The Arkansas advocate., 1834-09-12
From ihe .N.. +. Sur. DfSGRACEFUL OUTRAGE

fPNoNN'e J
 day published postcapt from Boston pa- per, stating the destruction of the Ursulne onyent al Gharlestowh, by desperate moo. The facts we are sbrry to say are con- fsrmed, and to add to the enormity ofthe pro-. ceedings, property to an amount various y stated from forty to sixty thousand dol lars has been destroyeH. The proceed ings are most dlsgracdul and ii forever , must rest as stigma upon the inhabl- tants of that town, that Icy 8 passive eefl- piiance and obedience they have counte- nanced mob disgfaeetui to the eharac- ter of the city and alike dishonorable to their feelings as men. Where Is all their highmindedness and their courage that they stood uHmoved and saw the dwelling of defenceiess women razed to the ground by the ruthless hand of maddened mob. Where were all the high attributes of our nature that dictate to Us the protection of the weaker sex and instinctvely urge us on- ward to their protection and care? We blush for them, and hope the young men will make such explanation as will remove the odium under which they rest. The Boston Atlas says:
 "We remember nc parallel to this outrage in the whole course oi history. Turn to the bloodiest incidents of the French revo- lntiefi-Talll up the curtain tifai hangs be- fore it's most sanguInarY scenes and point us to its equal in unprovsked violence, i'll brutal outrage, in unthwarted iniquity.
 sHhat a scene must this midnight con- fagratioa hG4e exiHielted-- lighting up the in- famed counienances of an lniuriated mob Of demons ATTACKING A CONVENT OF WOMEN, A SEMINARY FOR THE INsTRUG- TIoN OF YOUNG FEMALES, and turning them out of their beds, alfnakedin the hurry of then flight, and half dead with con- fusion and terror. And this drama, too, to be enacted on the very soil that afforded one of the earliest places of refuge to the puritan fathers of New England them- selves flying from religious persecution in the old world-that their descendants might wax strong and mighty, and in their turn be guilty of the same prosecutions in tie new P
 The cause of all this violation of law aud order arose from an uniounded ramor, Circulated among the ignorant by the des- ignlng and wicked, who entertained hostili- W towards the institution, and circulated a story of the secretion os aiiduciion of q young nun, who, after taking the veil, had been desirans of leaving the wals nj The nnnnery. 50 drtfallv framed was the sto- ", and the credaHty of L people SD well imposed upon, that on breaki0g into the convent, they immediately repaired to the ceneuy, wresled open it's doors, ran through it's vaults, searched every recess thinh,na to ind a nun secreied, and the scenes ot Lewis' Monk acted over and verified. The burning of the nunnery had been spoken of iii Charlestown, 1t Is said, openly during the day preceding the out rage, and although signs of the collecting of mob was visible early in the evening, still no precautionary measures were adopt ed, the threats not being credited; but we think eareiessnAss has been displayed by the authorities, which nothing can paIliate. On Monday night, about ten o'clock. a crowd began 10 assemble in front of the convent on Mount Benedict, uttering cries indicative of theIr intentions, and reques- ting the inmates to withdraw. It was their determination to destroy the building. There were at that time in the convent the Lady Abbess, l2 nuns, and 57 female scholars. The effect or the communica- ton of this intelligence to nuns and sehol- ars we can easily picture. The nuns are said to have fainted, and for some time they could not be recovered from the swoon into which they had fallen. On their re- covery, they were told if they did not hasti- ly retire, they would be burned with the building. The children had retired to rest, and were awakened from their slumbers by the superior, when collecting such articles as they could lay their hands upon, they made thelr escape through the back door into the garden, where they gathered round the tomb, but were driven away and sought re- fuge among the houses of the inhabitants. Then followed scene not easily to be des- crlbed. Numbers rushedinto the dwelling, hewlng down doors and demolishing win dows and furniture in their mad and unhal- lowed course.
 From one to two hundred, fantasticalIy dressed, with painted faces, collected she furniture of great valne iFto heaps and set ing 1t on fire, indulged n cries and yells of triumph. Flambeaux were then applied to various parts of the buildings and at about half past twelve 1t was completely enveioped iu flames, tbe roof falling in with dreadful crash, the fire was then commu-
 nlcated hy the mob to the Bishops Lodge at the foot of the hill, the old Nunnery a large wooden Iuilding, all of which fell !, sacrifice to heir fury. At o'clock,