The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-12
Phllodelphla.

PHILADELPHIA, Mayo, 1874.

PHILADELPHIA, Mayo, 1874.
Knowing your desire 10 have The la
test and most authentic news from all quarters, SIT
down to inform you that we have been Tor some
days in the midst of most astonishing and extra
ordinary excitement. A certain number OF gentle
men, calling themselves par excellence, Native A.
mericans, after havingdenounced all foreigners as
nimcal to the liberties and prosperity of the coun-
try, have been exempfyng their attachment TO
the laws, and amusing themselves for some days
and nights, by shooting, burning and destroying
the Roman Catholic Irish, their dwellings, church.
es, &c. A very considerable number OF houses,
the dwellings of these people, have already been
burned, with many Of their inhabitants. men, wo-
men and children: Such of the men as attempt to
escape are shot down., or dragged through the
streets with ropes round their necks until dead;
and the women and children who escape the flames
are hunted from place to place until finally driven
for shelter to the woods in the nelghborhO0d of
the, city. Several of the churches schools, orphan
asylums, &c. have already been burned down, and
it would appear il there was something peculiarly
agreeable in the heatemltted from burning Roman
Catholic Church, as the parties engaged in that oc-
cupation express the greatest transports OF delight
notwithstanding the weather with us at this time is
by no means unpeasantly cold. AS we Philadelphia
ans a staid, quiet, sober people all these amuse
ments are conducted in the most orderly and sys'
dence of the military and police. When a house
or church is set on fire it is instantly surrounded
by the police and military who suffer no one TO ap-
proach or interfere with the progress OF the flames
RENTED for the last four days and nights till they
are no longer able TO sustain the fatigue. To day
the Mayor limited the citizens to assemble in town
meeting and politely informed them of the pro-
ceedings of the last four or five days, and of the
exertions of the Native Americans" to sustain
the laws and Liberties OF the country; respectfully
enquirng whether these important duties should
be left in the hands of the Native American party,
(under the superintendent OF the mayor and po-
lice,) as at present, or whether the citizens gene
rally would take the matter under their immediate
direction and CONTROL Our Mayor being an anna
BILE, quiet, gentlemanly man, was, of course ex
tremely anxious to relieve himself and his police
from business OF this nature, never dreaming,
good easy soulD what some Of his pre-
Wharton for instance, } that he and his police were
selected and paid by the public to attend to that
very identical thing.
1t was finally resolved, as the mayor and po-
matters to attend to preparatory to the ensuing
electons;-a.ld as the military, (not being called
out by fequisition from the Governor) could not
be expected to perform further duty without know
ing from what quarter they were to receive pay
for the same-and the Governor, (entertaining
the astonishing idea that it was the duty oil the
Mayor and Sheriff. TO provide for the preservation
OF order in the city and county, did not see fit to
semble in their respective wards this evening,
headed by the ward aldermen, to relieve the May
or, Sheriff and police in the arduons duty OF super
icans" as aforesaid. We have therefore every
reason to expect that the business OF to night will
pass off in as orderly, quiet and sober manner as
the business of the last three or four nights has
been conducted.
| am, sir, yours very respectfully,
"A PHItADELPHlAN"
P. S: The foregoing letter should have gone by
yesterdays mail but was unavoldably delayed.
Since the above was written the Governor has
arrived in town bringing companies of military
from Harrisburgh and Lancaster to relieve the
worn out military of this district. The marines
from Fort Mifilin and the crew of the U. S: ship.
Princeton have been marched to the city for the
same purpose. Our local military and police will
therefore have an opportunity of enjoying some re-
pose after their fatlgulng exertlons The Irish"
being either exterminated or fled from the city,
the Natives" have availed themselves of the
opportunity to take some repose and relaxation
previous to their further exertions to maintain the
laws and liberties of their country.
We expect another demonstration of their pa
trotism to night or to morrow, and it is expect
ed hereafter that every display Of hanging, shooting
or burning on their part, WILDE accompanied by
I" fen de 1oic'' on the part of the military, our cti-
zens are on the tip toe of expectation and look for
great events.
1t has been demonstrated in the course of these
proceedings that the Irish az easily affected by
shot gun wounds any other class OF people also,
tHdt Hanging, OF suSpchs1on, VI Hds
not the same effect upon them, owing to their hav
ing been so long accustomed 10 it In their country.
One of the morning papers informs us that =. Ia
gert-the Irishman who was hanged, dragged on
the street, and left for dead at the Northern Liber
ties lock up house-is mending slowly, having,
strange to say no bones broken, and will un-
doubleday recover. An effort was actually made
yesterday to procure his release;"-(for the pur-
rose of repeating the experiment. but it was
resisted, Of course, by the good sense of the in
spectors,, who, no doubt considered the pre-
vious experiment sufficiently satisfactory.
Peace be with thee
We are informed by several respectable persons
of this vicinity, who were up at Kensngton yester
day, that there were numbers of halfgrown boys
and men engaged at that time in digging UP. and
robbing the graves of the burial grounds OF the
burned church of st. Michael The silver plates
and ornaments were being torn from the collins OF
the dead, and sold to individuals who made it their
business to offer high prices for the 81 me. This is
really an outrage Of the grossest kind, and should
be looked to by all who respect the decent usages
of society.