Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-08-18
DIsGRACEFUL OUTRAGE.
DESTRUCTION OF THE URsULINE CONVENT, Al
CnARLEsrowN, mass BY MOB.

at CndfleStoWn, Mass was eHScteQ, We al Z
at least glad to learn, without the additional
crime OF causing death or injury to any OF Its
inmates. BY the account we annex, it will be
seen that our reliance upon the liberal and man
ly feelings of New England to avenge and re-
pair so base and cowardly an outrage, was not
misplaced The result Of the meeting at ia
neuil Hall abundantly testihes, that the gulty,
if detected, viii not lightly escape; and that the
sufferers WILL so far as pecunlary loss IS IN ques-
ton, be amply Undermined.
As to the Immediate actors in the mon, they
were, we presume, composed of that worthless
portion of population which, in greater or less
numbers is to be found in the purlieus OF eve
nv cty-made bold we do not doubt, by the m
puuity with which the riots of New 7 DIRK were
suffered to pass. On that head we copy ana
adopt the annexed sentiments OF the Journal OF
Commerce:
@ff the effects of this riot and Of the late riots
in this city, do not open the eyes of the Amerl
can people, we know not what will. AT the
rate things are going, the time is at hand when
all public buildings, and indeed all private ones,
will exist only at the pleasure of the MOB The
question: is, not whether Converts are good
thing, or whether immediate abolition is a good
thing, but whether we live under government
of laws. and whether those laws are adequate
10 the protection of the lives and property OF
our citizens II is, whether persons accused OF
crime, are to be punished by mob, or by the
constituted authorities ofthe land: whether men
and women are to be protected in the exercise
of their religon-or are to do 1t at the peril OF
all they hold dear in life"
The TRANSFORMATION of the Catholics at the de-
struction of the Convent might, it was Tor
time feared at Cambridge, lead TO retaliation,
by the destruction oe the College buildings In
that town; and measures of precaution were
accordingly taken. The universal sentiment OF
Indignation however, with which the atrocities
= vi.
is not to be doubted, satisfy every MIND that as
a community, all felt alike aggrieved by such
proceedings, and thus the resentment OF those
more immediately eggIieved would be d!sarm-
ed.-New York. liner.
Burning Of TIE C5arent az ChGyleStora.-ltis
our painful duty 10 record an act OF violence
nerpetrated last Monday night, OF nature dis
graceful TO the character of New EnglahderS.
The Ursuline Convent on Mount Benedict at
Charlestown, with all the buildings attached,
was destroyed By FIRE communicated by law
less mob.
Collections ofpersons began to assemble ear
lv in the evening in the streets of ChareStoWn,
and near Mount Benedict. About nine o'clock,
MIR. Runey, one of the Seiectmen, addressed a
body of about so assembled near the Convent,
who were threatening violence, requesting them
TO desst, assuring them that having been one
of the members Of the Committee 10 investigate
occasion for the excitement But his remon-
strances had no effect, and the mob continued
TO increase AT about quarter past eleven, the
bells i'm the city gave the alarm OF hre, and
LIGHT was seen in the direction of Mount Bene-
dict in Charlestown. Ii proved, however, to
proceed from some tar barrels which were on
FIRE on an elevation about 200 rods east OF the
Convent-probably prepared as beacon to
assemble the mob. Some of the members oil
artr,a eofn m
the alarm, returned to the city; others, aware OF
the great excitement which prevailed in that
vicinity for some days past, fastened EDWARDS
towards the Convent. Several hundreds OF
peopie were already aSsembled-and from one
hundred and fifty 10 two hundred, disguised IN
various fantastic dresses, and with painted Ia
ces Immediately commenced breaking open the
doors and windows Of the Convent, which was
soon effected They then entered, and cooiy
went TO work to demosh the furniture, and In
less than an hour the WI BE OF the valuable Iur-
niture of that establishment, was removed from
the building, into the yard, and nearly all oe-
stroyed.
The huildlng was then carefully searched
from top to bottom to ascertain whether any
nerson was secreted in any part OF II, (tiS ur-
derstood that the inmates LETT it early IN the
evening torches were then called for, and they
dsliberately set fire to the Nunnery in the Sc
cond story This was about halt past IL O'Clock;
the fire rapidly extended, and in short time
the whole of this magnificent building was IN
flames, and in one hour from the time the first
torch was applied the roof fell in The fire al
60 uas communicated to the out-houSes and the
Chanel which were soon consumed. The mon
then proceeded TO the Bishops Lodge at me
foot of the hill and set fire to it, then to the Old
Nunnery large wooden building ABOUT ten
rods below the Lodge, and in short time 1t
also was in flames. At about O'Clock they
finished the destruction of the buildings, oy
setting fire to the stables, which were also con-
sumed. The beautiful gardens were destroyed
land even the cemetry was wrenched open,and
disfgured. AT daylight the work of destruc-
ton was complete.
The number of persons assembled as actors
in this scene of destruction, or spectators has
been computed AT some thousands. But no at
tempt was made to restrain the mob in their
acts of violence. Not magistrate nor Police
officer was to be seen. Engines from Charles
town. Boston and We believe from Cambridge,
were on the spot, but no effort was made by the
firemen to extinguish the fire, although Col.
Amory made several laudable but frutless at
temnts 10 bring up the fire engines, and stop the