AMERICA.

Auckland Times, Volume 2, Issue 92, 15 October 1844, Page 3

AMERICA.

From the Sydney Morning Herald. The most important item of news in the American papers received by the lanthe is the very violent ill feeling ex isting between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants on the subject of education, which has ended in a riot, in which cwo Roman Cathod« churches, a female seminary, and upwaids of one hundred houses, have been burnt, and ten or twelve persons killed, and forty wounded. For the last two years the Roman Catholics throughout the Union, but particularly in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, where Bishop Kenrick resides, have been complaining of the introduction of the Bible into the common schools, and have been agitating to cause them to be removed, which has, of course, been violently opposed. In the early part of May last, the Roman Catholics had several meetings on the subject, and passed a variety of resolutions, some of which were so annoying to the Protestants that they determined to have some counter imeetings. The "Native Americans;' a party formed in opposition to the Irish, who are very strong in the large cities on the coast, called a meeting for the 10th May.

••The meeting (says the Boston Times whence we gather our information,) wa« addressed by Mr. S. R, Kramer, General Smith, and L C. Levin. The rain coming on, it adjourned tqi : trie market in the neighbourhood, Where Mr. Levin recommenced his discouase; he had not proceeded far before a rush Was made on the western side of the market house, in consequence of a gun, which is said to have been bred across a lot from the vicinity of the Hibernia hose house; then commenced one of the most dreadful scenes that can we'll be imagined., ; Volley rafter volley was fired, and a rush was made over a iot in the direction of the Hibernia hose house. From every street and house came running to the scene of action armed men —some .with muskets, others with [geons and stones-many of these were accompanied by women, who urged them on anddirected them where to file. Those in possession of the market-house maintained their ground,.and held aloft the flag, while the combatants filled every street in the vicinity, Some of them ran into houses, but .they, were Watched, and the infu-iated mob fell to work and partially destroyed the houses.in which they had taken refuge. Jn Cadwallader-street a similar frightful scene was presented. The house of a widow woman into which a man ran, was attacked, its doors were broken open, and the rioters rushed in and broke the furniture into fragments. The riot lasted about an-hour, during which time the reports of fire-arms numbered hundreds, and at least fifty persons i fell from being Wounded. Several persons I were repbited to have been killed. A young man residing in St. John-street, ne.r Beaver, named George Shiefflevj wis killed on the spot, instantly. A young man named Temper. shot in the hip and was wounded in so shocking a manner that be cannot possibly survive. Among the buildings attacked was the Hibernian hose house, the lights of which were all knocked out, and the premises otherwise damaged. W r e believe that the flag was protected by those who had undertaken the venturesome task of protecting it, htit what became of it we know not. The Native American party gradually dispersed, and up to a late hour in the evening, comparative order prevailed.

This calm, however, was deceptive ; for at a second meeting of the Native Americans, held the next day, more shots were fired at them, and several were killed. We again quote from the Boston Times . As soon as these death wounds were given, the excitement became intense. The hose house was fired, and soon kindled into a blaze, which extended to a number of dwellings, fiame and brick, on both sides, and in the rear, aud the conflagration thus produced continued for hours. ihe Native Americans were driven out of the market house, but soon rallied, while ever and anon muskets were discharged by the Irish, some of which did fatal execution. We give below a list of the wounded and killed, as far as we have been able to ascertain. For squares around the scene of action, crowds assembled, exciting stories were related, painful details were given, while as the dead aud wounded were carried along on sofas, expressions of indignation and sympathy of ihe stiongest kind were uttered. Vie saw several bodies carried by us in this Way. In some cases, the sufferers exhibited sights of a truly heartrending kind, their wounds bleeding, and their clothes dy.td i" blood. Dozens of families, nay hundreds, were flying, throughout the day and evening, from the scene of peril, some in one direction and some in another. them old men and old women, mothers with little children, boys and girls —all excited and panic stricken. The burning houses with their hi:id flames presented after nightfall another tearful feature of the scene. An Irishman, Who came out of an alley, levelled his musket and shot a man, and returned probably to reload. Be was walched. and soon appeared again, when he levelled his piece at another. He was seized While in the act of pulling the trigger, his musket was t;«ken from him, and on being searched, a flask of powder and a number of balls were found in his possession. While on the way to the Alderman's office, a rope was put round his neck, be was dragged through the streets by the populace, par-

t tally hung in the Second street Markets

to a hook —and so severely beaten and injured that not likely to recover. By this time the authorities became* alarmed, and. both; civil and military forces were called out, and order restored. The s next; day, however, the riots recommenced.'. About two o'clock a crowd of peoplewent to Ninth and Poplar street, where a number of Irish families had taken refuge,. in a number of dwellings.* These were fired, the inmates scattered, and ihe contents destroyed, Meantime, an immense crowd had gathered in the vicinity of Sr« Michael's church, and about two o'clock Captain Fairlamb demanded the keys of the edifice from the Rev* M. Lochrin, the pastor, who immediately gave them upi and with them the keys of his own residence adjoining the church. Captain Fairlamb instituted a strict search through the premises, and found neither arms nor men concealed, either in the church or in the house.. Shortly after this three young men walked through the detachment of military into the church, the front door of which had been left unlocked. One of them in a few minutes afterwards threw out of a window a ; portion of the drapery of the altar., ; They soon came out into the street and walked off without obstruction* The flames soon burst out and spread unchecked, until of the noble edifice nothing remained but the ; bare walls. During the conflagration three distinct explosions were heard, and this served greatly to exasperate the crowd The dwelling house of ihe pastor, adjoining, was broken into by ihe mob, the furniture thrown into the street, and the building itself fired. In a short time it was reduced to ruins. Matters remained quiet until half-past nine o'clock, when everv avenue thereabouts was filled by dense masses of people.

About that time a solitary brick was flung in the direction of the city watchmen, and struck With a loiid and distinct noise (for all then was quiet) against the iron railing at the rear. 'I his was followed by a loud cheer from the Church in Newstreet; and in an instant alter, a tremens dous shower of bricks, stones, and missiles of every available description, was directed to the Church, scattering the watch and bystauders in every direction. As soon as the watch in front had been driven off, the mob went to work quile coolly and systematically. One of the iron gates was first btoken down, and thus the platform (about five feet high) upon which the building stands, having been reached, a sort of battering ram was procured, with which steady and determined blows were inflicted upon the northernmost door, but it resisted all efforts, which it did until the last ; with clubs the assailants begun to demolish the sashes df the front windows, which are low, and in which by this time there was not probably a single unbroken pane of glass. While the mob were thus engaged, there Was an alarm of '*the Troop," — M the Troop !" and above all the clamour was presently heard ihe notes of a shrill trumpet, sounding the charge. The First City Troop rode by almost at a gallop, causing the crowds to fly towards Race-Street, where the company wheeled and returned at a similar gait; and several passages of this kind were made, but with no effect, for the mob followed the horsemen wheresoever they went, uttering long and loud derisive cries { while the parly immediately engaged in breakinginto the Church did not for a moment desist, but seemed to redouble their efforts in anticipation of the arrival of more of the military. In an incredibly

brief pe'iod, tbe obstruction offered by the sash was removed—the gas light near by extinguished, and fire conveyed into the lower centre window. The fire was undoubtedly kindled by Inciter matches, as we were close spectators, and certainly no fire was carried openly within. As soon as the light was seen, numerous persons employed themselves in bringing small pieces of boards and other light stuff —which was either thrown upon the fire or handed to those inside. The flames appeared to make slow progress, for the light was not seen in the second story at all; (this was owing, we believe, to the windows having shutters inside) but on a sudden they burst forth through the roof, and almost immediately enveloped the baso of the cupola.

( T» be continued in our next,J