OUR QUONDAM PEACEABLE  AND ORDERLY CITY was yesterday the scene of riot, in which some forty or fifty persons were wounded, some it is feared fatally. The disgraceful proceedings occurred in the neighborhood of Maine street, where a fight took place on the previous Sunday but not with such serious results.

There had been all manner of exciting rumors afloat during the early part of the day and for some days previous, which foreshadowed the events which took place. It was stated that the Know Nothings from New York, having got into a fight on the Sunday previous, and being driven inside the gates of the Catharine ferry, were determined to have revenge, and would visit the city in large numbers, having reinforced their ranks for the occasion. It was also said the Irish in the neighborhood of the Catharine ferry were prepared to fight and bloody consequences were anticipated. 

The Mayor, who displayed the utmost energy and decision throughout the whole of the trying scene, took precautionary measures to meet any difficulties that might arise. The police force and the military were also ready, the militia being under arms at the armory in case their services should be required. The ostensible cause of the crowds that collected was the usual religious proceedings which have been for some weeks past conducted at the corner of Smith and Atlantic streets by officers of the Primitive Methodist church in Bridge street.

About two o'clock in the afternoon crowds began to collect on the corners in the neighborhood, and continued to increase until the whole streets were completely blocked up for the distance of block on either side. By the exertions of the Mayor, aided by the police, a pathway was kept open along the sidewalks, so that persons could though at times with difficulty, make their way through the crowd. As the concourse began to assemble, the stoops were crowded with spectators, and the awnings and roots of houses were also swarming with boys. There was a considerable sprinkling of women in the crowd, being urged, no doubt by the proverbial curiosity of the sex to witness the proceedings. 

The following notice was posted on the wall of the shanty on Smith street, adjoining the lots where the preacher had been accustomed to hold forth:" All persons are forbid trespassing on these grounds, under penalty of the law." This notice was in manuscript and was signed by no name. 

The preacher and some assistants stationed themselves, however, in the usual place and announced that in consequence of the notice they would, after prayer and singing, remove to another part of the lots, and accordingly they did so. After singing a hymn, a prayer was delivered by one of the party, in which he invoked the divine blessing on the crowd, and hoped they might be the better for the proceedings that were about to take place; that the spirit of the Lord might be poured out upon our country, and all that is great, glorious and liberal in our institutions, and concluded by repeating the Lord's prayer.

He then proceeded to the opposite side of the lots, and delivered a sermon, taking his text from Luke 15th Chapter and 2nd verse. "And this man receiveth sinners." He said it was one of the accusations brought against Christ, that he received all classes, even sinners. Scribes and Pharisees and publicans, people of all grades like those there assembled he made welcome; for he never rejected the man who sorrowed over his sins, or mourned for his transgressions. the sermon was one of the same Christian tone throughout, but the discourse was not audible at ten yards distance, the crowd having assembled for other purposes than to hear the gospel preached. 

Probably three-fourths of the crowd assembled from motives of curiosity to form their own judgment of the nature of the proceedings. During the delivery of the discourse one individual who seemed to be on better terms with the bartender than the washer-woman or tailor, stood on the side walk on Smith street, opposite the preacher and begin to spatter some kind of incoherent language, which no one could understand, but which was evidently in the nature of a protest against the proceedings. The Chief of Police who was in the centre of the lot accompanied by Major Ball, called the fellow to order, but he persisted is keeping up the noise when one of the police seized him from behind, and when next seen he was proceeding on a quick march to the City Hall. 

Other arrests of disorderly characters,, were made during the delivery of the sermon the police being actively engaged in preventing disturbance. Aldermen Wilson, Malligan, Green and Booth were on the ground and probably others whom we did not perceive, besides the Captains of all the police districts, Postmaster Van Voorhees and many other prominent citizens, all ready to aid in preserving the peace. 

The sermon was concluded at about seven o'clock, and shortly before that time the deputation of New Yorkers who were over last Sunday, appeared to the number of about one hundred and fifty, marching arm in arm, three abreast. Having arrived at the corner of Smith and Atlantic streets, they marched up Atlantic to Boerum street, and countermarched down the opposite side of the street, amid cheers and hootings, and mingled noises, more in accordance with the proceedings of Pandemonium than the quiet of the Christian Sabbath. 

They then proceeded down Smith street, where they were met by the Mayor, who informed them that the authorities of Brooklyn were able to preserve the peace without foreign aid, and if they should attempt to commit any breach of the peace, they should be summarily dealt with. He also ordered them to cease their marching, which they did. The preacher and his friends, as soon as the sermon was over, took their leave and proceeded quietly home.After the conclusion of the service the New Yorkers marched up Smith street in the order they came; out Fulton avenue to Fulton street and down to Maine. An occasional hoot or faint cheer greeted them as they passed along, and on the corner of Clarke street a man on the pavement was tripped up by some one and fell with his whole weight upon the stones. On picking him up it was found that his thigh was broken. He was taken to No. 3 Fulton avenue and thence conveyed to the City Hospital by Officer Hanovan.

A number of policemen proceeded to the foot of Maine street before the procession arrived where a crowd of many thousands of all sorts of people was already collected, among whom were many women and children, all anxiously awaiting the turn of events. Clubs had been collected and laid in the gutters and other places so as to be handy when required. Stones were gathered by the boys, and every preparation was made for a desperate fight.

The few policemen who were on hand did their utmost to suppress any thing like an outbreak before the New Yorkers arrived, but they had a tough time of it, as the crowd fell upon them and beat them with clubs and other missiles. The police did their duty manfully, however, regardless of the blows which fell upon them thick and fast. We noticed an instance: An officer took hold of a man for preparing to throw a stone. The prisoner resisted, and with a club he had in his hand bet the officer about the legs, while another was beating him on the head and another on the arms. 

The officer wielded his club with great dexterity and effect, but there were too many for him, and he was beaten away from his prisoner, after he had held him as long as his strength and the injuries inflicted upon him would allow. The other officers were treated in a like manner, and as one could not aid the other, each one had to "hoe his own row" and take the consequences. Notwithstanding these difficulties, nearly all that were taken hold of by the officers were taken to the lock-up.

When about half of the New Yorkers had passed the corner of Front street, a regular shower of stones, sticks and other missiles was fired among them, but they remained unbroken and marched on. The missiles fell thicker and faster, and now the discharge of fire arms commenced, the New Yorkers firing upon their assailants. Shot after shot was fired, and volley after volley was thrown, and the scene became indescribable. The Main street crowd became wild with excitement, and pelted the procession as fast as they could gather the materials to do it with, while steadily and with military precision the procession marched within the ferry-house gates and fired shot after shot upon the other portion of the mob. Several were hit, but none were killed.

'To the wharf," "to the wharf," was now cried, and a large body proceeded to the right of the ferry house, some climbing upon the sheds or other eminences and hurling stones upon the ferry house and the boat then in the slip, until the windows were smashed and the panels broken in. The passengers were seriously annoyed and greatly endangered but the lady, portion were soon escorted into the saloon, where they remained comparatively safe and a portion of the New Yorkers were taken across the river. Those that stayed behind kept up a continual fire thro' the gates in answer to the shower of stones.

The pilots of the ferry boats not deeming it safe to land their passengers, kept moving up and down across the month of the slip, until comparative order had been restored on shore. They then entered, and after some arrests had been made of those within the gates, they were permitted to depart. A short time previous to this the military with General Duryea commanding came upon the ground. The Sheriff appeared, the riot act was read by the Mayor, and a general clearing of the mob took place. The officers were all active in the performance of their duties, and quiet and order was again restored. Instead of an excited populace, the soldiery soon took their place, and if there was an idea of renewing the fight, those inclined thereto wisely determined to let things remain as they were for the present.

In the confusion that prevailed the difficulty experienced in obtaining particulars, we are unable to obtain the names of hardly any of the parties injured. Among that which we could gather is the following:

A man named Whaley had his skull fractured with a stone: a boy residing in James street had his face smashed; a man residing in Pearl street was shot in the leg; a man had his thigh broken by being tripped upon the pavement in Fulton street; a New Yorker had a finger shot off; a boy about ten years of age, residing in Water street, was shot in the face; a man was shot down near Water street, the bullet grazing the back of his head. It was found that the wound was not serious, although he lay senseless upon the pavement for some time; a man was shot in the groin, and Officer McGrath was shot in the knee. Many more were injured with stones and clubs, and the following, among others, whose names are not yet ascertained, were arrested and locked up in the 2d district and City Hall cells.

ames McDermott, M. Mahon, John Devoe, Oliver Rice, Jas. Dougherty, Jas. O'Brien, Arthur O'Neal, Patrick McKinney, Henry Breslau, Thos. Cain, Chas. Murphy, Thos. Heney, Arch Hanlon, Bernard McDonald, John Slade, Jas Hickey, Edward Toner, George Aden, Thos. Moran, Thos. Steele, Wm. Rose, Jas. Sellick, Wm. Holahan, Daniel McDermott, (head fractured.), Patrick Boyle, William McNamee, Hugh McCloskey, Francis Mack, Pat Larkin, Micheal Martin, Edward Lake, James Canning, John Ennis, Thos. Fitzgerald, Thos. Jackson, Jas. Cook, Micheal Fitzsimmons, Edward Fitzgerald, John Egan, Isaac Morris, Edward Diver, Dennis Malady, Patrick McLaughlin, West Beans, Peter Farrell.

Many more are in custody, and some twenty warrants were issued this morning for the arrest of others. The cells of the City Hall were found too small for the accommodation of the throng, and the gates of the main passage way in the basement were closed, in order to provide room for them. This morning the neighborhood of the City Hall was crowded with those who had friends implicated in the previous day's proceedings, and others, by far the most numerous, who were attracted thither by curiosity.

This morning Mayor Lambert, Judge Blatch Ley, and Ald. Barnard, received complaints against the parties arrested, is Justice Smith's court room; admitted those to bail who could procure it and committed those who could not. Two men, one of whom is named Boyne, were discharged. The regiment on duty during the day was the 14th infantry under command of Col. Jesse C. Smith. They were stationed at the armory until ordered to main street. It is composed of the following companies:

Franklin Guard, Captain Baldwin.; National Guard, Captain Sprague; Grenadiers, Captain Burnett; Steuben Guard, Captain Schepper.; Emmet Guard, Captain Nugent; Shield Guard, Captain McCarty. The City Cadets, Capt. Edmonds, the City Light Guard, Capt. Clark, Ringgold Horse Guard, Capt. Ubran were also ordered out, but with the exception of the Cadets did not show themselves. We have thus compiled all the incidents which have come to our knowledge, and the public can draw their own conclusions.


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