New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-13
THE LOUISVILLE RIOTS.

THE LOUISVILLE HiOIs'
We have published every statement no mat
ter upon Wbich side, which seemed calculated
TO she'd light on the origin and character OF the
late ceplorsble riots connected wi the Louis
viii. Election. These statements seem to estab
lish beyond controversy the following points:
l. That the Mayor, Council and Police Of
Louisville were affiliated with the Know. Moth
ipgs, well known on all sides t. desire the sue
cess of their tick ct, aud that the polls, inside
snd ont, were controlled BY that party.
2. That il was manifest before the Election
that the full vote could not be pOlled unless both
parties cordially united in securing the utmost
facilities for rapid and uninterrupted voting.
9. That the Know. Nothing organization,
in view Of these facts, appealed before the day
of Election to the KnowNothing committees
for united and cordial effort to secure season
able access to the polls to every legal voter;
but the overture was unceremoDiousy repused.
4. That tie polls were surrounded before and
after they we're opened by formidable bodies OF
the midnight Order, known to and commani-
eating with each other BY means of secret signs
or passwords, who allowed voters who had
seen Sam" to pass in, while they excluded
those who could not give the required signals,
but especially those whose garb or speech pro.
claimed them of foreign birth.
5. That this game was played so openly that
it early became obvious that the votes OF the
great body of the Adopted Citizens could not be
polled; aDd remonstiance sgainstit by th7 Hon.
I'd hp CT
lepce. The Hon. William Preston, the present
Wing Representative in Congress from that Dis
trict and the Anti Know Nothing candidate for
reelection, uptn visiting the polls and seeing
that the ADOPTED Citizens could not exercise
their right if at all without subjecting them
selves to violence and outrage, advised them to
make TO further attempts to vote, but let the
election go by default.
6. That many of the Adopted citizens, strong
" excited by their virtual Acknowledgement and
indignant at the outrageous conduct OF the
Know-NothiDgs on and off the election boards,
loas too freely on such occasions, commenced
a riot by attacks on those whom they knew or
supposed to be Know-NothiDgs, firing into the
streets and killing or wounding several persons.
z. That these riotous outbreaks were repealed
by the more numerous and better armed Know
Nothings, who attacked the houses from which
shots were alleged to have been fired, not mere
ly with guns but with torches, burning down
whole blocks Of Irish dwellings and shooting
those whom the flames drove thence until some
ten or fifteen Irish and Germans were shot or
roasted.
6. That the Catholic Cathedral aud the Offices
of the Anti Know Nothing journals were barely
saved from destruction at the hands of the
armed. Infatuated Know-Nothing mob by the
most strenuous exertions of the Mayor and
OTHER prominent Know-N Othings-the attack on
the Cathedral being stimulated by the usual
falsehood that the Catholics had arms stored
therein-a lie which the Mayor officially con-
tradcted.
We believe the foregoing embodies every
fact essential to clear understanding of the
case. We foIbear comment to-day, further
than to say that Louisville has been the arena
Of many excited Election contests, in which
Irish and German-born citizens freely partlci-
pated. but we do not remember that they were
ever till now charged with exciting riots at
these + ections. There is doubtless reason
for the fact that this was by far the most tragic
and bloody Election riot ever known in this
country. Even the fracas that marked the out
break of Natiyism at Philadelphia in lS4i was
less destructive.
When men are banded by common agree
ment that part of our voting population ought
not 10 be entitled to the Right Of Suffrage, it is
very natural presumption that they will en-
deayor to give force to this conviction.