The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1855-08-24
THE LOUISVILLE RIOTS.

The editor of the Evansville Journal who
was in Louisville at the time of the riots. and
carefully noted the events as they occurred,
hns long article on the subject, from which
the following extract is taken:
"l.ast Monday about noon, we visited the
polls of four wards, nll of which TOE had
learned at The Courier office, were in posses
sion Of the Know Nothil gs, and that none
but Know Nothings could vote there, &c.
We found everything penceable at these polls
Forcign.born citizens came up in our presence
and voted, and voted white tickets openly
while all the American tickets were yellow.
There were few drunken men nbout, but
otherwise we never saw more peaceable vot.
ing. During the morning there had been
probably half dozen fights, but nothing mp.
proaching riot, nor were they on account Of
Sag.Nichts voting. Everything promised to
pass off comparatively penccnbly, and good
citizens were anxiousIy watching to qucll
disturbances. When we returned, the Courier
had issued m extra which was headed will,
the following infammatory paragraph:
"Infamous Outrages.-As we anticipated
The Know Nothing bn'l;es took possession OF
the polls early this morning, and have kept
them up to this hour. They have brutally
knocked down and maltreaied hundreds oi
voters, among them many Of our best citizens
Those opposed to them are beaten and driven
from the polls. Mob law il triumphant, and
Louisville is dishonored and disgraced'
ave have not language to express the
feelings Of those acquainted with the fact.
who read this utterly unculled for, unfounded
statement, and 80 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 Nothings, and there
had only been about the usual number oi
election fights. We mention this one subec,
to prove that even when the election was hal
over, the basest arts were used by the oppo
site purity to arouse the worst passions. Bu
we let this pass for the present.
About 3 o'clock there were reports of ,
mob in the First ward, the extreme upper par
of the city. AT cnce, with many others w
went to that ward. There were assembled
large number of native.bom citizens, anon!
whom were several slightly wounded. The.
had riddled several houses occupied by Ger
mans, but so far rs we could learn, had de
strcyed no life, though they had badly beateI
several Germans and Irish who had fired upol
Americans The account giren by the Louis
uille Journal agrees almost eractiy ,cith III
particulars as gathered by us after as horoug
investigation as circumstances ,Dould admit
The first attack was made ut point far dis
tant from the polls, and by Germans. The
fired upon innoceat persons who were offel
ing them no insult, but were quietly walkin
or riding along the streets. A baser outrag
wac never committed than this act of th
Germans, utterly without provocation as
was, and committed upon respectable m
quiet citizens who were committing no wron
and suspecting no wrong. There were iiv
American citizens lying in doctor shop q
one time, severely wounded by these coward
" miscreants, and n sixth one, IN office
waiting for his turn"