortunately happened to pass ;
gallant Captain ft'
the above distinguished corps
as he was attired, not en inilitaire, but •
shooting-
dress
(or, as he contemptuously styled litn, ahsis alrts7h clothes),
he was instantly taken for the functionary of the law. The
mob commenced hooting and groaning at him, and at length
proceeded to pelt him with stones and mud, to escape from
which the man of war was forced to decamp at full speed, and
to take refuge at the inn,—Derry Sentinel.