The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-23 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER !3, 1849.

Friday, the 12ch October inst., was celebrated as
a fete day in the metropolis of the north of Scotland.
On that day the Municipal and University authorities
of the ancient city of Aberdeen vied with each other
its rendering honour to the statesman by whom the
glorious doctrines of free trade had been carried into
practical operation, who gave the death-blow to mo-
nopoly, and completely and for ever abolished the
iniquitous bread tax. The Senate of the University
and King's College, Aberdeen, unanimously conferred
the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws on Sir
Ro-BERT PEEL ; and the magistrates and Common
Council, with a like unanimity, bestowed on him the
highest mark of respect in their power—the freedom
of their city. The high honour thus conferred
may be best estimated by the fact that the last
p•-•rion thus distinguished was the Princely Consort
of our Most Gracious SOVEREIGN, who rejoiced
to find his name associated with the many eminent
men—" high in the ranks of science, literature, arts,
and genius"—who had previously been enrolled
amongst the burgesses of Aberdeen. These compli-
ments were paid to Sir ROBERT PEEL, the commercial
reformer. They were homages rendered to him who
had crushed the power of the Protectionists and
broken up the party who had long battened on the
spoils of the industrious classes. It was that great
act of his political life which elicited the heartfelt
thanks, the grateful commendations of the citizens
of Aberdeen. The Lord Provost, in proposing the
health of the newly-elected citisen—" the youngest
burgess" of Aberdeen—expatiated, forcibly and
eloquently, on the national advantages of the " great
and important measures which marked the period of
the Right Hon. Baronet's last occupancy of office"—
measures which, he had no hesitation in saying
" had placed the trade and commerce of the country
on a solid and permanent foundation, and which will
be found in every succeeding year more and more to
improve the comfort and happiness of the people
of this country." Such was the spirit in which the
honours were bestowed, and they were received in a
simiiar feeling. Sir ROBERT PEEL did not presume
to regard them as indicating an unqualified approba-
tion of all his measures, or an adhesion to his political
views and opinions. He well knew that among those
he addressed there was a deep impression as to the
absolute necessity for Parliamentary and financial
recorms far more extensive than any that had hitherto
received his countenance and support ; he did not,
therefore, incur the risk of disturbing the unanimity
and harmony of the meeting by introducing or
adverting to any of these sezata fuestionrs ; he was
well contented to accept the expression of esteem and
confidence in the purity and integrity of the motives
by which he had been actuated in bringing forward
tha wise and salutary measure that led to his
resignation of office, awl the disruption of the
great party of which he had previously been
the recognised and almost uncontrolled leader.
if any doubt, however, could have been enter-
tained as to the liberal feelings of the citizens of
Aberdeen, and the true point of view in which the
plaudits bestowed upon the ex Premier should be
regarded, it would be entirely di.sipated by the cor-
dial and cheering reception three days subsequently
accorded to the deputation from the National Par-
liamentary and Financial Reform Association. It
proved beyond the possibility of dispute that the
great majority of the burgesses and the inhabitants of
the good city of Aberdeen sympathised with their
unenfranchised fellow-subjects; and that, in the lan-
guage of the resolution, which was enthusiastically
carried witiOut a single dissentient, they " ap.
approved of the association, believing that if the ob-
jects contemplated by that institution b© realised the
people will ultimately be fully, fairly, and freely re-
presented in Parliament." The LORD PROVOST, who,
on Friday had been the panegyrist of Sir R. PEEL, would
have been present on the Monday, but that he was
prevented from attending by unavoidable causes, and
through the chairman of the meeting be declared
" that his heart was with the objects of the National
Association. Many-of the most influential members
of the municipality aealously and energetically par-
ticipated in the proceedings, and the spacious hall in
which the assembly was held was crowded to excess,
no available spot being left unoccupied.
The most cheering feature of the evening was the
complete unanimity that prevailed between the middle
classes. Some might possibly have
and the working
desired that the association had demanded a still
greater extension of the suffrage—that it had claimed
the elective franchise for every adult male who had
not forfeited his civil rights by the commission of
crime ; they did not, however, endanger the harmony
of the meeting by pressing their own views. They
would be well contented to accept the large instal-
ment of justice offered by the association, and
to co-operate zealously and energetically for its
attainment rather than sacrifice all by grasping at
too much in the first instance. They have become
too painfully aware of the folly and inutility of
isolated exertions ; they have seen how often the
" substance" has been relinquished in endeavouring

THE

to obtain the shadow. They have in turn
tried the effects of moral force and of phy-
sical force, but in vain. Henceforth they will
adopt a wiser policy, and the result will prove
the prudence of the determination. An arduous
struggle is before them. The privileged classes have
too long enjoyed the sweets of power to surrender at
the first summons. " The few" have too long con-
trolled " tle many," not to resist to the uttermost
any invasion on their cherished usurpations. While they
could sow dissensions among the people, while
they could contrive to keep them disunited, their
efforts were crowned with success. Some slight con-
cessions were from time to time made when the people
exhibited a real earnestness of purpose, and proved,
beyond the possibility of doubt, that they could no
longer be deceived or resisted. It was thus the Re-
form Bill—the modern charter of our liberties—was
achieved. Then, for the first time, the democratic
element was admitted into the Legislative Councils,
and, in some slight degree, entered into the govern-
ment of the country; but care was taken to preserve
1 so large a portion of aristocratic influence as to
neutralise, in a great degree, the popular strength.
It is true that rotten boroughs were abolished, but it
is unfortunately too notorious that there at are present
no less than forty-two boroughs returning sixty-nine
members, in which the representatives are nominated
by a few noblemen and wealthy commoners ; and many
of the counties still obey the dictates of some territorial
autocrats, who "still do as they please with their
own." Hence it is that we have so many of the
immediate relations and connexions of Peers holding
seats in the House of Commons, who but reflect the
views and opinions of the heads of their respective
houses, and vote in obedience to the dictates of
Members of the Upper House ; for, unfortunately
there are but few DUDLEY STUARTS or
NUGENTS, who, notwithstanding their high rank,
array themselves on the popular side, and fight the
battle of the people at all times and under all
circumstances.

Now that the middle and humbler classes have
resolved on combined action, the movement will
attain irresistible force. They can no longer be
weakened by their internal divisions, by the want of
discipline that induced a few ardent men to resist
the opinions and despise the tactics of tried and
experienced Reformers. Large and extensive
measures will be triumphantly carried through Par-
liament, and there will, at length, be real practical
truth in what has long been the theory of the
Constitution. We shall find the
"Vox populi suprema lex."

Yesterday we briefly noticed the opening part of '
Mr. BERWICK'S able and honest report in reference
to the fearful massacre at Dolly's Brae, on the 12th
of July last, and, if stern duty permitted us, gladly
would we refrain from again reverting to the hideous
detail of crime and blood which that document dis
closes. 'We deferred going into the fearful subject
with that feeling which naturally influences us to
procrastinate anything disagreeable, and that may be
calculated to give us pain, but the unavenged blood
of imbecile ago and feeble infancy calls upon us to
steel our hearts to the task, and to follow Mr. Ban-
WICK through his dreadful history of Orange crime
and cowardice, ferocity and murder.
We closed yesterday at that part of the Learned
Commissioner's report which went to show that pre-
vious to the celebration of the last obnoxious anni-
versary—we trust we may truly call it the last—the
Orangemen openly avowed their intention of march-
ing
over the battle field of bygone feuds by a route
which they hadanot ventured through for thirty years :
they were determined, if the Ribbonmen would not
leave their own stronghold, to seek them even there.
They might have paraded their tarnished and insult-
ing frippery along a fair and level road, but there
they might be disappointed in a row. Perhaps the
Papists might not give them an opportunity of being i
shot at, so they were resolved to go'where they knew
they would not be disappointed. The Ribbonmen were
not idle; guns and pikes, and all the weapons with
which fary supplies the wicked, were brought into
requisition, and it was determined to dispute the pass
of Dolly's Brae with the Orangemen.
Thus, in the nineteenth century, in a Christian
land, under the protection of British law, wore two
hostile factions allowed to trample upon the laws, and
openly prepare for a deadly conflict. Is there a
human being, with the smallest claim to common
sense or common understanding, much less to the
most trifling knowledge of the laws of the land,
that must not have at once seen that these warlike
preparations must have tended to a breach of the peace ?
We have not a high opinion of the intellect of the
Orange magistrates of Down, but we do not believe
there is one amongst them so ignorant as not to know
that armed gangs of ferocious ruffians parading
through the country are calculated to create
terror and alarm in the minds of her MAJESTY'S
peaceable subjects; and no principle of law is more
clearly defined, or more generally understood, than
that such bodies are illegal. Yet, can it be believed,
that one of these savage factions was allowed to
rendezvous in the demesne of a man then holding
the QUEEN'S commission of the peace ? Another
magistrate actually arranged and directed the line
of march through Dolly's Brae, where he knew there
was an armed body posted to oppose him, and where
he must have known a collision was inevitable. Are
not these men accountable before GOD and man for
the awful consequences that followed ! Yes, we fear-
lessly say they are, and we trust that they will be
made to render a full account to the laws they so
flagrantly violated for the innocent blood they were
instrumental in shedding.
The police and Mr. F. Mums headed the
procession, while the Dragoons followed close
in the rear ; in this order they marched
through the disputed pass, where there was a
strong Ribbon party, but, owing to the judicious
arrangements of the police and the great exertions of
the Catholic clergymen, no collision then took place,
and the procession reached Lord RODEN'S demesne
without molestation. A number of magistrates as-
sembled on the hill, seeing the wicked intent of both
parties—all agreed that it would be most dangerous to
allow the Orange party to come back by the same
road, and they arranged that Mr. FITRAIAURICE, the
stipendiary magistrate, should proceed to Lord
1 RomEN's, and request that his Lordship would induce
them to return by some other way. Mr. FITT•
aratraicE proceeded to Lord RODEN'S and made this
request, to which his Lordship replied that " be feared
he had not himself sufficient influence to effect this
object, but that he would speak to the party and also
to Mr. W. BLnas on the subject." Mr. BEERS, how-
ever,
not only did not advise them to return by a 1
different way, but he actually advised them to go
back by the same way they came, although he ad-
mitted he could have influenced them to return by a i
different one.

This man, WILLIAM BEERS, a magistrate, bound
by his office to preserve the peace, and from his posi •
tion of Grand Master of the Orangemen, possessing
sufficient power and influence to induce them to follow
his advice—in fact, we believe they were bound by
their oath to obey him—issued his fiendish order,
despite all remonstrance, and hallooed his bloodthirsty
followers against the Ribbonmen that he knew were
posted
_to resist their return by the old road, and
panting for the deadly encounter. Ile knew there
was a long account of burning and massacre to be
settled between these sanguinary factions ; he knew
that collision was almost inevitable, but his gallant
brothers were well armed and thirsted for Popish
blood, and the Grand Master was resolved to gratify
them.
After spending some hours in marching, speechify.
ing and drinking. The procession commenced its
fatal course to the battle.ground, and we shall give the
account of the scenes there in the words of the
Learned Commissioner. He says --
" The Orange procession—some of whose members
appear not to have been so peaceably conducted as in the
mo meg—was preceded, as before, by body of police,
and the re" Wasgaolosenrot(lcted by anothera bodyofp;olice
road immediately under the and by the Dra arriving at the point of the
where the opposing force ewnrow of MaghQramuyo-hill,
upatrongly entrenched, the
police who were in front drew:lreng the side of the
procession to
road, and stopped to allow the
passedn forward,
gnangtaifn to
march past, which they did withouthlannleerruption. Un-
fortunately, after the whole body
and while the police were in the act of forming
follow them, a squib or blank shot was fired,
which party I am unable to say, several trustworthy from
flosses having stated their belief that it came from the
rear of the Orange party; and others, equally credible,
having stated that it came from a place on the hill about
half-way between the Ribbon body and the road.
Almost immediately after two shots were fired,