American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-08-25
LOUISVILLE RIOTS.

riots and their moving causes is being
subjected, is quite yoluminous. Our
file Of ailidavits alone, now amounts to
sic columns of closely printed matter,
some ofwhichwc intend publish here
altcr;-lor the present we copy the fol-
lowing article from the Evansville Ga.)
Journal, whose editor, a gentleman of
truth, and in this instance disintcres-
ted party, was present in Louisville,
and saw the terrible riots:
Last Monday, about noon, We Wis
tied the polls Of four wards, all of which
we had learned at tie Courier office,
were in possession of tho Know No
things, and that none but X. Ms could
vote there, &c. We found everything
pcaccaElc at these polls. Foreign born
citizens came up in our presence and
voted, and voted aCh5te tickets openly,
while the American tickets were yellow.
| There were few drunken men about,
but otherwise We never saw more peace
able voting. During the morning there
had been probably half a dozen fights,
but nothing approaching riot, nor
were tl.ey on account of the Sag NIGHTS
voting. Everything promised to pass
off comparatively peaccably, and good
citizens were anXiously watching to
quell disturbances. When we return
ed, the Courier had issued an extra
which was headed with the following
intlammatory paragraph.
Infamous Outrages AS was an
ticipated, the Know Nothing DULLES
took possession Of the polls early this
morning, and have kept them up to this
hour. They have brutality Knocked
down and maltrcatcd hundreds of yo-
tors, among them many of our best cit
Izcns. Those opposed to them arc
beaten and driven from the polls. Mob
law is triumphant, and Louisville is
dishonored and disgraccd."
[rGy~ A word here. We wish it to
be noted distinctly, that this missile to
lnilamc the passions Of the Foreigners
and antl-Amcricans of Louisville, pub
llshcd as it was, about noon, and before
the riots commenced, emanated from
the office of the very Same Louisville
Courier" from which the "M0rgan-
torn Telegraph' copied such 'copious'
accounts of the riots, short time AGO.
The 'Co"ricr' may well try to wash its
hands OF the blood Of Americans, after
thrustlng such fire brand into the
combustiblc mass Of foreign passion on
election day 7
We have not language to express the
feelings Of those acquainted with the
facts who read this utterly uncalcd for,
untoundcd statement, and 50 much cal
eulatcd to arouse the feelings Of those
opposed to the American party on that
day. The polls were NOT in the posses
sion 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 bascst arts
were used by the opposite party to a.
rouse the worst passions.
About 3 o'clock there were ronorts
OF a mob in the LIST ward At once
with many others we went to the ward
There were assembled a large number
OF native citizens, some Of them SLIGHTLY
wounded. They had riddled several
houses, occupied by Germans, but so
far as we could learn, had DESTROYED no
lives, though they had badly beaten
several Germans and Irish who had
fired upon Americans. The account
given by the Louisvtlle Journal AGREES
almost exactly with the particulars rs
gathered by us after as thorough inyes.
tigation as circumstances would permit.
The first attack was made at q point
far distant from the polls, and by Ger
mans. They fred upon innocent per.
sons who were offering them no insult.
but we're quietly riding or walking a,
long the streets. A baser outrage vas
never committed than this act Of tho
Germans, utterly without proyocation,
and committed upon respectable and
quiet citizens who were committing no
wrong and suspecting no wrong There
were five American citizens lying in u
doctor shop at one time, severely woun.
dcd by those cowardly miscreants, and a
sixth one, an officer, waiting for his turn.