Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-31
THE ERIE {" RIoTs..

AS belonging 10 the news or the day, we nave
with no little pain copied the accounts which have
from time to time reached u.s. through the public
journals Of what was stated to be- and appeared to
be, riotous destruction Of property and bloody af
trays at Erie, Pennsylvania, growing out Of local
hostility to certain railroad passing through that
town. never dreaming that the violent transactions
referred to were not rghtfully designated as riots
and the actors therein as rioters We have, how
ever received from two most respectable gentlemen
of Pennsylvania, both of them residents of the VI
cnage, letters demonstrating against the condemna-
tory language applied by the press to the vioient
proceedings at Erie and its neighborhood Deny
ing to no man or body Of men arraigned in our
columns the privilege OF being heard in defence, we
give below one OF the letters referred to- not deem
ing 1t necessary to Insert them both, and for con-
vcnience selecting the shorter of them We have
great respect for the writer, both as gentleman
and lawyer, and are glad to find that any thing
can be said in extenuaton or justification of acts
apparently so illegal and outrageous While, how
ever, yielding all faith and credit to what our friend
offers in their defence, we still do not see how an
ordinance OF the Corporation of Erie to abate an
alleged nuisance within its limits can authorize the
inhabitants OF the town to 60 six or seven miles off
and destroy railroad bridge; and we should sup
pose that the courts would afford redress fer any
wrong, whether public or private, without resort
to violence.
Pennsylvania, DECEMBER o5, 1853.
Messrs. GALES SEAToN-GESTLEMEN: l observed in
your Saturdays lnteligenser paragraph headed Erie
Riots in which it is stated that the Circuit Court
Pittsburgh had decided both the against the
srs Both the fact and the epithet, sure you will
be glad should you have occasion again to
refer to it. Let say that there have been riots
Distractions in the streets placed there without author
ty of law have been quietly removed by the city officers
and those chosen by them to assist Not act has been
done in the city of Erie without the ordinance of the
Councils directing it and the Mayor supervising its
cution Is right under these circumstances to denomi-
nate such acts riots such actors rioters Even il
mistaken the authority of the city should be sufficient
shield her peaceful citizens from the brand of rioters
The people of Erie far from being rioters the
operatives at this moment pursuing their lawful calling
in your excellent establishment.
The fact stated is very erroneous indeed In one of
the the Circuit Court not only refused to enoin the
city authorities from removing the railroad distractions
from the Streets but declared that the road made
without authority of law and in fraud of the law that
listed In the other the court granted preliminary
injunction until further order" till answer by the
city, which is to be put in within thirty days Even
this granted with great hesitancy Your notice
ains the inquiry will theSoters submit now The city
authorities will doubtless submit to whatever may be
quired: there rioters.
Your paragraph also represents in substance that the
principal nstgators Of the mob profess to say that the
law is their side Now these instigators the
tire bar Of Erie, with the exception of two, at most
three members in the interest of the railroad companies
For honor and intelligence that bar will compare farora
bly, with equal numbers in any bar in the Union 1t is
hardly fair for strangers to them and their characters
assume that their opinions, solemny given and acted
upon by them is mere pretence l viii undertake to
say, and both Of you have knowledge of that
the law is with the city of Erie, and will be pronounc
ed rs certainly as judicial investigation shall