The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-04-11
The Cincinnati Riot.

VIM. WHEELER. Sec'y.
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The Cincinnati Riot.
The recent election in Cincinn ati gave
rise to riot such as has seldom been wit.
messed in our county, and such as we
nope may never occur again. The ciii-
zens OF this country have been accus.
toned TO boast, when contrasting our in.
stitutions with those of other countries,
that the peoples voice was omnipotent.
If unworthy men for time should mis-.
rule; If unwise and mischievous laws were
enacted; if tyranny in any of its shapes
should make its appearance, we had a
certain and effsctual remedy in the ballot
box--the palladium Of our liberties. In
view Of its importance our legislature has
passed stringent laws to preserve its pu.
rity, and prevent fraud and corruption.
But when an infuriated mob, composed Of
hundreds Of deluded and fanatic beings,
in order to elevate some favorite to office.
determine to destroy ballot. boxes, tickets.
poll:hooks and every thing else which
would indicate the peoples choice. oI
what value are laws. however stringent?
OF what value are balio,-bo Our cleo.
tons become mockery; and man..
chance for Office depends not upon his
inertia, but upon the brute force and NOR
al degradation Of his adherents. Majori.
ties. if composed Of well disposed per.
sous, become powerlsss. and lawless
mobs may declare who shall be our ru.
lers.
The following account Of the riot is
taken from the Cincinnati Commercial.
paper professsdly neutral in politics. and
may be considered as impartial as any
account We shall get Of the affair. The
Gazette Wing and Know Nothing paper
] states that the Know.Noihings view ,hes,
acts OF violence with unmitiga,ed abhor
renee" On the evening Of the 4,h, /,
large meeting was held by the K N.s.de
nouncing The outrsges on the ballo, boxe.
and disappearing Of all unlawful proceed
|iugs."
The failure OF the mails for tho las
three days prevents our giving the final,
to the affair. The Commercial says:
/ Yesterday afternoon a Tremendous ex
citement was stirred up by the news ,ha
there had been desperate fighting ane
several men killed in the Eleventh w ard
| We hurried to the scene OF action, and or
: the way me, gentleman, calling himsel
an "Amercan," who had scratched Pa
Taylor and j. J. Dennis from his ticke
and who. therefore, we may consider 9
moderate and sensible man. He informed
US that there had been savage fighting i.
the Eleventh Ward, but nobody killed
He said that early in the day the Ger
mans had taken possession OF the poll
and were decidedly insolent TO ..Ameri
oans." but that every quiet man Of botl
sides who attempted TO vote, and wa
qualified to do so, met with no difficulty
There was some fighting early in the day
in which the Germans were most numer
Gus. and came out victorious. 'But.
said our informant, "the American boy,
were the best fighters. there was no mis-
take about that; they Knocked the Dulcl
righ, and left"
We passed on, and overlook a Know
: Nothing friend on the way to the bloody
Eleventh. Hundreds of men, in express
I wogons and buggies, and on horseback
passed turiously along the street towar,
the Mohawk Engine House, where the dis
turbance was taking place, aud the sid,
; walks were lined. When near the polls
:. we met well,known X. N. who pauses
10 converse with the friend We were walk
, ing with, and stated that the :. Dutch ha,
been eating in the Eleven,h-,hat NOR,
votes were already pollsd than there wer'
m ale residents in the Ward-ihut III,
J ballot box would be destroyed in conss
quence Of the fraudulent voting.
! In the fight that occurred about noon
} Mr.. Brown was wounded, and the loren al
\ of Frank Links brewery stabbed in tn,
, lungs. The wounds Of these individual
were thought 10 be dangerous. Man,
= other persons are severely hurt.
) Rumors Of all descriptions were fyln,
!. thickly. The x. N. said that there ha,
been fraudulent voting. The Democrat
6 denied il. The judges and clerks Of III,
. election protested that everything ha,
y been done on the square. while snndrl
f flexcited Know Nothings asserted tha.littl
. Dutch boys had bsen allowed 10 80 VI
and thrust handfuls Of tickets into tn
J ballot box.
| The Germans had large cannon OF
Z Jackson's Hill. and were amusing them
selves by firing over the town occasional
rIly. The Know Nothings having whippe,
i the Germans at the polls. dispatched
1 detachment 10 capture the artillery. wlicl
was done without much loss Of blood. an,
1 the trophy of victory drawn to the Eiev
enth Ward polls. The sword Of the com
Il mandss Of the German gun squad vas Al