The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-03 00:00:00

ARE IRELAND'S ANIMOSITIES TO BE
NATURALIZED IN AMERICA ?

The Orangemen, it seems, imagine that this commu-
nity has not seen enough of feuds imported from Ireland.
They propose to make faction fights a part of our national
amusements. Having been, in the eye of the law, the
aggrieved parties at Elm Park on the Twelfth, though
contributing rather more than their share to the mischief
done to life and limb, they contemplate a revival of the
delightful performance in August. The City is entitled
to expect that; on the promised occasion the Mayor
will do his duty. The British Government has
vainly tried, by its Party Processions Act, and other
means, to crush the spirit which finds in these detestable
conflicts its natural expression. The charitable conjec-
ture hithgrto has been that the feuds with which an alien
authority has ineffectually contended are among the
legacies of protracted cruelty and misrule. For their trans-
portation to this country, however, even charity suggests
no excuse. We have nothing to do here with the
Battle of the Boyne, with Protestant ascendancy
in Ireland, or with the countless wrongs which its
Catholics endured at the hands of their oppressors. An
Irishman, living in Ireland, may not unnaturally feel
strongly upon these points. But when Irishmen come to
the -United States they should make up their minds to
drop the 'old antipathies. They seldom hesitate to cast off
allegiance to the Government which rules in. Ireland ; and
the implied obligations of American citizenship require
that they shall also cast off the violent prejudices, and
restrain the violent passions, which have contributed so
largely to the misery and degradation of their old
home. Delay is dangerous. Indifference to these
matters has been tolerated too long. Irish feuds espe-
cially call for repressive measures. A twenty-four hours'
ride will convey those who desire to study the subject to
localities that exemplify the consequences of laxity in re-
gard to the introduction of Old World feuds. It is not
necessary to visit Ireland to discover bow noxious is the
influence exercised by the Orange organisation, when suf-
fered to attain full growth. There' are townships and
cities in Western Canada which tell the story almost
as well as Ireland ;—townships in which no Roman
Catholic is allowed to dwell in peace, and cities in which
the jury box is invaded by secret oaths, and obligations at
variance with the administration of justice. These are
not influences which should be encouraged in New York.
The means which can alone suppress them effectually
must operate impartially. We make war upon Orangeism
not as an "ism," but as a specimen—the late events
have rendered it a conspicuous specimen —of the
malign agencies by which Irishmen in this country per-
petuate the factions and sectarian traditions and aversions
of their native land. A just interpretation of the respon-
sibilities incident to the acquisition of American citizen-
ship should have led them voluntarily to avoid old and
senseless causes of quarrel. This voluntary action having
been withheld, our people look for help to those in autho-
rity over them. If they, too, are powerless, the interposi-
tion of the law-making power must be next invoked. The
City may surely demand the preservation of order, and
the punishment of those who attempt to create disorder,
whether the aggressors be Irish Catholics or Irish Orange-
men. —New York Times.