THE HIBERNIAN RIOT.
 

On the 12th day of July, 1870, certain citizens, residing in New York,
indulged in a picnic at Elm Park. They included nearly equal num¬
bers of men, women, and children—husbands, wives, and little ones.
They reached the picnic grounds in a quiet way, without any procession,
and had passed the day in innocent and peaceable enjoyment; but when it
became known to the Irish herding in the neighborhood of the Park,
that the gathering was made up of" Orangemen," there followed an
immense excitement among the Celtic population, more especially
noticeable among the laborers in the employment of the city, who, at
the time were working, or rather pretending to work, on one of the new
Boulevards then constructing. The result was, that late in the day, a
most brutal and indiscriminate attack was ma;de upon the Orangemen,
by the Irish laborers alluded to, in which men unarmed, and helpless
women, and even infants were assailed with demoniac violence. It must
be especially observed that these rioters were really hirelings of Tam¬
many Ilall, and lived off the industry of tax-payers of the city. While
the riot was in progress, it was difficult to ascertain whether the police
present were not supporting the rioters. The end was, that two of the
Orangemen were killed, and a number were wounded, among these
latter being women and infant children.

In the accomplishment of this direful result, the same heathen barbar¬
ism which attended the death of Capt. O'Brien, in the " Draft Riots,"
cropped out. Every sentiment of humanity was outraged. It would
seem as if the perpetrators were simply savages, inspired by the single
insane idea of shedding blood. To these great wrongs the judicial
authorities of the city afforded no redress. The murderers, who even
probably not only known to the authorities, but whose names were on
the pay-rolls of the city, were never arrested, and to this day, no notice
has been officially taken of this most unchristian outrage.

On the approach of the 12th of July, 1871, the horrid scenes and
wicked results of the riot alluded to were recalled by our citizens, and
soon the excitement became intense, as the announcement was made
through the press, that the Orangemen not only intended to have their
annual picnic, but intended to march to their camping ground in proces-