The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-16 00:00:00

11()LISORN.

TUB EVENING, at 7, LARKIN'S LOVE LETTERS. Mr. Bet-
more and Nli4; C. —And FLYING Set`D. Mesara.
Belmore Blake, Voltaire, tte. ; 3lesdames F. Josephs,
C. Saunders, Bonne Foote. Fiddes, Lennox, Raymund, de.

lIRITANNIA.

TB2B livrtttta, WHAT "Dancing Mad" Bryan;
Miami A. Gar,t,no; Paul Bolin); Mager George Perks.—Tur;
OLD CRI.:Kla' TREE. Mrs. Lane.—Concludipg with MARY
LIVINUSTON

Malt WATER AT LONDON BRIDOK

Tar! DAl:.::qornin,,;,--.7W. 31m Afternoon. Rh. 7m,
To-MOhnow—Sforning, Bh. 47m Afternoon, 9h. 21m.

LONDON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16.

BELFAST has once more been the scene of one
of those orgies of Orangeism which periodically
disgrace that enterprising and flourishing town in
the eyes of the Empire without awakening appa-
rently any corresponding shame, or effectual re-
pentance in the minds of its own people. The
disturbance to which we refer, and which is de-
scribed as violent beyond even Belfast precedent,
had its source in the proceedings preliminary to
the coming parliamentary election. There are
two candidates for the honour of filling the
seat vacated by the present Lord Justice
of Appeal. One of them, as we learn
from the reports in the local papers,
is Mr. CHARLF-S LANTOS, an English gentleman,
resident in Belfast, and possessing some repotction
in his profession, which is that of an architect and
civil engineer. Tho other is Mr. WILLIAM
111`111EstisN, a barrister of considerable practice on
the Irish North-Eastern Circuit. Both gentlemen
are personally respectable and assert hoc al claims,
which we are not in a position to appreciate or
dispute. Mr. LANYON comes forward as the re-
presentative of the regular Conservative party—
chosen by its leaders, supported by its agents and
organization, and designated by Sir HUGH CAIRNS
at the recent Belfast banquet as his successor.
Mr. WirIEEHAN, who also appears to be a Con-
servative, comes forward as the " independent"
candidate, professing that his object is to emanci-
pate the borough from the domination of a clique,
and endeavouring, after the fashion of " indepen-
" dent" candidates, to unite in his interest the
disaffected of all parties and sections. His pre-
tensions appear to have been regarded as positive
treason to the Conservative party—as an attempt
to introduce mutiny into the compact and
strictly disciplined ranks of Orangeism, and
to have excited a degree of animosity
compared with which the ordinary bitterness of
party feeling is mild and amiable. In especial,
a declaration that Orangemen and Catholics were
united in his favour seems to have driven the
former frantic with rage. Mr. M`MEHHA-N sum-
moned a meeting of his supporters is the Music-
ball of Belfast, on Tuesday evening, when the
place was taken possession of by a throng of the
opposing faction. The mob-leaders of the
Orangeism were present in conspicuous positions,
and by preconcerted signs directed the disciplined
disorder of their followers. Verbal insults, the
coarsest buffoonery, and the most senseless clamour
were a comparatively harmless prelude to what
followed. After long delay, Mr. M'MEEHAN
succeeded in uttering half-a-dozen words, convey-
ing a request that he might be allowed to speak.
He was unable to proceed further, for at this stage
of the business, according to a report in the
Northern Whig, a sweep climbed upon Mr.
31`.11itznaN's shoulders, and dragging the candi-
date backwards, brought his head into forcible
and damaging contact with a gas-burner. Mr.
WMERHANclisembarrassedhimself of thisantagonist
by the summary process of thrusting him off the
platform. This was the beginning of a scene of
fearful violence. Ono gentleman, who appears to
have beena prominentsupporterof Mr. M`3lExitast,
was seized by three ruffians, dragged by the legs
from the platform, and savagely beaten and kicked
by five or six assailants. Amid yelling, whistling,
tramping of feet, Kentish fire, and breaking of