The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-17
history AND ORIGIN OF THE LATE Row.
sThs KnOw-NothiDgs" and the Irish Catholics.
PRoCLAmLTIOS BY THE MAYOR.
LETTER FROM ARCHBISHOP HUGHES.
MEETING LAST NIGHT,
&C., &o., &c.

TO have got clsar idea OF what it Is al
about whilst not tell thing of the origin Of
Ehe matter Undsr these Of corps
has made particular and careful inquiry into the oase
and has elected ths following iacts:-
Four Sundays ago an English man, named West, was
oldpg forth preacher at tho corner Of Forty
rst street and Fifth avenue the sal Palace and
he Reservoir. He is journeymAn carpenter, and not
eguar minister OF any denomir ation but being moved
y the spirit something else, he made an onslaught
gsinst Pope and Popery. He denounced Catholics and
heir religion in the most terrible terms. The Catholic
huroh was the scarlet who're" OF Babylon. The
ieghborhood is nhsbited b. q large number Of Irish
AthoHos OF the humber classes, who could not, as they
,assed avoid hearing this abuse Of their religion and
themselves. Their quick impulsivs Celtic nature was Of
curse roused and being uneducatsd men, some Of them
storted in language Of the kind whilst little
oysas much for the fun Of the thing from any other
aotve-eams behind the preacher and tilted what
standing upon and he Of course fell to tho infinite
aughtsr and amusement Of part Of the crowd
md to the indignation Of the rest. He called Of
be adjoining police station, and wants1 to know
be could not get protection The assistant plain said
Certanly-he must be protected and asked him II he had
license. He said he had one from xMAJor Kingslsnd.
Il turned out however that he had not Next Sunday he
sare again to preach at the place, aud the Know.
Nothings" assembled in great force to sustain him.
The oKnow Nothings are An OIL snoot d tnc oruor oi
yped Americans BY this constitution OF the latter po-
Hcs ars excluded from their proceedings In order TO
wade this rule and to become effective In political
aovemens members Of the body formed a outside So
ret association c.ning themselves Know Nc things,'
nd the principles of their constitution directly hos
s to all Catholics and they pledge themselves to vote
r no nan who is not an American Of three generations
Protected by band this association, West again de-
ounced the Catholics in awful language, when poor
nprudent Irishman said, "Thst is ID he" Inc
now -Nothings fell upon him, and gave hin, tremen-
GUS beating Every Irish Catholic that came along ana
I'D word In reply the denunciaons Of the preacher
lev .icked' most numerically. The police arrived
hen the riot WAS over
On the next Sunday West again to preach ana was
rain escorted by strong bodyguard Of Know Noshinga
aa time, however, he police wero present In great
rce, and demonstrated with West, telling him his
purse WAS calculated to lead to breach OF the peace
nd hat he wanted denounce any scot OF hIistans,
od 10 hold item up public odium, he could easily get
ehurch or house to do So aud that he must not OBJ
ct the streets or give Offences to quiet citizens psssin
rough them He said he had hcers from Mayo
highland. Being asked to produce 1t ne could NOT,
I'd said it was . verbsl one. Captain Walling thcn
lowed him under the hand of the present Mayor ar
,cStion of whatever license he bad or pretsn,ed to
ave. He then went to abingdon square, snd INDUCED
the most ierocious language against the Catholics N
nnouncsd that Rev Mr Parsons who was present. would
reach at the Houston street. In the shipyard o.
he Mayor, on Sunday nexs-that is, Sunday last Tni
announcement was received with shouts of applause
e should mention that West denounced the police and
aid they only went about during tho day to find out
hat they could steal night ard he not content
ith attack merely the religion OF the Catholics, but
assaed the virtue tf their He said the nun
cries Of the Sisters Of Charity nothing bsttsr than
bore houses for the priests.
When the Mayor heard that Parsons announced to
reach In yard he determined to prevent It, he said
Il have allowed temperance preachers and men who pro
sssed to elm at improving the morals OF tho people, to
,ddress the multitude there but object to making my
rivats property theatre for theological stri'e, and
perhaps bcodshed." He accordingly orterei an officer
inform the preacher when he that he could not
permitted to hold forth there. The Rsv Mr. Parsons,
ho ia porter in the Arm Of Davis Brooks, then went
another yard at the OF Third street whsro 1t does
pt appear he had any permission from the owner
here he proceeded address the crowd in tie most vi
lent language against the Catholics and their clergy
bnptcmH Of riot manifest, and some OF the po-
ce present concluded that the bast to prevent 1t
vss to remove the of It, After great deal OF vi
lent language he said the Pope hog and thief,
md that the Nunco the greatest villain unhung
nd that he ought to be hanged. Tho excitsment be.
Ame terrible, and Captain Squires, OF the Eleventh
vard, thought it time to interfere and said,
my good sir this win not do, you must come with
me-" Parsons walked of tho platform and exclaimed,
81 90 as Q lamb to the slaughter."
The police probably under the impression that he
had violated the corporation ordinance by preaching
the street without licencs, or, what they corsid
,red the same thing, Ia open yard, accessible
70 everybody, and part Of the congregation
uay In the street-and, cover that his language
calculated to lead to serious riot In the of
.hs Astor Place riot, some years ago the police
blamed for not being proupt, and now they made up
theb minds to take time BY the forslosk" But It ap-
pears that however Parsons may have velatsd the spirit
Of tbs ordinance, he within Its letter. private
yard cannot with strict construction, be considered
public place."
Tie following the words Of the ordinance OF the
14th Nay, 1885,
No person shall be concerned instrumental In col-
lectng promoting any aassmblage OF persons, under
pret nee Of for public worshp or exhoran ton 10 the
Park Battery in any OF the markets Streets
any public place In the city OF New York. laid out AMI
appropriated for the OF the citizens under
the penalty Of twenty five dolsrs.
According to the same ordinance the Mayor the Re-
corder or one of the Aldermen Assistant Aldermen
may grant licerse to any clergyman minister of
any denomination" 10 preach In any part OF the city.
The Mayer also revoke the license 1t does not sp
pear that Parsons had any license, nor does It appear
that he was SO minister Of any denomination" On the
other hand he not preaching in Ga public place."
within the literal meaning Of the ordinance and was
only guilty Of trespass If he had not the permission of
the owner The duty Of the police therefore, perhaps,
would have been to protect him in the exercise OF the
freedom OF speech, IL they able. Bat in justi6cs
ton they deny that they able to prsven; riot in
large crowd unless by removing Mr. Parsons; and
they allegs they did SO for his own protection.
al a tot tha No
to sack and burn his house he did not at once release
the prisoner. he did net give them answer, but de-
spstched a mssaenger for force OF police. In the
meantime Mr. Parsons brought before Jastic, woed
at Esssx Market Police court, and released, the
ground that there not sufficient ,harge against him
to retain him in custody.
This led to the large msspg In the Park on Tuesday
evening last which got up after tive three hours
notiss, showing secret organization AMI prs-arrangs