The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-11
The Phi2adetphta Riots.

Che Philadelphia Riots.
These gross aud andacious ouirages are still th.
talk OF the city. In the political annals Of this
country no other occurrs are tobe found which
have disgraced the land and furnished the repu-
tatlon of any party. Accord ng 10 the best account,
1t appears thai on the side Of the Natives" there
have been fourteen persons killed and hrty-nlnr
wounded On the eide of the opposite party--the
Irlsh-we have read of only two killed, but two OF
their churches and a seminary have been burned TO
the ground-sixty or seventy dwellings destroyed
and two hundred families driven out of the city,
women and children, wandering about not knowing
where to lay their heads. For three days these
riots continued without any remark able effort beng
made by the respectable portion OF the citizens, or
the city authorities to put a stop to them. Take II,
all in all, this has been the most depiOrable even,
which has ever occurred TO disgrace the character
of Philadelphia and may well excite the greatest
alarm in the minds of all who love and honor the
institutions of this land. II now becomes the So
lemn duty of all good citizens to reflect deeply on
the causes which have produced this appalling out
rage, and to devise some appropriate remedies for
these evils which have thus presented themselves
in such fearful manner.
The first thing which strikes us in examining
these events is the introduction Of religious
| elements into what seem to have preceded the
whole of the outrages on both sides 1t
was not mere quarrel between opposing
political factions. In the conflicts of party
in this country, there has often been great excite
ment, and very violent war Of opinion, but we have
never, on any former occasion, witnessed the in.
fusion of such degree OF bitterness as led to the
preparation of wholesale murder, or widespread
dos of syty have in
terrible outbreak in Philadelphia. Political con-
tests have presented more dignfed character, and
confined themselves to the more reputable weapons
OF reason, discussion, argument and common
sense 1t is the Infusion of religious preudices into
political contests that prepares the way for outrage,
disorder, blood, tumult, and conhagrations Of this
we have now witnessed the melancholy evidences in
Philadelphia. And OF the existence of the same
elements OF danger we have also had evidence IN
the of the last election in the city OF Brook
lyn but which fortunately were repressed and pre-
vented from producing their terrible results of vio-
ence and bloodshed, by the exercise of common
sense, which never fails to act here through the
immediate fundamentally OF an independent press.
Who then frs, introduced this drsolating element
of religious prejudice and religious feeling into po-
litical contests7 On whom rests this fearful re-
sponsibility? Who frs, rsked together the emberf
of religious animosity, and Opened the way for the
perperailon OF those bloody and devastating out
rages2 Let us come to the roo! Of the evil lie
us trace il 10 ts origin let lis discover who have
been the authors OF This deplorahe state Of things
that they may receive the odlum which the
deserve.
Well, in looking back upon the history of th'
last few years, VIZ f!n1 that there certain H.
sembage If politicians, ot u pirt'cuar class. II
what is called "C,rrolI III Ill.," and that RI Rev
Bishop of thi- CITY, abandoning his holy calling
went down lnto that arena and harangued the as
sembed multitude in relation to their political du
ties at the election of 1911 This holy man, ha,
he been left 10 follow the impulses Of his owl
heart and the preccpts Of his Divine Master, woul'
never have thought OF wandering into that arena
or of exhibiting himself in that character Blu w
have every reason Ia believe that he was mis-d
and betrayed, and duped into that conduct b
some paltry politicians, for the mere political pur
poses of the election If day. Here then. Was tn
first Introduction of the religious element into pc
litica contests.
Another Gauge which has led to this srraying il
fierce and hostile attitude Of d fferent classes Of tn
citizens ct thu county has been the orgaDiz no
OF me = heprti hNsnclhlon-, nv MI NC hSc
and other small politicians, Tor the purpose al No
vancing their petty and selssh schemes EmugI
ing the example Of O'Conn,l, these men hav
turned "agitators' on small scale, and by max
ng ar,ful appeals to the feelings o the irish. hav,
exercised the most peraicious influence, awaken
| ing in them pfejujices, bisotres and feeling
which every true friend Of lrIshmen seeks to ob
iterate and stimulating against them, on the othe
hand, the prejudlces of other classes OF The Amer
can people And all this has been done by III
same set Of miserable poll and with tn
same views and objects as originated and inHr
enced the movement at Carroll Hall"
To these causes, then, we trace the origin OF tn
state Of feeling which has led to these frlghtful on
RACES in Philadelphia. In order to counteract tn
movements of particular religious sect, there are
tofiesurse, In this city. many spirits ready TO- start