Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-06-17
From The Washington Union June 6.
THE WASHINGTON ELECTION RIOTS.

lIL N1DDlNULON LA1LJ 4lOA MULE
There are some facts connected with this matter |
which are undeniably true
]. There was-a city election on Monday last IN
der law of Congress, and there were two tickets
regularly nominated-the Union and the Know
Nothing. That last year the Union party elected
the Mayor by a small majority, and was likely to
prevail this year
pointed by the Know Nothings and they selected
the place of voting and designated the mode and
manner Of receiving votes.
g. That some forty CT fifty reckless rOWdies and
bullies came mere from Baltimore There fare here
and back was all paid by one person That their
meals here were all ordered by person, and
paid for by person. That when here they mostly
roamed about the city in q body accompanied by
Know NOthings; very many Of whom were cOngenial
spirits. They brought with them sundry kinds of
weapons, more or less deadly including revolvers,
pistols, bowie-knives. billies, and dirks.
f. That while here the Know Nothings treated
them as associates and marched from place to place
and poll to poll with them.
5. That Know Nothing, having in his posses
sion brass cannon formerly borrowed from the
navy yard let Know nothing roWdies bring it from
near that place, and when the chief Of police drew
its charge he found it heavily loaded, and among
other deadly things it contained eight paving
stones, about sixty rife balls and pounds Of slugs
and coarse shot.
g. That these Baltimore Plug Uglies, and their
huoN associates uldu6 an pom
Union men at the first precinct in the second ward,
fred several pistols wounded one man, resisted the
police beat them severely, and drove them from the
lis That on the leading citizens closing their
stores in the vicinity and preparing to defend the
| polls, the Plug Ugies and Know Nothing DULLES
| left the polls, and did not return.
7. That the Plug Uglies and their associates
! drew the cannon from Pennsylvania avanue, over
/ a quarter of a mile, to near the Seventh street
Market, where poll was open for the Fourth
| Ward
g. That these rioters caused the polls to be closed
lbut for which it is suppOed the entire Union tick
ct would have been elected, and Emory defeated, }
| and they kept the Union men and all others from
| voting
| 2. That in consequence Of the foreible resis-
lance to the execution Of the laws, and preventing
| citizens exercising the elective franchise, the
Mayor was induced to call upon the President for
| aid to sustain the laws, and was the of his
ordering out the Marines to protect the citizens in
voting.
10. That the marines attended at the Seventh
street poll where the mayor addressed the rioters,
and urged them to allow the election to proceed,
| and read the law TO them That the Plug Ugies
| and their friends, instead of yielding to the law
and requests of the mayor, endeavored to fire can
| non, and one sought TO shoot Gen. Henderson with
pistol, and was prevented by pillow on the arm
| from a marine.
II. That by order Of the officers the marines,
! with fixed bayonets, drove the Plug Uglies and
| their friends from the cannon, and took it from
| them; that thereupOn they fired their revOlyers
and pistols, and threw stones, brickbats and other
missiles upon the marines, citizens, and whoever
! might be in the range, and killed some and wound
| ed others including persons who we're quietly in
their own houses and that, under this CALLING at
tack the marines fired one volley upon the rioters
and they scattered, firing and throwing missiles as
they went. WhereupOn peace and order were re-
stored.
r. That not a single Know Nothing is known
to have said one word or did one thing to arrest the
acts of the Plug Uglies and rOwdy associates,
| though many we're present, and among them sew
eral who have hitherto been regarded as respec-
table and influential citizens and who could, at
almost any stage of the riot, have put end to
the disorder and prevented the euson Of blood and
the closing ofth poll
49, That the Know Nothing party here, including
their leaders, instead Of aiding in detecting and pun
ishing the criminal seerpte whoever they can, and
and approve the conduct OF the offenders, and
deHn those who upheld the laws and the leading
men Of the party getting up public meeting 10
approve of the conduct Of the Plug Uglies and the
kother bully rOwdies, and to denounce those who
sought to preserve the peace uphold the laws and
protect the electOr in giving his vote.
Other facts will soon be developed. But we sub
NIT these TO the thinking and well meaning and ask
them to reflect and express their opinions upon them
Can peace and Order-loving men, who believe in a
government of laws, in protecting the innocent and
furnishing the guilty approve the course Of the Know
Nothing leaders, developedn their notorious and
indsputable acts Are such means to be resOrted
to in all parts of he country TO regulate elections
whenever it is found Democrats or Union men viii