The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-09-07

Louisville Rioss-sag Eicht Rhstoric-some "els-
CANT extracts''-sing ular sort Of rivalry-A Hini
to Foreigners
MR. EDIroR:-In referring in previous number
of your paper to the means by which the Louisville
riots brought about and the resorts OF the anti
American organs to appropriate the affair to polIti-
cal capital omitted In order to reduce the length
of the communication, a notice of some additional
facts worthy of attention; which, as they are not
without bearing on what I shall now have to say,
may be appropriately enough introduced here
Besides, as the Sag NIGHT stump speakers, as well
as papers, in their desperation for something to go
upon in the present crisis. seem determined to hold
with death grasp, to the Louisville riot plank. it
may be proper to refresh the memory now and
then, with the plain facts in hecase, that the nature
of that support, and Of those who cling to it with
such tenacity, may appear in the true light to all
soberminded citizens, of whatever class or parent
age.
The following extract from an article by the editor
of the Evansville Journal who was in Louisville at
the time Of the riots explains how they were more
directly precipitated on that occasion:
Last Monday, about noon we visited the polls Of
Office were in possession Of the Know Nothngs
and that none but Know Nothngs could vote there,
sc. We found every thing peaceabe at these polls.
Foreign-bor citizens came up in our presence and
voted, and voted mhite tickets openly while all the
American tickets were yellow. There were few
drunken men about, but otherwise we never saw
more peaceable voting. During the morning there
had been probably half dozen fights, but nothing
approaching riot nor were they on account OF Sag
NIGHTS voting. Every thing promised to pass off
comparatively peaceably, and good citizens were
anxiously watching to quell disturbances. When
we returned, the Courier had issued an extra which
was headed with the following infammatory para
graph:
-"IHFAMoUs 0UTRAGEs-As we anticipated, the
Know Knothing bulies took possession of the polls
early this morning, and have kept them up to this
hour. They have brutaly knocked down and mall
treated hundreds of UNDERSTANDING them many of
our best citizens. Those opposed to them are
beaten and driven from the polls Mob law is
triumphant, and Louisville is dishonored and dis
graced." .a e-if s 7E
| We have not language to express the feelings Of
those acquainted with the FACTS, who read this
utterly uncalled for, unfounded statement, and so
much calculated to arouse the feelings of those
opposed to the American party on that day. The
polls were not in the possession of the Know Moth
ings, and there had only been about the usual
|
subject to prove that when the election was
half over the basest arts used by the opposite
party to arouse the worst passions. s,ss
| Who might not have foreseen how precisely
adapted was this re-brand to kindle up the flames
of riot with the already armed foreigners, and pre-.
cipitate their indscriminate assault upon American
citizens? We can understand how well prepared
they were to respond TO this battIecry, when we
remember how, before our own eyes, here where
the intelligence and sobriety of the great proportion
OF our foreign population might suffice for restraint
TO the more overt resorts of recklessness-that no.
thing was left undone to arouse and exasperate, by
way of securing an undivided vote representing
the Know Nothings" as "hyenas" hunting down
the "poor foreigner" with relentless hate," seek
ing to rob him of his "inalienable rights" and to
trample him with his liberty and his religion down
into the dust, &C., &c. We all remember it well.
The Catholic feeling particularly, can be imagined
when thus inhamed. Regarding, in their calmest
hours with the earliest deepest nstied conviction,
all opposed to their creed as heretics, '6egocn,"
reprobate, unworthy of either political or religious
privileges but rather in strict justice, mertng the
infection of penalties and death, it is natural they
should view this great movement against the out
stretched arm of papacy, as rebellion instigated
by Satan himself and those engaged in it as proper
subjects of determination. What harm then, to
strike down "hord characterized even by their
.fefiow coantrymen, as ORATORS" "desperadoes,"
"thieves," midnight marauders," in "lawless
Vaccination" against their rights, liberties and
! reGgion5
in the instance before US, the ignorant and cred
ulous foreigner of whatever Glass; naturally suspi-
cous and excited well nigh tS lunacy by being
represented (under the guise of world-embracing
philanthropy as the object of "fendish persecu.
ton, easy to be duped into the belief that his
fate his every thing, was involved in the impending
election At this moment, when all were awaiting
the result with intense anxiety he is startled by the
alarm that FORCE and BRUTALITY" reign ''tri-
umphant the first instinct of self preservation is
a resort to "force" and brutality" and the
arms be finds himself provided with now afford but
confirmation Of the sagacity of his councillors T.
The result is known-an indiscrminate slaughter Of
peaceable American citizens, and a fearful retalia
ton. We lament and depricate the result.
We sorrow over the innocent who suffered on
either side in that terrible ARRAY. The foreigners
who, commencing the assaults, brought down I'M
lawful retributon on their own heads, may perhaps
plead guilty only in yielding themselves up infatu-
ated instruments to do the bchests of their infn-
itely guiltier instigators. And while we reprobate
that vciousness that through any iniatuaton. could
hearken to deeds of blood, we can bat pity the
miguded wretches who fell victims to the mission
imposed upon them. Bat what shall we say of
those who seized them as their tools and thrust
them into the vortext and then turn about TO
charge the enormity apon the very ones against
whom it was leveIledf And what shall be said of
those now cOoly forging out of the results weapons
Of political warfare, and brandishng their fabrica.
tons. over the heads Of honest men to awe them
from the discharge Of duty' What must foreigners
especially think Of the heartIess demagogues who
covet their counsrymen as the material for such
sort OF work. who, not satisfied with their votes.
seem ready to plunge them into any iniquity that
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