M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-06-11
Election Riots mt Washington.

@HS NANANNhS VI W ~nAAhRNcAg - ~
being called upon on the LIST day OF
June, inst, TO elect members of the
two boards of Council and other mu-
nicipal officers, were disturbed, many
of them severely hurt and others kill
ed outright by set of Know Nothing
DULLES, such as smashed the ballot
boxes at Cincinnati and murdered
men women and children at Louis
vile, New Orleans and Baltimore
It seems that these rascals in Wash
ington, fearing that they were not
strong enough to control the election
invited kindred spirits from Balti-
more, who bear the euphonious and
highly appropriate name of Plug
UglieS, to assist them in their nefari-
GUS attempt to smother the will Of the
people at the ballot box. The Plug
uglieS accepted the invitation OF the
Washington Rip-Rap8, went to the
scene oftheir anticipated triumph and,
when lifetime arrived for voting, com.
menced their usual game of bullying,
beating and shooting everybody who
attempted to vote against the Know
Nothing candidates. Several citizens
having been killed and wounded, and
the riot becoming more general, the
Mayor called on the President for
troops to quell the mob and preserve
the peace Of the city. Two compa-
MES of Marines were Immediately
dispatched and reported themselves to
the Mayor, We now quote from the
Washington Star:
Shortly after 1 o'clock p. H., the
marines 1.-TWO companies, 10 in ally
arrived on the ground, first precinct
of the Fourth Ward, under charge Of
Captain Tyler, and accompanied by
Mayor Magruder. The opposition
had, in the mean time, procured a
brass cannon, and stationed it at the
Northern Market-house, which they
made their headquarters.
After the Mayor had addressed the
crowd, stating that the soldiers were
brought there solely to maintain the
public peace Of the city, which had
been t~lagrantly violated, the marines
moved upon the market house to take
possession Of the cannon, amidst eve
ry species Of taunt and opprobrium,
ending finally in the possessors Of the
cannon firing pistols at the Marines
The latter, however, moved steadily
on, seized the cannon, and then, due
warning having been given, replied
to the pistol shots upon them by a
volley of ball.
The Plug glieS then scattered,
firing shots, as they did 30, from be-
hind corners.
After the smoke cleared away the
terrible sight presented of four or five
persons in the agonies Of death, and
several others fearfully wounded.
The Union Of the Sd says:
The excitement growing out of the
fearful outrages Of Monday last, has
in a measure, subsidized; and the con
viction is now almost universal that,
had it not been for the prompt action
Of the Mayor in seeking and obtaining
the interposition oftho military, scores
and scores OF lives would have been
sacrificed by the inInriated mob, who,
for hours, seemed to have had COM
plete control over the persons and
property ofour citizens Ia all prob
ability every shot fired by the marines
saved the life of a valuable citizen
Their %unfinching determination to
obey the orders OF the civil authorities,
as conveyed to them by their own off.
GERS, pnt the rioters to flight, and re-
stored order to a city which, up to
that time, was literally in the hands
OF a murderous mob.
No doubt the above conclusion is
correct. 1t is folly to temporize with
blank c%artr5dge8in such cases. When
regular armed organizations go abont
the country for tho express purpose Of
~depriving American citizens of their
dearest rights, we can see neither JUS
tice, mercy nor sound policy in any
course but that which will rid COM
munity of the scoundrels in the most
summary manner. 1t is high time
that ballot.box smashing and the hor-
rors that have attended elections in
large places since the Know Nothing
organization was instituted, and in fact,
all resistance to law and the regular.
ly constituted authorities, as seen in
Kansas, Utah, and the North, where
officers have been imprisoned and 9th
erwise abused for discharging their