The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-29
FAMOUS MODS AND RIOTS.
THE DISORDERS OF GOTHAM.
S.s.m. or Frenzy and Deeds Of Blood In
,se Great Memorable scrim-
New York star.I

New York Star.I
Is,e exciting events in Cincinnati have
o,xon rise Ia speculations as TO what might
occ,,r in New York in the same line on
similar provocation. The metropolis has
cuite record i'm this way already. There
have been serious outbreaks here, even
from the old colonial times, and many OF
the disturbances have had a national effect.
A riot IN New York would be more con-
seouential affair than any local brawl IN
Ohio. or elsewhere on this continent, you
NAV well believe. glance back 81 the
nature OF the riots that have occurred mere
and their causes, will prove interesting
anropos OF the reflections into which tue
public has fallen In consequence o, tne
news OF the day from the distracted y" far'S
OF America" ,,,..,o
II isa great one. Manhattan isiauu nas
heen in a state Of intermittent war from
,ho time ~ its first settlement by the Dutch.
srhora ~ a record of the fact that in 1865 the
Indians mred some Of the principal inhab-
i,ants outside the stockaded town and
sIauchtered them near the present Cort-
iandt street. These were peaceable Chris
t;an reformed Indians, whom the Dutch
parsons thought they had made good
Europeans. Their riotous uprising ana
seizure OF the sealps Of the parson, TWO
deacons. and bell-ringer, settled the ques-
tjon. Then a reform party sprang up
among the Dutch. and they reformed the
CITY by slaughtering all the reform In
dams.
When the English took the island by
co,lD de main and called it New YORK
there was some talk OF riotouS uprising,
but while the Dutchmen were smoking their
pipes and thinking il over the English cot
q foothold. and it would have caused too
much trouble to have attempted TO dis
lodge them. So the burghers settled down
10 comfort, and lost their grip on the
reipns OF government without kicking III
the fuss they had talked OF.
The British settlers had among then
MANY nobodies Of aristOcratic ambition
people who came 70 the new world 10 put
on airs and assume royal dignities thai
would not be tolerated from them at home
II was they and their descendants who
were the tories of the Revolution. and who
are the dudes and imitation Englishmen ol
to-day. There was another element ol
mixed nationality. and OF less aTlstocratit
tendency. that came into the town ut the
same time. and fraternizlng with The
Dutchmen, made men OF them. This was
the class from Thich the riOtous and reF0-
lutionary Sons OF Liberty were afterward
recruited in the stormy DAYS preceding The
birth OF the nation,
In 1859 New York. we learn by authentic
records, was greatly excited by the fact
that Boston had thrown off the tyranny OF
the provincial Governor and had set up Il
government for itself. Manhattan he'd
some years previously been "gObbled up "
by New England, and had been placed
under its stern Colonial rule. This Puritan
refine had dispIeased the New Workers
greatly, aud there had been loud threats OF
a revolt on the religious questions in
yolyed. The incipient dudes Of the
day-the germs then existent OF that
blooming article OF this time-wanted
the Church OF England to rule with
full ecclesiastical force, and talked fight,
but could not induce the mass 81 She
people to do the fighting for them, though
they excited them considerably. When
Boston went ii alone, however, New York
got rid OF the Puritan influence, and wa,
placed under the rule OF the Colonial Gov
ernor Andres. Then serious trouble COM
menced. Rumors were spread that there
wssa plot afoot 10 destroy New York. that
IL was to be given up to the French or the
Spaniards, and during the first three
months OF the year 1859 lOokOuts were sta
toned by the people OF Coney Island 10
detect foreign vessels and report their az
rival promptly, should they come in
any greater number than two ut time.
Andres was accused of these plots.
and so great was the cutlery that he
was placed under arrest. and on May 90,
1859, Lieutenant-GovernOr Nicholson re-
placed him. This made matters worse
tod a % ifo POI, J.,
that threatened a bloody outbreak. I he
prejudice OF the English against the Cath
olics was manifested with the utmost yiO-
lence. Leading citizens, both Dutch and
English, were suspected Of going over Ia
this religious faith. Although the number
OF Catholics in New York at this time was
ridicuously small, the cry raised iOI
political purposes was taken up and
the belief gained ground. The few
soldiers OF Catholic faith in the regular
force under NichOlson's command were
relieved and an ensign Of that religion was
sent out OF the country. Finally the eli
max came. The militia and the regular
garrisoned the fort alternate nights. Thi-
was a concession TO the excited poDulaCe
One night Captain De Peyster's company
was to 20 on duty, and Governor Nichol'
son interfered with the posting OF a GER
tain soldier OF that company in the gate
way, saying he would rather see Tho
town on fire than commanded by De Pey-
ster. The lieutenant OF De Peyster's com
pany to whom this TRADE was adj
dressed demurred, and both he ard hi,
soldiers were driven from the post by Gov
ernor Nicholson, who drew a pistol on
them. The rumors Of this scene stirred
the people. The next day drums were
beaten in the town. At the signal work
men dropped their tools and sought their
rendezvous, intent on desperate Tork
Captain Leisler's company Of militia gath
cred noisily before the door of his resi-
dence and thence marched to the fort,
forcing their way In and taking possession
of it after weak struggle on the part OF
the garrison. A rabble followed the mill
tia, and scenes Of disorder prevailed al
over the town.
People rushed about crying: eve are
sold, betrayed, going to be murderedV
Leisler was boosted to the supreme coutrO
by this popular outbreak. He avowed hi
policy I'm the cry when challenged by Mich
olson and his men: Down with kings
down with aristocracyw This pleased III,
masses, and all the militia and the pool
people joined him in open revolt. After q
parley, bloodshed was avoided by NicboL
pom agreeing that the militia and the people
thould take control until news could be got
- from England and some special privileges
for the citizens of New York could be oh.
tained from the king. SO deep was this
movement that on June oath MayOr Van
Cor.lsndt received royal proclamation
confirming Leisler and his officers in the
control they had taken. This settled the
religious dispute.
Ia October, 1859, the town Of Albany be-
gan TO feel its oats, and took an indepen-
dent attitude. Ii wanted separate gov
eminent, and proceeded to organize one,