The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-08-04
RUM, ROwDYIsM, AND PREJUDICE.

lsntnent OF tue reucrai BONeTuulent.
RUM, R0wDY1sM, AND PREJUDICE.
We shoult fail in duty, as conductor Of
a public press, should we neglec, 10 notice
the disgraceful brawls and afrays which
have occurred here Of late, disturbing the
public peace, and causing feeling and ex-
element, which, il not checked, may lead
10 more serious results than have yet &C.
cured. Every few days we hear Of per.
sons being arraisned before Justice Cole,
or some other Justice, for petty assaults, and
trivial ofienses growing on, Of these assaults,
and fined, OF held 10 answer to court (; and
many Of these cases, or the circumstances
corrected with them, seem 10 furnish the
cause for new assaults and new trials - aud
so they are psrpelually" finding day" in
these petty courts. On Saturday night ihSro
was an atfray between four foreigners and
Two brothers, Nathan B. aud Silas Noble, in
which pistol was fired. hurting nobody.
however, BY one Of the Mobiles, and as he
says, 10 defend his life. On Monday the
Two Mobiles were brough, before Justice
Shillaber, and Silas Noble was convicted Of
an assault, and fined So, and Nathan b.
Noble, bound over in the SUN Of $500 10
court. for assault, with dangerous weapon.
On the same day. so we learn, the Mobiles
made complain, agains, these foreigners,
before Justice Cole, and his magistrate
bound them all over TO court, OIL charge
of riot, in The sum Of $3.50.
On Sunday evening another afiray &C.
cured between foreigner and a person by
the name Of Drrgin, commencing in the
first place about adog fight, aud finally
ending in the foreigner, whose name is
Conolon, drawing pistol, which, we be-
lieve, was not loaded however, ana threat.
ing 10 shoot all who came in his way, as he
said, also, 10 defend himself. Conolon was
tried before Justice Cole, on complaint oil
Durgin, and fined SIS for an assault, and
Conolon entered complaint before Justice
Shillaber against Durgin, and the Justice
fined Durgin in the sum Of SIS. So ilseems,
taking the action of the magistrates in both
of these cases, all were guilty ofan assault,
and all the parties have been fined, or held
TO answer 10 the charges. We were not
presen, when these trials were held, but
our facts are from reliable sources, and Iudg-
ing from wha, has been told US, both OF
these cases, as well as others which have
occurred before, are attributable 10 spirit
Of rowdyism, stimulated by rum, and preln'
dice, which is rife among certain classes in
our community. These cases have caused
considerable excitement here, and the Preju-
d:ces agains, the few foreigners who reside
here, have been excited 10 such degree as
10 ,hrearen serious disturbances Of the
peace.
We have been told BY several gentlemen,
owners of real estate here, who have iene-
ments leased 10 Irish or Canadian families,
,ha, their buildings have been attacked, the
glass broken, and the lives OF the helpless
women and children, the inmates Of these
buildings, periled by volleys ofs,ones thrown
by rowdy boys, and still more Towdy men,
who seem ben, upon disturbing the public
peace. We have ourselves heard not ur.
frequently, course, vulgar and profane re-
marks in our streets, as we have passed
along, calculated TO breed strife and i'll feel
ing between The foreign and native popula.
ton. Now this is all wrong, and ought,
aud will receive the condemnation OF every
good citizen. Whatever person may think
OF the influence Of the foreign element Of
our population, and whatever course they
may take legally and constiu'ionally 10
abridge il, he has no RICH, 10 interfere with
the protection which The laws give 10 al!
classes. The foreign population have rights
as well as the natives, and none br, cow
ard would seek TO deprive them Of wha,
justly belongs 10 them and the man or
boy who is seen engaged in iio,ous proceed.
ings around The dwelling of a foreigner,
and those who encourage willfully such
proceedings, wonld no, be injured by a
comparison with The worst foreigner in our
place. We are aware that there may be
blame on both sides, AID we are also aware
that much which we are reprobaling, arises
from ,houghllessness and from being carried
away BY excitement, but everybody should
understand that foreigners, as well as ma.
,iyes, have rights, which it is the duty Of
The public authorities TO project, and which
they will project at all hazards. In this
place there is lille excuse for the nantes.
ta,ions Of this prejudice, the foreign popu.
la,ion here is small, it inierferes with no
native labor, and although there may be in.
dividuals who may be quarrelsome among
il, as whole, we are not aware il is mole
evilly disposed than the other class.
II is alleged, and we have no doub, with
truth, that the causes Of these brawls are
directly iraceable 10 The rumselling which
is carried on secretly in this place, and that
the competition which exists between The
keepers Of the Irish places where i, is sold
and other places, produces half the mis-.
chief. Be this as il may, we have no doubt
,ha, rum is great agent In getting up these
brawls. A regard for truth COMPEL US 10