The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-04-24
InsurrectiOn In Cannda-TerrIble state al
Affairs.


Affairs.
We have received advices from Montreal TO the
18th inst They give usparticuars of terrible cleo
ton riots in Monlrea intelligence that the seat of
government was completely in the hands of the
insurgents.
These accounts are funny and melancholy
enough. II is only last week that we read violent
articles in the leadingC paperson the nstitu
mons OF this country, and against our elective
election took place in Montreal, a place about as
large as Brooklyn, and with about two or three
thousand voters; and that city was at taken
possession of by thousand rioters, who kept the
polls entirely to themselves, notwithstanding the
appearance OF large military force, and the rea-
ding of the riot act. a..
Here is a pretty state O, anings to bring in com
parison With the quiet elections, and their happy
suits, IN this country. In his city, with popula-
ton of four hundred thousand, and vote Of
tifty,one thousand there is not so much single
head broken, or lin,S bruised All is Charac-
teriZed with fun, coed humor, and quietness. No
confusion, no push and fighting. no more diff
Guilty, in tact, than in attending crowded church
Yet the Canadian editors would fain make their
readers believe that democratic election was
OF the most brutal affairs IN the annals of nation.
These two pictures should be looked upon in
their true light, and We, therefore, place them be-
fore the world.
(From Montreal Times. April ~
First DAy.-Yesterday the election for this city
menced Upon the previous day the whole Of the labor
from the Lachine Canal numbering about men,
were brought into the city for the purpose Of carrying
Mr.. Drummond's election by force large number OF
men were also brought in from other parts and from
houses farmers in the neghborhood Of Lachne
broken open upon the previous evening by bodies
Of armed rufans, who demanded their fire arms quan
tty OF arms were also brought into the city from the ca
nal, and an affidavit Monday. the effect
that Mr. Tully the city councillor boosted that he had
Nelson's friends has been stated by the opposite party
that abody fmen from Gengarry brought in by Mr.
Nelson this is most Infamous alsehood, neither from
engary or any other place was one man procured and
we DEFY the ognaors of this story to prove to the
by large bodies of canal men, who drove back every cleo
tor who came forward to tender his vote in favor Of Mr.
Nelson Magistrates merchants and traders of the high
est standing again and again to enter the poll
ing places but hustled and knocked down their
clothes torn from them: At the vger Market the two
parties came into collision several times; and soon after
ten about $50 of Mr. Nelson's friends marched down with
number OF electors to protect them in giving their
Votes bu; no sooner 'Sn did they approach the Weigh
Of stones, Of which there large heaps in the
neighbourho.d and rush being, made upon
them by about 500 canal men armed with bludgeons after
struggle for few minutes, during which time many
injured on both sides, and understand MORALLY
poll left in the hands of the rufians After some time
Mr. Delisle the Returning Officer the Sheriff. Col Gugy
and several other gentlemen rode up and to
obtain order; arrangement made for Mr. Nelson's
voters to go to the back part of the house, while Mr.
Drummonds poed in the front; but had they
left than the old game renewed, and Mr.. Nelson's
friends driven back At length was found neces
to obtain the assistance of military power and
two companies of the 43rd were called ou but owing to
bad management, they ONO use As soon as vote
was poiled for Mr.. Molson the voter literally
while the troops stood by without power to interfere
In other wards Jared much the same bands of canamen
and kept out the voters and had proper steps
been taken the election would have suspended until
troops could have been stationed every poll to keep
back these armed ruans who brought direct the
that Of yesterday we never witnessed; the city
throughout the day in the possession Of at the mercy
liberty Of exercising their franchise by men having ne
Their stake interest in the country valuable lives
have been endangered, and peaceahle men seriously
wounded and even at the time write the city and the
citizens are without protection As early Monday
to join him in requistion to the Returning Officer to
call out the troops to preserve order at the polling places
but although this requison backed by some of his
supporters Mr. Drummond refused to do The follow
ing the state OF the poll at the close Molson, 25
Drummond 423.
From the Montreal Gazette, April is
SECOND DAY-Early in the morning, acquisitions
made the military authorities from two quarters for
troops from the magistrates for the purpose preserving
the general peace of the town and from the Returning
Officer with the like purpose Of preserving the general
communications of the different districts with each other
menaced and interrupted by hordes Of ruans stationary
hands, and relieving guard with military punctuaty An
attempt made at renewing the polling but the
of the preceding day renewed with even more vio
encc 1t was work of danger such as there was no in.
ducement to encounter, for to keep eye all the
different polling places and to combine all the accounts
which have reached to this moment into any thing
like consistent whole is utterly impossible But Il his
tory of one is from all that learn the history of all
At the polling place in the Hay Market the
ALL from the opening, beset with crowds Of the Drum
mondite canal laborers These organized under
ealers whose signs they obeyed who recognized the
parties who up to poll if Of Nelson's party they
hustled and obstructed and If they persevered and
sometimes when they did not, most brunlly mareaed
them. The military were then called out and OCCUPIED
the square in front of the polling place The only effect
was, to make the Drummondites withdraw to wider
circle There was no protection except under the bayo
Whoever
hostile suspected be so-ndeed generally speak
ing, every who looked like gentleman, assault
ed and his clothes destroyed by cutting Instruments and
all to the poll by Mr. Nelson's friends efectualy
debarred. As this known Mr.. Nelson
resigned under protest against the legality Of the election
ard withdrew his polling clerks and agents from the
booths From within an hour Of the opening OF the poll
be said that the struggle had ceased though ndv
dual electors continued to offer themselves Whenever
this the case the signal for the renewal of the
brutality In the ward to which have just referred
one eecor attempting TO get up to the poll thrown
down. his clothes literally torn from his back, and he
would certainly have been murdered that the sodiery
rescued him. though not without INJECTING some severe
blyonet wounds his assaants. The absolute impos.
sbity OF clearing the polls without military execution
which must have been attended not merely with the
tire suspension of the election, but with the shedding of
o.ents Of blood both of the innocent and <he guilty by
firing must have been evident every
The polls being deserted by Mr. Nelson's friends and
great number Of persons went up in the OF the
day whose were OF course recorded without qucs-
ton in his favor. The following the numbers de.
clar ID by the Drummond party at the shutting up of the
polling places at five o'clock
DRU,nroSp. MoIsoS.
Total 1883 463
463
Majority for Drummond, 900
The returning officer will make his declaration of the
result at noon on Friday The matter of course will not