THE RIOTS IN NEW YORK.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 95, 30 September 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE RIOTS IN NEW YORK.

(From the Tunes,' July 27.) - The' New York papers give fearful descriptions of the scenes of riot which followed, the attempt to enforce the conscription. The Neio . York Journal of Commerce of the 14th' thus summarizes the events of the first day : — " Yesterday witnessed the most i serious riot which Jias ever been known ] in our city, and it raged all day unsup- j pressed., In fact, the upper portion of; New York was seized by the mob, and held throughout the day, and no exertions sufficed to give the least check to their proceedings. It is with the deepest pain that we record the facts elsewhere — facts which will be memorable in the history of ■our city, hitherto celebrated for its law-abiding character. The origin of the riot was in the Ninth Congressional District, where the d aughting commenced on Saturday last. Agreatcrowd gathered yesterday morning around the office in 3dAvenue, where the draughting was in progress. On Saturday the drawing of names had not been interrupted. Sunday intervened and no one anticipated any trouble, ncr is there any reason to believe that the occurrences of yesterday were premeditated or organized. On the contrary, there was probably no idea of it in the mind of any one concerned up to the moment of the outbreak. Then a pent-up fire seemed to break out suddenly^ and the absence of the military forces relied on to check such demonstrations prevented an immediate suppression, so that it gained power and assumed enormous proportions. The office on which the attack was made is in the Brd-Avenue, and the riot was at first confined to that immediate locality. The officers escaped, it is honed, without serious injury, but the furious crowd vented their rage on the building, set fire to it, and then forbade any interference of the fire companies, so that it was destroyed. The fire was not confined to this house. Like the mob, once kindled it was unrestrained and destroyed what it touched, no one staying its course. From the locality in which it commenced the riot spread into various parts of the city. 3'len everywhere were excitable, and the whole community seemed to be in a state of nervous anxiety, while portions of it were ready to add to the fury of the mob. Nothing was talked of but the draught, and the burden of the conversation on that subject was the old story, which had been again and again talked over, but which now had fresh interest. The rapidity with which the riot spread is unexampled in history. In a few hours the whole of the upper part of the city was in possession of the mob, and a scene commenced whose horror is bevound description. Without leadership, without any common design, they selected objects for their attack, and went from one to another with tremendous rapidity. The details of much that was done will be found elsewhere. Mucli remains unreported, since, for various reasons, it was impossible to collect the fact?. The lenver part of the city remained quiet until the evening, with the exception of excited crowds in the neighborhood of the park. About half-past seven a sudden attack was made on the office of the 'Iribune. For a few minutes the mob had possession of the building, and a considerable amount of damage was done, when a body of police charged on them, cleared the building, and formed a strong guard around it. Night t^en came down on the city in a condition not to be described. From the roof of the Journal of Commerce building the view presented in the misty atmosphere was such as we hope never to see again. In our own neighborhood all was quiet, and profound silence reigned where the city is by day m^st crowded and no^sy. But in the distance new conflagrations and the remains of those kindled during the day lit the drifting clouds with a red glow, and the shouts of the mob came down to us from far off scenes of riot. The fire bells have scarcely ceased their loud call from hour to hour, and the night has been full of alarms and apprehensions. At the moment of writing, three o'clock, a large fire has suddenly appeared in the western part of the city, lighting the clouds, but we are unable to say'whether it proceeds from the work of the rioters or other causes."