The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-03-19

A writer in the Boston Transcript gives a table
of all the famous riots in England. His object,
evidently is to bring the present inefficient police
OF Boston into just reproach. We select his account
of the Porteous riot, in Edinburgh, when one of
its prisons broken open, Porteous taken out Of
his cell, and hanged:
In 1877 occurred the memorable riot in Edn-
burgh, upon which occasion Captain Pofieous
hanged by the mob. This affair gives rise to
various reflections, not the least remarkable OF
which is consideration of the extreme difficulty
OF identifying offenders, whenever the outrage,
however inanifesty unlawful, is not altogether dis
agreeable to the feelings of the people, To com
prehend the force of this remark the reader must
be apprsed of the facts. April IA, 1885, several
smuggers were about to be executed at Edln-
burgh Porteous was Captain of the Guard. One
of the smugglers, regardless of his own fate, to
the life of comrade, rushed head-long upon
the soldiers, and by drawing their attention from
his companion to himself, enabled him to escape,
which he did etectualy, and was never re-taken.
This example of sefdevotion captivated the pop
ulace of course, who gave vent to their feelings in
cheers
Captain Porteous, apprehensve of design to
his other prisoners, on the part OF the mob,
who were closing in upon him, ordered the Guard to
fire, and seventeen of the mob were killed or
wounded Captain Porteous was tried in July of
that year, and found guilty OF murder The Queen,
the King being at Hanover, granted him reprieve,
and the Court resolved to save him, as person
unduly convicted by partial and excited jury.
The mob resolved that he should die; and notwth-
standing the reprieve, upon the day appointed for
his execution, they gathered in vast numbers broke
open the prison, and dragging him to the grass
market, hung him upon dyer s sign-post in spite
OF the military power and municipal authorities OF
Edinburgh. .E200 were offered by the British
Government, for the discovery OF any one of the
offenders, and however extraordinary it may ap-
pear, not Of them was ever identified.
This hgh-handed outrage upon the rights OF in
dividuals, and upon the peace and dignity OF the
Commonwealth, was not thus to pass unexpiated
In the commencement of 1877, it was considered
in the House of Lords. All the documentary evi
dence was duly examined. host of witnesses
among them three Scottish Judges, were examined
at the bar. bill was brought in, to disable th'
Provost of Edinburgh, for ever, from holding any
place or post of magistracy, in Great Britain-fo
his imprisonment-for aboshing the city guard
and for taking away the gates of the Neither Bow
Port so IS to leave the city open on the side wher
the Kings troops were quartered. In behalf OF tn
Provost, and of the citizens, 1t was clearly shoWf
that the mob was mainly composed of country pee
pie, excited by the relatives of those who had su
fered from the fire of the guard; and that if he
the Provost" had done amiss, he erred iro
want of Judgment rather than from any want
inclination to protect the unfortunate Porteous.
The Lords seem to have been uf the opinio
that, i'll a exceedingly plain, no chiei mi
gistrae conld be suffered To plead his want
Judgment" as an excuse for emitting to perior
his clear and obvious duty; and, notwithstandir
all manner Of remonsirance the bill was passed; al
sent down TO the Commons, where, after the mo
earnest opposition Of the Scottish members, 1t W;
also passed, with some amendments and mItIg
tlons = sent back 10 the Lords, who concurred
the amendments, and received the royal assent.
have dwet somewhat longer than | olherwi
should, upon the Porteous riot, because the narr
tive exhibits, pretty clearly, the opinions of I
British Parliament, as to the duties OF The ch
municipal officer of city, in such contlngen
as this. The opinions formed in 1887, in relati
10 the duties of a municipal chief officer. WI
based upon the same iInmuIabe principles OF co
mon sense, upon which like opinions may SAFE
be based in 1851.