and destructive riot. In 1849, they promptly suppressed the Astor Place
Riot, which was brought about by a disgraceful attempt on the part of a
band of ruffians to mob the English actor Macready, who was then playing
at the Astor Place Opera House. They prevented a serious riot at the
time of the creation of the Metropolitan Police Force, compelled Mayor
Wood and his partisans to yield obedience to the laws they had sworn to
disregard, and put down the disturbances which afterward occurred. In
1863, when the famous Draft Riots commenced, they were absent from the
city, having been sent to meet Lee at Gettysburg. They were summoned
back by telegraph, and returned in time to take up the battle which had
been for two days so gallantly fought by the police. They made short
work of the mob, and soon restored order. In July, 1871, they were
called on by the City Authorities to protect the Orange Lodges in their
right to parade. An ignorant, brutal mob declared that the parade should
not take place because it was offensive to them, and made preparations to
stop it by force. The Mayor of the city tamely yielded to the threats
and demands of the mob, and forbade the parade. Fortunately for the
credit of the city, fortunately for the moral power of the law, the
Governor of the State revoked the order of the Mayor, and assured the
Orangemen of full protection in their right to parade. The city, which
had rung with indignant cries at the cowardly surrender of the Mayor to
the mob, was now jubilant. The regiments ordered on duty by the Governor
for the protection of the procession responded with alacrity, and came
out with full ranks. The mob, still defiant, still thinking themselves
masters of the situation, made an attack on the procession and its
military escort. The troops submitted in silence, until some of their
number were shot down in the ranks. Then wheeling suddenly, they poured
a fatal volley into the midst of the rioters, who broke and fled in
dismay. There was no further attempt at violence. The lesson was a
useful one, and the effect fully worth the valuable lives that were laid
down in the defence of the law.

XXIX. NASSAU STREET.

If you will go to the southern extremity of Printing House Square, on the
east side of the City Hall Park, you will see the opening of a narrow
street between the offices of the _Tribune_ and _Times_ newspapers. This
is Nassau street. It runs parallel with Broadw