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,
has long article on the subject, from which
the following extract is taken:
"Last Monday about noon, we visited the
polls of four wards, all of which zoe had
learned at The Courier office, were in possess
sion of the Know Nothirgs, and that none
but Know Nothings could vote there, &C.
We found everything peaceable at these polls
Foreign-born citizens came up in our presence
and voted, and voted ,0hite tickets openly
while all the American tickets were yellow.
There were few drunken men about, but
otherwise we never saw more peaceable vot.
ing. During the morning there had been
probably half dozen fights, but nothing ap-
proaching riot, nor were they on account of
Sag NIGHTS voting. Everything promised to
pass off comparatively peaceably, and good
citizens were anXiousy watching to quel
disturbances. When we returned, the Courier
had issued an extra which was headed with
the following infammatory paragraph
"IntamOuS OHrages.-As we anticipated,
The Know Nothing bul;es took possession of
the polls early this morning, and have kept
them up to this hour. They have brutally
knocked down and maltreated hundreds of
voters, among them many of our best citizens.
Those opposed to them are beaten and driven
from the pol4a Mob law is triumphant, and
Louisville is dfshonored and disgraced.'
ave 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 Nothings, and there
had only been about the usual number of
election fights. We mention this one subject
to prove that even when the election was half |
over, the basest arts were used by the oppo-
site party to arouse the worst passions. But |
we let this pass for the present.
About 8 o'clock there were reports of a
mob in the First ward, the extreme upper part
of the city. At once, with many others we
went to that ward. There were assembled a
large number of native-born citizens, among
whom were several slightly wounded. They
had riddled several houses occupied by Ger
mans, but so far as we could learn, had de-
strcyed no life, though they lad badly beaten
several Germans and Irish who had fred upon
Americans. The account giUen by The Louis
uille Journal agrees almost Exactly ,pah The
particulars as gathered by us after as thorough
as circumstances pouM admit
The first attack was made at point far dis
Iant from The polls, and by Germans. They
fred upon innocent persons who were offer.
ng them no insult, but were quietly walking
Or riding along the streets. A baser outrage
was never committed than this act of the
Germans, utterly without provocation as it
was, and committed upon respectable and
luiet citizens who were committing no wrong
md suspecting no wrong. There were five
American citizens lying in n doctor shop at
me time, severely wounded by these coward
v miscreants, and a sixth one, an officer, I
Waiting for his turn"