The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-31 00:00:00

DOLLY'S BRAE AFFAIR.

The Earl of RODEN rose for the purpose of offering
explanations with regard to the tragic occurrences at
Dolly's Brae on the 12th of July.—(Hear, hear.)
There was no individual who more sincerely
regretted the collision which then took place
or the melancholy results of the condition. In another
place his conduct had been greatly misrepresented in
relation to this melancholy occurrence. It had been said
that he (the Earl of Roden) was answerable for the
murders which then took place. It had been stated
that he had assembled and feasted the Orangemen in
his park, and supplied them with beer, porter, and
whisky, and had there addressed them in a rambling
and inflammatory speech. There was no foundation
whatever for the change, and he would state to their
Lordships the circumstances of the case as they really
occurred. In .1846 the Processions Act expired,
and their Lordships knew how attached the lower classes
of the Irish were to processions. In 1848 their existed
in Ireland a spirit of rebellion ; there was then a great
exertion made by the Noble Earl who so admirably
governed Ireland to put down that rebellion, and he
succeeded. There was not a loyal man in Ireland who
did not feel grateful to Lord Clarendon. There were
many among the lower orders, as well as among the
upper order, who were opposed to the repeal
of the union, and when the 12th of July came it
Was thougl $ right that there should 1 e a demonstration,
in order to show to the kingdom that there were
large numbers of loyal Orangemen of all classes
who were opposed to the repeal. About a fortnight
before the 12th of July, he was 'informed that th©
Orangemen were desirous of visiting. him on that day.
He endeavoured to dissuade them from assembling, or
callinglinehedh,imand tThhaetif
dicip
wishedm
them
they gentlementlid saideut call they
uwould h bei
tmosthey
would meet elsewhere, he took two days to consider,
tthoeldy
consideringtaancdhm en t
t o him, that they
manifest their furtherat-
aaserai3e that h© thought
the 1 2 twho
theyh would be
if they were determined to
safer in his park than elsewhere, and
ofu Julyl t
shut his gates against them. On
2,000 Orangemen, accompanied by their wives and chil-
dren, arrived at his park and defiled before him in the
most orderly and quiet manner; no doubt some of them
were armed, but he knew not that one of them was
armed until he saw them there. lie dd not think

that it was any wrong for them to be armed
On the 17th of March the Ribandmen appeared armed,
and had fired a volley as they passed his gate,
and no attempt had been made to stop them,
and had he entertained the idea that the fact of some of
the persons being armed made it an illegal proces-
sion he would not have suffered it. The number
armed only amounted to about 200 out of 2,000. The
procession went to the end of his park ; and he
felt it his duty to go with them, in order to
prevent the commission of indiscretion, and to show
them that the gentry were willing to stand by them.
It was said that he feasted them with beer, porter, and
whisky,—the only refreshment supplied to them was
bread and cheese and small beer. It was also said
that he harangued them—he had addressed them, and
he would read to their Lordships what he had said, it
had been taken down at the time.

(The Noble Earl then proceeded to read the report of
his speech.) _ _

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes after
Twelve o'clock.