CHAPTER IX.


POLICE RIOT--DEAD-RABBITS' RIOT--BREAD RIOT.

Creation of the Metropolitan District.--Collision between Mayor Wood's
Police and the Metropolitan Police.--Seventh Regiment called out.--Dead-
Rabbits' Riot.--Severe Fight between the Roach Guards and Dead Rabbits.--
Police driven back.--Barricades erected.--Military called out.--Killed and
Wounded.--Bread Riot.--Financial Distress.

The year 1857 was a remarkable one in the history of New York City, and
indeed of the whole country. The year previous had been characterized by
intense political excitement, for the presidential campaign had been
carried on as a sectional fight or a war between the upholders and enemies
of the institution of slavery as it existed at the South. Pennsylvania
alone by her vote defeated the antislavery party, and the South, seeing
the danger that threatened it, had already begun to prepare for that
tremendous struggle, that afterwards tested to the utmost the resources
and strength of the North; while a financial storm overwhelmed the entire
country in disaster. To these were added local causes, which affected New
York City particularly, and made it a year of uncommon disturbance.

The Republican party being largely in the ascendant in the State,
determined to revolutionize the municipal government, and place the
Democratic city partially under Republican rule. Many bills were passed
during the session of Legislature, peculiarly obnoxious to the city
authorities, but that which excited the most bitter opposition was called
the Metropolitan Police Act, by which the counties of New York, Kings,
Westchester, and Richmond were made one police district, to be controlled