The true Democrat., 1856-12-02


 members of the Ashland club. marched down Alsquith street. When they reached the polls they tore down the newly erected barricade and pulled up the posts. They they then stationed themselves before the windows in such manner as to command entire possession ot It. After this had been done. the indges arrived, and true to their intention the first ef fort made by a foreign born citizen to vote was resisted.
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 But for the prompt resistance with which they were met, no democrat would have been ever allowed to vote at the Sixth Ward polls. As It was, quite number were intimidated. There were several fl ghts during the morning, and though the police were upon the ground no effort was made 10 quell the disturbance
 At two o'clock a couple of men coming UT Douglass street. intoxicated, and turning into Alsqulth one of them shouted, Hurra fOI Buck" They were both immediately set upon and beaten unmercltully, and in the melee some bloodthlrsty hend took occasion to vent his malice upon MT. Thomas Moran, plaster. a quet and orderly democrat, by shooting him with pistol. Mir. Moran fortunately escaped with flesh wound in his hip, and being as- sured by Dr. Bradford that 1t was not dagger ous took his position as challenger at the polls again.
 On finding themselves unable to prevent the democrats of the Sixth Ward from gaining ac cess to the polls, and defending naturalized citizens, the Know Nothings then sent to the Seventh Ward for endorsements. This man @uver was counteracted by the democrats by the arrival of assistance from the Eighth Ward. Of thls part of the atfray the Amer can (k. N.,) gives the following account:
 4 bout three o'clock in the afternoon a re- port was sent to the police station at the Eighth w Ward that there was fighting at the Sixth Ward and assistance sought to quell 1t.
 The police started, and with them several hundred Of the crowd assembled around the polls, who Tn few moments were armed with muskets, and accompanied by two gangs of boys, each dragging small brass cannon on wheels. They passed along the side of the Belar market, and towards Orleans street, when they were met by concourse of equally as wild and lniurlated men and youths, armed With muskets and pistols. A fight commenced, the Eighth Ward democrats taking shelter in the market house, and the Sixth and Seventh Ward know Nothings firing from the fish mar ket and the corners of Orleans street. They finally rallied on the Eighth Ward party and drove them up through the market accompan- jed by perfect volleys of musketry, and the occasional discharge of swivel. The fight ing through the market was continued with but little lntermlsSion up to dark, when both par ties retired''
 In this fight both parties used pistols, mus kets, rifles and swiyels and quite a large num- Der, some sixty, we judge, were killed or wounded. The stores along Gay street, above East were closed, and constcrnaton and alarm seemed written on every face.
 Al the Second Ward there was a scene simi lar to that in Old Town. The Clipper, whose well known Know Nothing adherence has gain ed It an infamous notorlety for utter disregard of truth in notices of political aifrays, IS it always attempts to fasten the censure on the democrats, says th]s atray commenced thus:
 IL seems that some person drove up in a hack and sent in his vote, which the judges de- clined to receive, as they could not see the per son. This occa>cned some difficulty, and an Irshman, who insisted on the vote being taken was slapped in the face. 4 general fght en- sued, iu which pistols, brckbats and muskets were brought into requDition. A number ol persons were shot"
 We are assured that at the very anuounce- ment of the affray some forty Know Nothings
  Ward and tried to drive the democrats away from the Second Ward polls
 There, says the American, they were met and driven back Furtherrenfnrcements were then received and the war renewed. 4 good proportion of both parties by this time were provided with muSketS, while others used pis- tos, and others $kirmshed with knives and clubs. Both parties fought with determiua- and it,-t .i, with the most reckless disregard of danger. The battle-ground was spread over portions of Fawn Stiles, Exeter, and High streets and Eastern avenue, and the spectacle presented was terrible and revolting one. As either party gained temporary advantage, men would be seen running with others shootin., at them; the wounded were limping off and being carried away by s4rif companions, while oth- CTS begrimed with smoke and powder. and in some cases covered with blood stl kept up the fight, now firing, sinsy and then again in volleya.
 h the surrounding neighborhood the ut- most degree of excitement and consterlation prevailed. Chillren were hastily gathered, the houses closed, and the occupants in many instances sought their garrets and cellars to be out of harms way. The democrats were Nia'iy oNeIEo"eIeu, urlNen away rom the polls, and retreatcd, still fighting, down Eastern avenue. In the ighborhood of the Causeway they again made a stand, and there a surila warfare, carried on from the alleys and street corners, continued for more than an hour. Of the number wounded in this riot it IS almost impossible to give a full or correct list They were generally carried away by their friends, and even when traced every effort was made to conceal their names
 At the Fourth Ward, where the Know No- things had entire possession, there was no op- portunity for naturalized citizen to vote, and numbers of native democrats were prevented from voting. One man was shot.