The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-04-30
An OUTRAon.

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IN o1ansy, Tlltneas-InfA0ous Rreeeea4l
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DsnesRatte Mayer.
rFron the Quincy whiG April 3&]
According to previous notice, Rev. ]. q.
White appeared at the City Hall last evening,
IN deliver his third lecture upon the general
subject Of Roman Cathoaicisn. ~ theNa
commencement, however, it was apparent
that crowd Of posehs had collected for ths
purpose of raising disturbance, ana pre-
venting the speaker from nfoc.seisg
the delivery of his lecture. The hall was NOS
only filed 70 overAowing, but hundrees 1000
outside on the strser - ne s1irss snI y
the passage way. Msny came n ~ snen
others had shillelahs, knives, and pstoiss
even. which were evidently brought for the
purpose of use in case of q row. No sooner
had the speaker commenced his lecture,
ahovinr up in no enviable light the into1GAnt
epir,t Of Catholicism, than he was 1ptefrrpt>
ed by Z storm OF Misses from the esH ms"
posed portion of the audience. 10 SUCH an
extent was the disturbance carried that Mr..
White was compelled TO cut short his remarks
and postpone the balance until this evening
and this, too, while there was large and re-
spectacle attendance of ladies.
Afthe close of the lecture, stones ana
brickbats we're thrown through the windows
in front of the hall, breaking out the hgnn
and otherwise doing damage to the properly
A large number of drunken dupes OF priest
craft and religious fanatcism stood on the
street, mutterng msudlin maledictions against
Americans and their free Institutions, and
breathing out threatenings and slaughter
against the speaker and those who befriend'
ed him. Fortunately for them, however, they
discovered that Professionalism was able to
sustain itself, even in Quincy, and moving
! that discretion was the better part OF valor,
| wisely restrained from any personal attacks
or further riotous demonstrations.
Comment upon the infamous proceedings
| ON this occasion is unnecessary, but we must
add a word or two to show the disgraceful
action, or rather inaction, OF our city author
! tiles respecting the matter. The City Mar.
shal was present to see for himself that dit.
6culty was brewing, and besides was urged
| by several persons TO see the Maj or and Sc
cure q competent police force to preserve orr
| der This was early in the evening. Heleit,
| but did not return with any assistance to en-
| force the laws and ordinances OF the city.
Finally, though we blush to publish our
city's shame-let it be recorded that minis
ter of the gospel ofpeace, calmly and openly
| discussing religious question IN one OF the
churches Of Quincy, has been, for the second
time, driven from the pulpit by crowd OF
riotous rutfians whom the city authorities re-
| fused to punish or dispense! Where is our
boosted free speech? Thank God, free
press is still left
After this demonstration an application
was made to Mayor Pitman to have sufi.
cient police force present at the City Hall to
preserve order at the meeting on the folio wing
evening. Instead of doing which he ordered
the City Hall closed.
A public meeting was held ct Quincy on
Monday evening, at which the following res
| olutions we're passed:
| WHEREAS, The Mayor Of the city of Quin
cy, in his official capacity, has caused to be
closed one of the churches Of this city, on
this the night of the oath Of April, 1867, and
has instructed the Marshal of the city to pre-
| vent the Rev G. j. White from lecturing at
said church and
WHEREAS, Believing that the conduct of
Mayor Pitman, in this respect to unbecom-
ing true American citizen; therefore,
Resolred, That we deprecete and spurn
the man, who, 10 the exercise of his official
powers, attempts to prevent the exercise OF
free speech in this country, where il rs our
boast that all men shall have that right.
Resolred. That we, the citizens of Quincy,
here assembled, proclaim ourselves in favor
of free speech. aud that if need be, we shall
maintain 1t at the sacrifice of our lives
Resolred, Thai without expressing an opin-
ion as to the merits of the lectures of Mr..
! White, q question which is not in controver-
sy, we denounce, with ell the energy OF our
hearts, the mob which prevented him from
speaking last night, as an outrage upon the
feelings of freemen, and q disgrace to our
city.
! Resolved, That the Chairman of this meet
ing appoint a committee of twelve persons,
=. to proceed to Springfield and take the nitia.
tory steps to procure the appointment of q
Metropolitan Police force for this city.
SPRINGFIELD, April 26.
The Governor is in receipt of letters from
prominent gentlemen of Quincy, giving &C.
counts of most disgraceful proceeding on
the part of mob In that city, who recently
prevented, by violence, the delivery Of a lee
ture on a lawful theme, and of the unlawful
and reprehensible conduct Of the Democratic
Mayor, Piiman, in taking sides with the mob.
The Governor has responded in fitting terms,
and declares that the right OF free speech
must be maintained. The rumpus has occs
stoned considerable excitement in the city,
! among the lovers of inslienable rights, who
say the law abiding citizens Of Quincy must
be sustained.
/ Mayor Pitman has "climbed down. and
t issued proclamation, since the riot, from
{ which the following is an extract:
"Now, it is my duty, as Mayor of this
city, and conservator Of the public peace, to
{ declare and make known that the said White,
, or any person, has the legal right to speak
) on this or any other subject, and the law
must be observed, and, if necessary, en-.
/ forced"