Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-08-05
RIOTS IN ENGLAND AND HOW THEY
ARE SUPPRESSED

We may safely calculate on a terrific out
burst of abnse, reproach, exultatioD, and
sneers when the mail steamer China, which
lett New York on Sunday, reaches Eng land
Win particulars of the riots in the largest city
OF our vast empire, the metropo lis of Ameri-
can commerce, the seat of vast industry.
wealth, and enterprise. We know as we'll as
II the article WAS bfoTe US in print, how the
Times will infict hum Hating pity upon this
country how it will accuse us fbecause of
New York; of an incapacity for government :;
how II will affirm that the natural and undevi-
! ating tendency OF republican institutions is
! towards public tumults. OF course this ism
true; bnt this will not prevent its being
strongly stated and fanatically believed.
| John Bull will complacently chuck lie over the
mote IN our eye, self-ignorant OF the beam in
his own Englshmen viii shndder over the
details of the bad work in New York-iust as
IL such things were the rule with us, and not
the exception. Our historic records are pat
ent to the world, and show, we confidently af
hrm, less rioiing within the period of our ex-
Istence jas nation, than has occurred in any
foreign country with like population.
in England is very remarkable. Without
going very far back, We can point out many
very serious instances which agitated the
country at the time, and disgrace its annals
In 1876, the noted Porteous riots occurred
at Edinburgh, described with vivid power
in Scott's s'Heart of Mid Lothian A police
officer had rendered himself obnoxious to the
oh ho
confined, dragged him ont, took him to the
place of execution, and hanged him there.
The city was in the hands of the rioters while
his was being done, and the whole proceed
Ings in direct violation OF the laws of
man and God.
In 1853, there were riots in many parts of
ngland, on account of the excessive price of
food and the great exactions of tolls upon the
turnpike roads. The very safety of the Gov
ernment was threatened, and it was consider
ed necessary to reduce the cost of bread and
lessen the number OF toll bars.
In 1865, when the English Parliament re- |
Jected bill which intended to act AS |
prohibitory on the importation OF foreign and |
protectative of the manufacture of English |
silks, the Spitstields weavers proceeded TO ri |
oting in London, and the military had to be |
employed 10 disperse them Ii was on that !
occasion that the first Lord Holland shrewdly |
said, ssWhat evil an arttul man might do with |
these mobs.' The full details are to be found |
in ssHorace Walpole's Memoirs
In 1880 occurred the ssNo Popery'' riots of
which the best description is to be found in
Dickens "Barnaby Rudge,'' A young man,
Lord George Gordon, son of duke. himself
a member of Parliament, and unfortunately so
feeble minded that his insanity was never
doubted, constituted himself champion of the
cause of ultra Professionalism in Eng land, head
ed the Protestant Association, and after hav
ing encouraged multitude of idle, quarrel
some and rascaiiy persons of both sexes, was
unable to control them when they broke into
riot. London was at their mercy, the civic
magistrates not daring to enforce the law a.
gainst them. The Government itself was par
aiyzed for some days, during which rapine
and even worse crimes were rampant in the
capital of the Kingdom. Prisons were burn
ed TO the ground aud their inmates liberated;
churches were destroyed; private dwellings
Quilted, pIuDdered, and demolished. In fact,
for several days the mob ruled and reveled,
andacious and cruel, such Of them as were
not incapacitated by drink applying them
selves TO the business OF pillage and murder.
In 1911, there were the Luddite riots iu
Notts and Derby; in 1916, the celebrated
Spa Fields riots, when London was again at
he mercy of the mob and, in 1880. the ag- ,
icuitural machine destroying riots, in Sur
'ey, Kent, and Sussex.
In 1881. while the Re form Bill was under
discussion, the mob used violent mea MS to in ]
imidate the peers known, or supposed to be,
hostile to the measure, ,assau tied the Duke of
" ellington in the streets OF London, grew tu- .
nultuous ID Derby, where they attacked the |
,rison and liberated all the prisoners, burned
he Castle of N OFT ingham, and plundered the
welling houses of neighboring peers and 8
ountry gentlemen. In the city of Bristol, q
he mob went into even worse excesses, burn
ng and plnndering the residences of the May y
r, Bishop, and other obnoxious persons, as .
'ell as the prisons, custom house, excise Of
ce, and other public buildings, wholly de-
troying Queen Square, and, forty two private
ouses and warehouses, causing the deatrnc-
ion Of property to the value Of 50 SOC, 900.
Text to the Gordon riots of 1880, this was c