The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-29 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.
(BY EXPRESS.)

ARRIVAL OF THE STEAM SHIP
BRITANNIA.
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY, THREE, A.M.
GREAT RIOTS AT PHILADELPHIA—DESPE-
RATE AFFRAY BETWEEN TEE IRISH AND
NATIVE AMERICAN PARTIES—CONFLICT
WITH THE MILITARY—LOSS OF LIFE—JOI
SMITH, THE MORMON PROPHET, KILLED,
The Britannia, Captain Hewett, arrived here at
one o'clock this morning from Boston and Halifax,
The first place she left on the 16th, the latter on the
18th. She brings sixty-two passengers.
The most important news relates to Mexico,
Canada, the island of Dominica, and the City of Phila
delphia. In Mexico, Santa Anna had called upon
Congress for four millions of dollars and thirty thou-
sand men, to re-conquer Texas, the raising cf
which, in the present condition of that country,
was regarded as absurd. In Canada, the movements
of the Governor-General, Sir Charles Metcalfe, were
perplexed by the hostilities of the Orange and
Catholic parties. A serious riot had occurred at
Montreal on the occasion of laying the foundation
stone of a new church, caused by the display of
Orange lilies, at which the Catholics took offence ;
and a desperate affray, connected with the same
subject, had taken place in Western Canada,l
at a place called Drummondsville. In Domi-
nica, the blacks had had an outbreak, some
meagre details of which came to hand by the
last West India steamer, connected with an
attempt take the census in that island. The papers
by the present arrival announce that Lieutenant Hos-
kens had made an offer to the American Government
to run the Great Western and the Great Britain
steamers, if the United States would provide two
efficient steamers to run, like those named, between
New York and Liverpool, a proposition which had
been declined. Lieut. Hoskens having failed to nego-
tiate an arrangement with President Tyler, had left for
Canada, it was stated, on the same errand. The private
accounts, however, state, that the mission of Lieut.
Hoskens to the United States and Canada had no
immediate connexion with the proposition referred to.
The Hibernia had arrived out, and the Great
Western made the trip in fourteen days and a half.,
She was to have left New York on the 20th ,and will
consequently, in the course of the present week, bring
dates from that city five days in advance of the pre-
sent arrival.
The city of Philadelphia had been the theatre o
further riots between the Irish and the native Ameri-
can parties, arising out of some ill blood on the 4tl,
of July, the anniversary of the declara'ion of Ameri-
can independence. The riots commenced on the 6th,
and the native Americans fired three rounds of cannon
on the Catholic church of St Philip de Neri.
Tne ml) increased till eleven o'clock on Saturday
night, when the Commander of the. City Militar,)
ordered them to disperse, and, on their refusal, was
about to fire on them, when Mr. Naylor, a late mem-
ber of Congress, rushed between the military and
mob, and begged the troops not to fire.
Naylor was immediately seized and imprisoned in
the church. Incensed by this act, the native
Americans drew up two cannon, and fired three
rounds et the doors and windows of the church.
They then went up, battered in the doors, and re-
leased Naylor.
The mob then demanded that the Greens (Irish-
men) should be turned out of the church, which not
being done as speedily as they desired, the mob
assailed the church and drove them out.
The Greens were pelted with stones, and were
driven out of the church with groans and hisses.
They did not fire till three or four of their number
fell with wounds—when they turned upon their pur-
suers and fired a volley of ball cartridge on the mob.
The spirit of blood and carnage was now let loose.
The exasperated mob rushed on the Greens, and
drove them and the city military before them. Squads
of forty or fifty rioters pursued each soldier through
the streets and beat them unmercifully with guns
bayonets, and sticks. One of the soldiers, private
Robert Gallagher, was dragged through the streets,
beaten, mutilated, and pounded unmercifully.
A large number of the city military were locked
up in the Grand Bank as prisoners.
At eight o'clock, P.M., comparative quiet had been
restored, when Captain Hill of the City Guards got
into collision with some elderly person, and struck
him with his sword. The man wrested the sword
from Captain Hill—a crowd gathered—Captain Hill
was knocked down—an attempt was made to stab
him—one of the soldiers rushed with fixed bayonet to
the rescue—he was met by a shower of stones—con-
fusion ensued—a general riot—when General Chad-
wallader rushed up excited, and gave the word Fire"
—when a murderous discharge from the soldiery shot
down the mob in all directions, without discrimination.
Ihe air was now filled with cries of human agony
—blood flowed through the streets—and on all
sides were heard shrieks of the wounded and the