The Washington union., 1857-06-03
THE Mus1crpAL ELECTIONS OF MONDAY.


For the last two OF three years the municipal cleo
tions in our city have been marked by acts Of out
rage and violence that broke down all the power and
protection of law, and left the mob triumphant
the peace, honor safety, and rights Of our COM
munity, We had hoped that those who had
been under the influence of this popular deusion and
organized crime had taken counsel of the duty of
good citizens and the mandates of law, and would
expiate the past by obeying the laws for the future
But it was reserved for the dsgraceful scenes of
Monday to outstrip the niamy of the past by the
largest latitude of crime which violence and des
peration could be urged by bloodthirsty mob.
The know nothing party of Washington still true TO
their organization nursed in darkness and silence
their purposes of triumph and revenge. Unable
and unwilling to rely upon their own local resources
here they courted the sympathy and the aid of their
compeers in sister city, and brought outs detach-
ment of demons from the dark dens that curse Bati
more as prolific nursery of incarnate mobs. Our
own lnownothing rioters lacking the strength the
ferocity to lead forom hope, let loose their i'm
ported pack upon the peaceful ranks Of citizens
spread carnage and death. They beat, manned, and
drove off the officers of police they took possession
of the polls closed and regulated the vote of
others They derided the peace efforts of the mayor
and his most worthy counsellors, and bade defiance
to all remonstrance. They crowned their madness
by bringing to the polls cannon, and planted its
range for the most deadly effect. The mayor, find
ing the mob in triumphant possession, appealed to
the President for aid to sustain the supremacy of law
and to suppress the bloody of the mob. He
| 4 IL
mand ofthe Secretary ofthe Navy detachment ofma-
rnes was ordered to the of action to
con as the last alternative if the exgencies of the
moment should require it, and under the direction of
the mayor of the city.
The mayor marched the marines to proper posi-
tion and appealed to the mob to disperse the riot
| act was read and they were warned of their peril.
They secuted it, and took an attitude of defiance.
They essayed to fire their piece of ordinance, and
failed then they commenced firing their revolvers
at the marines and wounded several when the order
was given to fire twas obeyed, and the mob
fed
Without this timely nterpostion of the military
aid, when the whole police power of the city was
unavaing, and when the phrensy of the rabble was
gaining intensity there is no knowing to what extent
of murder and brutality these desperadoes might have
gone in the pursuit of blood and rapne.
Whenever there is an issue made between law and
order and the mob, the path of duty is clear. 1t
is to sustain that authority that gives efficiency
to government, and protects every right that belongs
to the citizen under the ags Of law. Civilization
and sound morals the peace and prosperity of soce-
ty, must live surrounded by safeguards and above
the triumph of popular tumult and lawless defiance,
or else they will sink into anarchy and finally into
barbarism.