ABOLITION RIOTS OF 1834 AND 1835.
The Slavery Question agitated.--The End, Civil War.--The
Results.--William Lloyd Garrison.--Feeling of the People on the
Subject.--First Attempt to call a Meeting of the Abolitionists in New
York.--Meeting in Chatham Street Chapel.--A Fight.--Mob take Possession
of Bowery Theatre.--Sacking of Lewis Tappan's House.--Fight between Mob
and Police.--Mobbing of Dr. Cox's Church, in Laight Street.--His
House broken into.--Street Barricaded.--Attack on Arthur Tappan's
Store.--Second Attack on Church in Laight Street.--Church sacked in
Spring Street.--Arrival of the Military.--Barricades carried.--Mr.
Ludlow's House entered.--Mob at Five Points.--Destruction of
Houses.--The City Military called out.--Mob overawed, and Peace
restored.--Five Points Riot.--Stone-cutters' Riot.
Most of the riots of New York have grown out of causes more or less
local, and wholly transient in their nature. Hence, the object sought
to be obtained was at once secured, or abandoned altogether. But those
arising from the formation of Abolition societies, and the discussion of
the doctrine of immediate emancipation, were of a different character,
and confined to no locality or time. The spirit that produced them
developed itself in every section of the country, and the question
continued to assume vaster proportions, till the Union itself was
involved, and what was first only a conflict between the police of the
city and a few hundred or thousands of ignorant, reckless men, grew at
last into the most gigantic and terrible civil war that ever cursed
the earth. The Union was rent asunder, and State arrayed against State,
while the world looked on aghast at the strange and bloody spectacle.
The final result has been the emancipation of the slaves, and their
endowment with all the rights and privileges of American citizens. But
with this has come a frightful national debt, the destruction of that
feeling of common interest and patriotism, which is the strongest
security of a country; a contempt for the Constitution, the
concentration of power in the hands of Congress, small regard for State
rights, while the controlling power in the South has passed into the
hands of an ignorant, incapable, irresponsible class; and, worse than
all, the people have become accustomed to the strange spectacle, so
fraught with danger in a republic, of seeing the legislatures and
executives of sovereign States overawed and overborne by the national
troops. That frightful conflict for the slave has sown dangerous seed;
what the final harvest will be, the future historian alone will be able
to show.
The inconsistency of having a system of slavery incorporated into a
republican government was always felt by good men North and South, as
well as its damaging effect on the social and political well-being
of the whole community; and steps had been taken both in Virginia
and Kentucky to do away with it by legislative action. Whether these
incipient steps would ever have ended in relieving us of the evil,
can only be conjectured. We only know that a peaceable solution of the
question was rendered impossible, by the action of the Abolitionists, as
they were called, who, governed by the short logic, that slavery being
wrong, it could not exist a moment without sin, and therefore must be
abandoned at once without regard to consequences. The system of slavery
was no longer a social or political problem, calling for great wisdom,
prudence, statesmanship, and patience, but a personal crime, not to be
tolerated for a moment. The whole South was divided by them into two
classes, the oppressor and oppressed, the kidnapper and kidnapped, the
tyrant and the slave--a relationship which liberty, religion, justice,
humanity, alike demanded should be severed without a moment's delay.
These views, in the judgment of the press at the time, and of sound
statesmen, would eventually end in civil war, if adopted by the entire
North, and hence they denounced them. The Abolitionists were considered
by all as enemies to the Union, whom the lower classes felt should be
put down, if necessary, by violence. This feeling was increased by the
action of William Lloyd Garrison, the founder of the society, who went
to England, and joined with the antislavery men there in abusing this
country for its inconsistency and crime. These causes produced a state
of public feeling that would be very apt to exhibit itself on the first
opportunity. When, therefore, in the autumn of 1833, after Garrison's
return from England, a notice appeared for an antislavery meeting in
Clinton Hall, some of the most respectable men in New York determined to
attend, and crush out, by the weight of their influence, the dangerous
movement. Another class was resolved to effect the same project in
another way, and on the 2d of October the following placard was posted
in naming letters all over the city:
NOTICE
_To all persons from the South_.
All persons interested in the subject of the meeting called by J.
Leavitt, W. Goodell, W. Green, J. Rankin, Lewis Tappan,
At Clinton Hall, this evening, at 7 o'clock, are requested to attend at
the same hour and place.
MANY SOUTHERNERS.
New York, _October_ 2d, 1833.
N.B. All citizens who may feel disposed to manifest the _true_ feeling
of the State on this subject, are requested to attend.
Putting the appeal in the name of the Southerners, was an artful device
to call out the people.
At an early hour crowds began to assemble in front of Clinton Hall;
but to their surprise they found a notice nailed on the door, that no
meeting would be held. Many, seeing it, returned home; but still the
crowd continued to swell to thousands, who rent the air with shouts and
threats against Garrison. Determined not to be disappointed in a meeting
of some kind, they forced their way upstairs, till the room in which
it was to be held was crammed to suffocation. The meeting was then
organized, and waited till quarter past seven, when it was moved to
adjourn to Tammany Hall. There it was again organized, and a gentleman
was about to address the crowd, when a man stepped forward to the
president, and stated that the meeting announced to be held in Clinton
Hall was at that moment under full headway in Chatham Street Chapel.
Instantly several voices shouted, "Let us go there and rout them!" But
the chairman said they had met to pass certain resolutions, and they
should attend to this business first, and then every one could do as he
liked. The resolutions were read, and after some remarks had been
made upon them, adopted, and the meeting adjourned. A portion of those
present, however, were not satisfied, but resolved to go to the chapel
and break up the meeting there. The little handful assembled within,
apprised of their approach, fled, so that when the mob arrived, the
building, though the doors were open and the lights burning, was empty.
It immediately took possession of the room, and giving a negro who was
foremost in the sport the name of one of the Abolitionists, made him
chairman. The most absurd resolutions were then offered, and carried,
when the chairman returned thanks for the honor done him amid the most
uproarious laughter, and what had threatened to be a serious riot ended
in a wild, lawless frolic.
This was the beginning of the Abolition riots in New York City,
which afterwards, to a greater or less extent, prevailed for years in
different parts of the Union.
Next summer the excitement, which during the winter had nothing to
call it forth, broke out afresh, ending in destruction of property and
bloodshed, and the calling out of the military. On the evening of the
7th of July, an assembly of colored persons of both sexes occupied
Chatham Street Chapel, for the purpose of listening to a sermon from
a negro preacher. The New York Sacred Music Society had leased the
building for certain evenings in the week, of which it was asserted this
was one. Justice Lowndes, of the Police Court, was president, and
Dr. Rockwell vice-president of the society, and they repaired to the
building during the evening, and finding it occupied, at once claimed
their right to it, and demanded that the blacks should leave. But the
latter, having hired and paid for it, refused to do so, when a fight
ensued, in which lamps and chairs were broken, loaded canes used
freely, and some persons seriously injured. The news of the fight spread
rapidly, and a dense crowd gathered around the door. But the police soon
arrived, and forcing their way in, drove white and black out together,
and locked up the church.
The riot, however, continued for some time in the street; but the
blacks, finding themselves outnumbered, fled, and peace was restored.
A portion of the crowd, having recognized Lewis Tappan, one of the
leading Abolitionists, followed him home with hoots and yells, and even
hurled stones at his house after he had entered it.
The next evening, at dusk, the crowd began again to assemble in front
of the chapel. But the lessee of it had closed and locked the gates. The
multitude determined, however, not to be disappointed of a meeting,
and forcing open the gates, obtained entrance. The meeting was then
organized, and Mr. William W. Wilder called to the chair. After making
a speech, in which he showed the evil effects of a sudden abolition
of slavery, by relating his experience in San Domingo, he moved an
adjournment until the next meeting of the Antislavery Society. The
motion was carried, and the assembly broke up. This was, however,
altogether too quiet a termination for a part of the crowd, and a shout
was made for the Bowery Theatre. The attacks on us by the English,
for upholding slavery, and their sympathy and aid for Garrison, and
co-operation with him in agitating the question of abolition in this
country, had rekindled the old slumbering feeling of hostility to that
country; and Mr. Farren, the stage manager of the Bowery, being an
Englishman, it was transferred to him, especially as reports had been
circulated that he had spoken disrespectfully of the Americans.
This night having been selected to give him a benefit, his enemies had
posted placards over the city, stating the fact of his hostility to this
country--whether with the intention of causing a thin house, or breaking
it up altogether, is not known. At all events, the mob resolved on the
latter course, and streaming up the Bowery in one wild, excited mass,
gathered with loud shouts in front of the theatre. The doors were closed
in their faces, but pressing against them with their immense weight,
they gave way, and like a dark, stormy wave, they surged up the aisles
toward the foot-lights. In the garish light, faces grew pale, and turned
eagerly toward the doors for a way of escape. But these were jammed with
the excited, yelling mob. The play was "Metamora," and was under full
headway, when this sudden inundation of the rioters took place. The
actors stopped, aghast at the introduction of this new, appalling scene.
Messrs. Hamlin and Forrest advanced to the front of the stage, and
attempted to address them; but apologies and entreaties were alike in
vain. The thundering shouts and yells that interrupted them were not
those of admiration, and spectators and actors were compelled to remain
silent, while this strange audience took complete possession of the
house, and inaugurated a play of their own.
But the police, having received information of what was going on, now
arrived, and forcing their way in, drove the rioters into the street,
and restored order. But the demon of lawless violence, that was now
fully raised, was not to be thus laid. Some one got hold of a bell, and
began to ring it violently. This increased the excitement, and suddenly
the shout arose, "to Arthur Tappan's." [Footnote: A silk merchant, and
one of the leading Abolitionists.] The cry was at once taken up by a
thousand voices, and the crowd started down the street. But instead of
going to his house, they went to that of his brother, Lewis, in Hose
Street, a still more obnoxious Abolitionist. Reaching it, they staved
open the doors, and smashed in the windows, and began to pitch the
furniture into the street. Chairs, sofas, tables, pictures, mirrors, and
bedding, went out one after another. But all at once a lull occurred in
the work of destruction. In pitching the pictures out, one came across
a portrait of Washington. Suddenly the cry arose, "It is Washington!
For God's sake, _don't burn Washington_!" In an instant the spirit of
disorder was laid, and the portrait was handed carefully from man to
man, till at length the populace, bearing it aloft, carried it with
shouts to a neighboring house for safety. It was one of those strange
freaks or sudden changes that will sometimes come over the wildest and
most brutal men, like a gleam of gentle light across a dark and stormy
sea--the good in man for a moment making its voice heard above the din
and strife of evil passions.
This singular episode being terminated, they returned to their work of
destruction. But suddenly the cry of "Watchmen!" was heard, and the next
moment the police came charging down the street. The mob recoiled before
it, then broke and fled, and the former took possession of the street.
But the latter, coming across some piles of brick, filled their arms and
hands full, and rallying, returned. Charging the watchmen in turn with
a blinding shower of these, they drove them from the ground. They then
kindled a fire on the pavement, and as the flames flashed up in the
darkness and gained headway, they piled on bedding and furniture, till
the whole street was illuminated with the costly bonfire. This caused
the fire-bells to be rung, and soon the engines came thundering down the
street, before which the crowd gave way. The burning furniture was then
extinguished, and the house taken possession of. It was now two o'clock
in the morning, and the mob dispersed.
The next day nothing was talked about in the saloons, groggeries, and on
the corners of the by-streets, but the events of the night before; and
as evening came on, a crowd began to assemble in front of the battered,
dilapidated house of Lewis Tappan. Another attack was imminent, when the
police came up and dispersed them. They had not, however, abandoned the
purpose for which they had assembled.
The little band of Abolitionists, that the year before had been composed
mostly of comparatively obscure men, had now increased both in
numbers and men of influence. Persecution had produced its usual
effects--advanced the cause it designed to destroy. Among other
well-known citizens who had joined their ranks were the two brothers,
Dr. Abraham Cox, M.D., and Dr. Samuel Cox, the latter, pastor of Laight
Street Church, and one of the most popular preachers of the city. Though
opposed by a large majority of his congregation, he had become known
as a bold, outspoken man against slavery; and now the mob, bent on
mischief, streamed across the city toward his church. It was dark, and
as they gathered in a black, dense mass in front of it, suddenly, as
if by a common impulse, a loud yell broke forth, and the next moment a
shower of stones and brick-bats fell on the windows. Babel was now let
loose, and, amid the crashing of window-glass, arose every variety of
sound and all kinds of calls, interspersed with oaths and curses on
"Abolitionists and niggers."
Shrieks of laughter and obscene epithets helped to swell the uproar.
It was evident they would not be satisfied until they left the church
a ruin; but at this critical moment, the Mayor, Justice Lowndes, the
District Attorney, and a posse of police officers and watchmen arrived
on the ground. Expecting trouble, they had arranged to be ready at a
moment's warning to hasten to any threatened point. Their unexpected
presence frightened the crowd, and fearing arrest, they slunk away
in squads, and the danger seemed over. But, evidently by previous
arrangement, the broken fragments, arriving by different streets, came
together in front of Dr. Cox's house, in Charlton Street.
The doctor, however, was not at home. He had received warnings and
threats from various quarters, and knowing, from the fate of Lewis
Tappan's house, what that of his own would be, he had, during the day,
quietly removed his furniture, and in the afternoon put his family on
board of a steamboat, and left the city.
The mob found the door barricaded, but they broke it open, and began to
smash the windows and blinds of the lower story. Before, however, they
had begun to sack the house, police-officers and watchmen, with two
detachments of horse, arrived and dislodged them. They did not, however,
disperse. A more dangerous and determined spirit was getting possession
of them than they had before evinced. Crowding back on each other, they
packed the street east, within four blocks of Broadway. Seizing some
carts, they made a hasty barricade of them across the streets, while a
neighboring fence supplied them with clubs. A large number were armed
with paving-stones, which they would smite loudly together, saying in
deep undertones, "_all together_." As they thus stood savagely at bay, a
collision seemed inevitable, and had they been attacked, would doubtless
have made a desperate fight. But being let alone they slowly dispersed.
A portion, however, though it was now late at night, could not retire
without venting a little more spite, and returning to the church, broke
in some more windows.
Dr. Cox came back to his house next morning, to see if it was safe. As
he left the mutilated building, a crowd of boys, who were looking at the
ruins, immediately gave chase to him with yells and derisive laughter,
and pressed him so closely, at the same time hurling dirty missiles
at him, that he was compelled to take shelter in the house of a
parishioner.
The crowd around the house continued to increase all the morning, but a
hundred policemen arriving at one o'clock, no disturbance of the peace
was attempted. In the afternoon, Mayor Lawrence issued a proclamation,
denouncing the rioters, and calling on all good citizens to aid in
maintaining the peace, and assuring them that he had taken ample
measures to repress all attempts at violence. At the Arsenal, City Hall,
and Bazaar, large bodies of troops were assembled, ready to march at a
moment's notice; and it was evident that the coming night was to witness
a trial of strength between the rioters and the city authorities.
As soon as it was fairly dark, large crowds gathered in front of Arthur
Tappan's store, and began to stone the building. Some fifteen or twenty
watchmen were stationed here, and endeavored to arrest the ringleaders,
when the mob turned on them, and handled them so roughly that they
were compelled to take refuge in flight. Alderman Lalagh was severely
wounded; but he refused to leave, and standing fiercely at bay,
denounced and threatened the maddened wretches, who in turn swore they
would take his life. He told them to force open the doors if they dare;
that the inside was full of armed men, who were ready to blow their
brains out the moment the door gave way. This frightened them, and they
had to content themselves with stoning the windows, and cursing the
Abolitionist who owned the building. In the meantime, Justice Lowndes
came up with a strong police force, when they fled.
While this was going on here, similar scenes were passing in other parts
of the city. At dark, some three or four hundred gathered around
Dr. Cox's church, in Laight Street, discussing the conduct of the
Abolitionists, but making no outward demonstrations calling for the
interference of the police, until nine o'clock, when a reinforcement
came yelling down Varick Street, armed with stones and brick-bats. These
charged, without halting, so furiously on the police-officers, and the
few watchmen stationed there, that, bruised and bleeding, they were
compelled to flee for their lives. The next moment stones rattled like
hail against the church, and, in a few minutes, the remaining windows
were smashed in. The police rallied when they reached Beach Street,
and hurried off a messenger to the City Hall for the military. In the
meantime, loud shouts were heard in the direction of Spring Street, and
with answering shouts the mob left the church, and rushed yelling like
Indians to the spot. A vast crowd was in front of a church there, under
the care of Rev. Mr. Ludlow, another Abolitionist, and had already
commenced the work of destruction. They had torn down the fence
surrounding it, and were demolishing the windows. Through them they made
an entrance, and tore down the pulpit, ripped up the seats, and made
a wreck of everything destructible without the aid of fire. The
session-room shared the same fate, and the splintered wreck of both was
carried in their arms, and on their shoulders, out of doors, and piled
into barricades in the street on both sides of the building, to stop the
anticipated charge of cavalry. Carts, hauled furiously along by the mob,
were drawn up behind this, and chained together, making a formidable
obstruction. They then rung the bell furiously, in order to bring out
the firemen. The watch-house bell in Prince Street gave a few answering
strokes, but information being received of what was going on, it ceased,
and the firemen did not come out. It was now near eleven o'clock, when,
all at once, an unearthly yell arose from the immense throng. Word had
passed through it that the military was approaching. Pandemonium seemed
suddenly to have broken loose, and shouts, and yells, and oaths arose
from five thousand throats, as the men sprung behind their barricades.
It was a moonless night, but the stars were shining brightly, and, in
their light, the sheen of nearly a thousand bayonets made the street
look like a lane of steel. The Twenty-seventh Regiment of National
Guards, led by Colonel Stevens, had been sent from the City Hall, and
their regular heavy tramp sounded ominously, as they came steadily on.
The church-bell was set ringing furiously by the mob and there was every
appearance of a determined resistance. As Colonel Stevens approached the
first barricade, he halted his regiment, and ordered his pioneer guard
to advance. They promptly obeyed, armed with their axes. A shower
of stones met them, while clubs were waved frantically in the air,
accompanied with oaths and threats. They, however, moved firmly up to
the barricade, and the shining steel of their axes, as they swung them
in the air, was as terrific as the gleam of the bayonets, and the crowd
retired precipitately behind the second barricade. The first was now
speedily torn down, and the head of the column advanced. The second was
a more formidable affair, in fact, a regular bastion, behind which were
packed in one dense mass an immense body of desperate men, reaching down
the street, till lost in the darkness. It seemed now that nothing but
deadly volleys would answer. One of the city officers advised Colonel
Stevens to retreat, but, instead of obeying, he ordered the pioneer
guard to advance, and sustained it by a detachment of troops. Amid the
raining missiles they moved forward, when the crowd fell back, some
fleeing up the side streets. The guard then mounted the barricade, and
in a short time it was scattered in every direction; and when the order
"Forward" was given, the column marched straight on the mob. At this
moment, Justice Lowndes, at the head of a band of watchmen, arrived on
the ground, when the two forces moved forward together, clearing the
street of the rioters. While the fight was going on, some of the gang
remained inside the church, and kept the bell ringing violently, until
Colonel Stevens ordered one of his officers to cut the rope.
A portion of the mob now hurried to Thompson Street, where Mr. Ludlow
resided. The family had retired for the night, but their repose was
suddenly broken by loud yells and the sound of stones dashing in their
windows. Jumping up in wild alarm, they saw the doors broken in, through
which streamed the shouting, yelling crowd.
Either from fear of the military, which they knew would soon be upon
them, or some other cause, they decamped almost as suddenly as they
came, and relieved the terror-stricken household of their presence.
About this time, another immense mob had collected at Five Points. The
rioters here seemed to be well organized, and to act in concert. Runners
were kept passing between the different bodies, keeping each informed
of the actions of the other, and giving notice of the approach of the
police.
The destruction at Five Points was on a more extensive scale, and the
gatherings in this, then dangerous section of the city--the home of
desperadoes and depraved beings of every kind--were of such a character,
that for a time the city authorities seemed to be over-awed. The rioters
had it all their own way for several hours, and the midnight heavens
became lurid with burning dwellings. It somehow got round that they had
resolved to attack every house not illuminated with candles, and these
dirty streets soon became brilliant with the lighted windows. Five
houses of ill-fame were gutted, and almost entirely demolished. St.
Philip's Church, in Centre Street, occupied by a colored congregation,
was broken into, and for two hours the mob continued the work of
destruction unmolested. They left it a complete ruin. A house adjoining,
and three houses opposite, shared the same fate. The mob was everywhere;
and although the police made some arrests and had some fights, they
were too weak to effect much. About one o'clock a shout arose, "away to
Anthony Street!" and thither the yelling wretches repaired.
The Mayor was at the City Hall all night, doing what he could; but the
mob had arranged their plans to act in concert, appearing in separate
bodies in different sections of the city at the same time, so that he
hardly knew, with the force at his disposal, where to strike. The next
morning he issued another proclamation, calling on the citizens to
report to him and be organized into companies to aid the police. He
called also on all the volunteer military companies of the city to rally
to the support of the laws. They did so, and that (Saturday) night they,
with most of the fire companies, who had offered their services, were
stationed in strong bodies all over the city; and the rioters saw that
their rule was ended. Beside, many of the most notorious ringleaders
had been arrested and put in prison. A short fight occurred in Catharine
Street between the police and mob, in which both had some of their men
badly hurt; and an attempt was made to get up a riot in Reade Street,
but it was promptly put down. The city was rife with rumors of bloody
things which the mob had threatened to do; but, with the exception of
the military in the streets, the city on Sunday presented its usual
appearance. The lawless spirit was crushed out, and a hundred and fifty
of the desperadoes who had been instrumental in rousing it were locked
up to await their trial.
In June of the summer of 1835 occurred the Five Points riot, which grew
out of the feeling between Americans and foreigners. It threatened for a
time to be a very serious matter, but was finally quelled by the police
without the aid of the military. Dr. W. M. Caffrey was accidentally
killed by one of the mob, and Justice Lowndes was dangerously wounded.
In connection with the series of riots of 1834 and 1835, might be
mentioned the Stonecutters' riot, though it was promptly suppressed.
STONECUTTERS' RIOT.
The contractors for the building of the New York University found
that they could purchase dressed stone at Sing Sing, the work of the
prisoners there, much cheaper than in New York, and so concluded to use
it. This, the stonecutters of the city said, was taking the bread out of
their mouths, and if allowed to go on would destroy their business. They
held excited meetings on the subject, and finally got up a procession
and paraded the streets with placards asserting their rights and
denouncing the contractors. They even attacked the houses of some of
the citizens, and assumed such a threatening attitude, that the
Twenty-seventh Regiment, Colonel Stevens, was called out. Their steady,
determined march on the rioters dispersed them and restored quiet.
Apprehensions were felt, however, that they would reassemble in the
night and vent their rage on the University building, and so a part
of the regiment encamped in Washington Square in full view of it. They
remained here four days and nights, until the excitement subsided, and
the work could go on unmolested.