Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-06-19


Zsepttaa Day In New orHeans--rhugzsna
sad 6rass Knuckles Triumphant.
The old Esow ESlhing game vas played out yea
serdAy WMh some new fes urls anil characters. For
eesera days before there signs Of the rsviyss
OF Thuggety this city. The old ruff ans, bless
KNOCKERS and jaii-birds Sho, Il was Thought, had
been driven from the city, we're observed several
days age to be In town and to be frequently in con
sulaton with policemen and other employees Of the
city government.
The Independents, consisting of respectable, law
abiding citizens, who think it very wrong to employ
any but the most peaceful means in elections, aud
regard all organization and preeoucert as dsrepu-
table, had arranged no plan Of action, anticipated
no violence and made no preparation to maintain
their rights, by using such means as al people are
just f,d in using, agains. laWless vioeuce and out
rage. They further lutied into false sec;iri-
~ by The absurd idea thet the impression produced
by the Vigilance Committee Of last year still con-
tiDued, and would deter the Thugs from repe lling
their violences.
When, therefore, the polls opened yesterday, it
was quite Obvious that small band Of HUMANS had
it in their power to control the result in the whole
city. This bard was soon in motion, headed BY
notorious rufhan named Bob johnson, recently Of
the Mayors police With some dozen associates sll
armed, this ru6i4n role around TO the Precincts,
and charged the few persons, Who were believed to
be canvassers in the Independent tleket-brAss-
knucklipg sud knocking them dOan-upset the ia
bles destroyed TIE tickets and left the Precincts in
charge of the off ;ias and employees Of the city
goyernmtp', who held exclusive possession Of the
polls In the First aud most Of these in the other
! Districs Of the city during tie remainder OF the
DAY. Persons approaching to 70 . the Independent
ticket, were WsFned OF By indvidu us guarding ell
the approaches to the polls, aud othels we're tod
that the Opposition was Withdrawn, aud there was
but 9ue ticket 70 vote,
The news Of the violeRees perpetraed ESs busiy
circulated to keep away the peaseable aud Gmid
These devices produced, o. course, the contempat-
ed effect An effort was made by General Lewis, a
former Mayor, and now Superintendent OF Elections
in the city to prevent the destruction Of tickets ct
the Seventh Precinct by johnson and his gang hut
he was immediately s5sailed by the runis ans, was
knocked down aad cut with knife, and then ar
rested by the police of the Frst District distur
Der of the peace, and borne Of 10 the station.
| Mr.. De Choiseul Deputy Superintendent of the
Elections whilst engaged in the performance Of his
duties in the Second Precinct, and demonstrating
against the destruction Of the tickets Of the Ind,
| pendants was struck violently in the face With
| brass knuckles, by man named NcMi,kle, and
! knoekeh down.
Mr.. Byrne, also an Off ser Of the same department
was struck, AMI various other cit zens similarly
treated Several Of the perpetrators Of these out
RACES we're arrested and Committed 70 jail, but we're
| quickly released by Recorder Summers. Some Of
not TO be at all disturbed by the release Of The
| psrti by an inferior Cffieial On the Whole--for
| the details too sickening and revolving to be
| dWelt upon at great length-the very worst scenes
Of the i've past years reign of this party Of violence
outrage, corruption aIdblsckgHardism we're yester-
day repeated.
| The broadclcth hypocrites aud sleek ofhcisls,
many Of them claiming to be of respectable social
positions who are fattening the "spOils" Of the
corporation, stood in the back ground, melting and
| edging on their hired braTos-less guilty and de-
| testable than themselves.
By such means a. these the vote Of the city was
| reduced from fourteen Thousand to the miserable
| figure which the results elsewhere exhibit. These
will chow that three fOurths of the citizens are dis
frsnchisedthat the Thag vote alone does not reach
| one fourth Of the legal vote,
il is now demonstrated that NO legal election can
be held in this city The several attempts for the
last fSe or six years. by the Democratic party, by
/ the Vigilance organisation Of last year, and now
By the Independents. have all resulted alike in the
same dsgraceful Acknowledgement Of the great body
of the citizens, and the triumph Of few unPrinci-
pied placement operating by assassins, brsvos and
rufans turned loose frsm the jails sad Workhouses
to outrage the quiet citizens and disgrace the city
| and state. 1t is proved too, that there are no
prisons that hold the perpetrators Of these deeds
no courts that will punish them, no officers Wh1
will arrest and detain themin truth, that the city,
with its population of hundred and fifty thous-
and persons, lies PROSTATE at the mercy Of cut
throsts ass-knuckles and ruians Of every class,
! in the employ of reckless demagOgues and Office
| holders who are enriching themselves cut of the
corporation, extracted from the labor and property
of the people Deprived Of their political and per-
sonal rights attacked in the most sacred Of all the
inmuniiies which government is established to Sc
cure it remains to be how long this people will
be able preserve what Is left them Of that which
! they so absurdly call "freed0m."