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

THE S N

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 " the 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
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, unfort:mtely
there are but few DUDLEY STUAB.TS or
NUGENTS, who, notwithstanding their high rank,
array themselves on the popular side, and tight the
battle of the people at all times and under ell
circumstances.
Now that the middle and humbler classes have
resolved on combined action, the movement will
attain irresistible force. They pan 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 eaten sive
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 supreme 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-
cloies. 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 age and feeble infancy calls upon us to
-steel our hearts to the task, and to follow Mr. BEI-

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 th© last obnoxious aim

•
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 had.not 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
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 fury 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, iu a Christian
land, under the protection of British law, were 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 (,f 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 ferocioua 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 QUEER'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. BEERS 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. FITZMIURICE, the
stipendiary magistrate, should proceed to Lord
RODEN'S, and request that his Lordship would induce
them to return by some other way. Mr. FITZ.
MAURICE proceeded to Lord RODEN'S and made this
request, to which his Lordship replied that " he feared
he had not himself sufficient influence to effect this
object, but that he would speak to the party and also
to Mr. W. BEERS on the subject." Mr. BEERS, how-
ever, not only did not advise them to return by a
different way, but he actually. advised them to go
back by the same way they came, although he ad-
mittene could have influenced them to return by a
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. He 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
morning—was
and by the Dragoons
and thepreceded, as before, by a body of police,
force w
rear was also protected by another body of police
road immediately under theOn
abrrroiw‘inof Matagtihleorpaominatyool:htihlle,
where the opposing
police who were in front dreawsustroalngly
road, and stopped to allow the) Orange procession
the
the tide of the
. to
march past, which they did withouthiannleer.ruption. Un-
fortunately, after the whoiolethboodayot
of
foprams
and while the police were
follow them, a squib or blank shot was fired,
which party I am unable to say, several trustworthy from
nosses having stated their belief that it came from the
rear of the Orarge 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,