The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-22 00:00:00

TEE SUNS

dealing, they should be encountered upon their own
inexorable system of warfare.

The report of Mr. BERWICK, although placed in
the hands of the Irish Executive on the 22d of
September, and acted on by the dismissal of Lord
RODEN and the Messrs. BEER from the magisterial
bench, has only just been given to the public. It is
a singularly able and well-considered document.
The amiability of disposition-for which the Learned
Gentleman is remarkable is strikingly exemplified in
every paragraph. He forbears to comment on the
atrocious transactions which he was deputed to
investigate with the intense indignation
that must be felt by every person pos-
sessed of the ordinary feelings of humanity.
But he has narrated facts which exhibit the horrible
details in even a stronger light than any in which
they had hitherto been placed. He goes through the
whole case with the calmness of an unbiassed mind
and the acuteness of an eminent lawyer. He com-
mences by stating that, for a great number of years,
animosities existed and: collisions occurred between
the Orange party and the Roman Catholics of the
county of Down, caused chiefly by the recur-
rence of party processions at stated periods
in each year, the 12th of July being the
principal obnoxious anniversary celebrated by the
Orange party. The temporary dissolution of the
Orange Society led to a better disposition on both
sides ; the feelings of mutual animosity that had pre-
viously been so painfully perceptible had subsided to
a great extent, and would no doubt have eventually
disappeared had nothing occurred to revive the
bygone differences and dissensions. The Ribbon
Society, which, as we have already explained,
was the offspring of the Orange Confederacy,
declined in numbers and organization. All would
have been peace and tranquillity had not the Party
Processions Act, which led to such happy results,
been unfortunately suffered to expire in the year
1845. It was hoped that the extreme sections, having
witnessed the practical effects of this most salutary
law, would have continued to respect the spirit of its
provisions even after its expiration. Our law-
givers, however, knew but little of the fell
and malignant feelings of these wicked factions.
Scarcely had the Act expired, scarcely had the Le-
gislative prohibition been withdrawn, when the
Orange Society was re-organized. At first they
were contented to meet in the secret recesses of
their lodge rooms, and to give expression to their ,
vindictive party
.feelings in drunken orgies, where
there were no indifferent witnesses to be disgusted or
enraged at their wild and reckless fanaticism. At
length, emboldened by numbers, and encouraged by
the countenance of men of some rank and standing,
they determined to make an exhibition of their
strength.
There was at that period at least a plausible pretext
for their determination. It was in the year 1848,
and the Young Irelanders had proceeded to lengths
which their leaders bad subsequently so much reason
to deplore. Revolutions were springing up in every
nation in Europe, and ancient dynasties trembled on
their thrones. The Orangemen pretended that they
were anxious to strengthen the hands of the Crown and
Government, to exhibit their loyalty and devotion to
their SOVEREIGN, and to the laws and Constitution
of the United Kingdom. They wished to make a
counter-demonstration to the revolutionary party
then formed in other parts of Ireland, and for these
alleged objects they determined to walk in processions
on the 12th of July, 1848. We say such were the
pretended objects of the association, for had they been
really sincere in their professions, they might have
proceeded in a more legitimate and unobjectionable
manner.

There was, it appears, a certain spot in the neigh-
bourhood where peculiar jealousy was evinced to
Orange exhibitions. Dolly's Brae bad long
obtained an unhappy notoriety, as a scene of san-
guinary outrage and disturbance. Thirty years pre-
viously blood had been shed in one of the many
murderous conflicts that took place between Orange-
men and Ribbonmen in the country, and it was well
known that the Roman Catholics, by whom it was
exclusively occupied, had made it a point of honour to
prevent Orange processions from defiling through
their mountain pass. Nothing but a reckless deter-
mination to insult their Roman Catholic brethren could
have induced the Orangemen to select the mountain
path. A wider and more convenient road wound
around the foot of the mountain, which, although
more circuitous, was infinitely better suited for a
numerous assembly than the straight and narrow
defile to which we have alluded. It is, therefore, by
no means surprising that the Orangemen, even in the
plenitude of power and insolent domination, should have
gone out of their way to cast a gratuitous insult
upon the inhabitants of the district. For thirty years
no Orange procession had passed through Dolly's
Brae, and it was scarcely supposed that the disputed
territory would again be invaded.
A rumour was, however, spread in the beginning of
July, 1848, that the Orangemen would march by the
mountain road, and sworn informations were
promptly laid before Mr. FRANCIS BEERS, a magistrate
of the county and a leader of the Orange faction,
stating the danger of a serious collision if' a course so in-
sane were adopted. Mr. BEERS, in 1848, had some slight
portion of common sense. Even his brother, the
doughty FRANCIS, was not quite given over to his own
vain imaginings. The latter, therefore, called on
Mr. MORGAN, the Roman Catholic clergyman of the
district, requesting his influence to prevent a breach
of the peace, and promised that the disputed position
would not be assailed ; but that they would march by
the new road, or the way from Ballyround to Castle-
wellan, whereupon Mr. MORGAN at once
undertook, on behalf of the Roman Catholic
party, that no interruption would be offered
to the procession. Both sides remained faith-
ful to these engagements, and the day passed off
in comparative tranquillity ; a few stray shots at
the Roman Catholic clergyman who had interfered
to restrain his own party being the only achievement
of the Orange heroes. This insult to their beloved
pastor inflamed the passions of his congregation, and
great indignation was naturally excited among the
peaceable Roman Catholics there assembled. As
they could not avenge themselves by force of
arms, they resolved to do so in the manner so agree-
able to Irish hearts ; and a doggrel song was accord-
ingly composed and chaunted in derision of the
Orangemen, who, in turn, felt deeply exasperated at

the ridiculous lampoon. Such was the state of feeling
on both sides in the beginning of the present year.
We regret to be obliged to postpone our notice of
the subsequent proceedings which led to the san-
guinary disturbances and outrages of the last anni-
versary of the battle of Aughrim.