The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-16 00:00:00

:Went

" Mr. Lynch, Q. C., in opening the commission, said—
Before proceeding to discharge the duties which devolvo
upon us under the warrant of the Lord Lieutenant, I
wish to state the nature of the inquiry which we are di

rected to make, and; that it may be understood, the
course of proceeding that we intend to adopt. A memo-
rial extensively signed by, I am informed, most ofthe
leading gentlemen of this city was forwarded to the Lord
Lieutenant, and by it it was stated that the memorialists
entrecth d Attention to the occurrences which have taken

place ants the 12th of July. They stated that riots had
occurred which lasted for seven days in succession, and
called fora searching investigation into the origin of the
At the time of the presentation of that memorial

riot .

the riots alluded to in it hid occurred ; but of course we

all must regret to have to add that since that memorial
was presented a state of things even something worse
continued to exist in the town, and I am sorry to be ob•
liged to say, from such information as has been furnished
to us, that up to the present time this state of things
exists. In consequence of that memorial the Lord
Lieutenant directed .to Its a warrant desiring us to
,hold
a court of inquiry. The terms of that warrant I shall
❑ow read. [VIr. Lynch then read the warrant directing

himself and Mr. Smythe to hold a court of inquiry on
the 14th of September and following days, to inquire
into and investigate all matters connected with the

origin and character of the riot 4 and disturbances which
commenced in Belfast on the 13th of July, and continued
thereafter for several successive days, and were renewed
on the 6th of September, and continued for some days
since, and the consequences which have resulted from
such riots and disturbances ; also to inquire into the
local arrangements for the ',reservation of the peace, the
suppression of the riots, and the force usually available
there fersuch purposes, and the adequacy of the means
for the restoration of order and tranquillity.] Pursuant
to this warrant we proceed to hold the inquiry. But I
think it necesary fully to explain that, in conducting
this inquiry, there is no view whatsoever to bring home
conviction or punishment to any individual in respect to
acts which have previously been committed. This com-
mission is not intended to be brought in aid of any
prosecution to be instituted against persons for an in-

fraction of the law. It is not our intention at all to fix
guilt upon individuals. That matter will be for the
ordinary tribunals. Our purpose is a more general and,
to uc, infinittly more grateful one. It is intended to
have an operation for the benefit of all, and to try and
devise means for the protection of the town, which has
hitherto been endangered. There is no man of right
feeling who must not regret the state of things which
exists and has existed here for some time. How such a
state of things could have arisen in a town like this—
remarkable for commerce end everything that marks
refinement and progress—fills one with surprise and
regret. Every man of right mind will feel it his duty
and interest to do everything possible in showing
how this state of things hiss originated, tracing,
if possible, the origin of these proceedings. We
must naturally enter, I fear, into some things we
must all regret—some matters connected with politic 2,
and some matters distantly connected with religion.
Such inquiries are only made, not that any rankling
feelings may be crated, but that such may if possible be
prevented. In such a state of things between conflicting
parties it is likely that, as in cases between individuals,
no one party almost is wholly blameless, nor any wholly
to blame. Ido hope and trust that the very fact of men
coming before an impartial tribunal on both sides, and
telling th.ir grievances, or fancied grievances, will in the
end lead them absolutely to see that there is still in this
town, as elsewhere, a ownmon ground of brotherhood for
different parties and different religions. Mr. Lynch then
proceeded to say that the court would be open to all
parties as witnesses, and that they would take a chrono-
logical course, beginning with July, and coming up to
the present time."
The protracted nature of the inquiry may be
learnt join the fact that Mr. O'Rourke stated that

there were no fewer than 76 witnesses to be brought
forward on the Roman Catholic side ; while those
to be produced for the Protestant party were pretty
nearly equal. After some preliminary skirmishing
between counsel and the Court, in reply to Mr,

O'Rourke,
" Mr. Lynch said the commissioners would not close
the inquiry upon auy particular branch until they rose.
In order that every opportunity might he afforde 1 for a
full investigation, evidence would be received at any

stage upon any branch of the subject.
" Mr. Wineahan observed that there would be a diffi-
culty in getting witnesses to volunteer evidence which
might implicate others.
" Mr. Lynch.--Our object is not to obtain evidence
for the conviction of any person. We wish to learn all
the facts, arid, having learnt them, to be enabled to sug-
gest a remedy that will be for the public good.
" Mr. Rea mentioned that the inquiry differed in one
material respect from that which took place in reference
to the Dolly's•bree affair. There only one issue had to
be tried ; here there were 50 different issues.
14 Mr. Smythe remarked that there were informations

in the Dolly'e-brae case.
" Mr. Rae said there were not. Lord Roden and the
Meisrs. Beeres took informations against no one. They
were the real offenders. The inquiry by Mr. Berwick
pwreti;eludcied srotihmle best
edf esurormthltes.coLmemrdislo
slionclenofaitihdethpeeaßeeee,reasneds
an act of Parliament was passed in the nest session in
reference to Orange processions, and ever since there
had been no rioting in that part of the country. Ile
hoped the same course would be taken in this instance,
for nothing less than legislation would prevent a recur-
reece of the scenes which had since July last disgraced
Belfast.
" It was finelly arranged that the inquiry should
commence this day at 12 o'clock."
An independent Protestant journal (the Belfast
Mercury) has the following remarks upon the sub-
ject of street preaching generally :
" The whole origin of these riots is to be traced to the
indiscretion of those of those who desired to follow street
preaching on the Sabbath. Many things may be lawful
but not expedient, and street preaching is one of them.
The right exists in its perfect plenitude, and it is credit-
able to our free constitution that it should so exist ; but
society is held together by a series of compromises be-
tween the plenitude of individual natural rights and the
public weal ; we must all content to sacrifice somewhat
of our individual liberties for the general good govern-
ment and wellbeing of the commonwealth. It was,
therefc re, highly creditable to the Episcopal Parochial
Mission that when the members found their public ser-
vices, though not in themselves calculated to create dis-
turbances, had nevertheless done so by affording a pre-
text to evil disposed persons to violate the public peace
—it was in all respects creditable to them that they at
once notified their determination to refrain from exer-
cising their right under present circumstances. An at-
tempt was male to deter them from doing so by the
vulgar argument that if they adopted such a prudent
course they would be succumbing to mob law, and give
to their Roman Catholic assailants a triumph. But they,
rose superior to such mental considerations, and the re-
sult is that the public feeling and the public sympathy
are with them. Any man whose good opinion is worth
having they have, owing to the discretion and judgment
and true regard for the interests of religion with which
they acted. But when the episcopal clergy withdrew
from the field, the howl was raised that Protestant liher-
tiee were to be sacrificed to Papist intolerance and pre-
judices, and other actors appealed on the scene whose
course of action was not so much disgraceful as conge-
nial to themselves. They ma le the interests of Pro-
testantism and of religion snbercient to their own sel-
fish schemes and morbid vanities. • It would be
impossible to imagine anything more disreputable to the
character of a free and enlightened press than the con-
duct pursued by the party journals on bOth sides. As a
gentleman remarked to another, do not wonder at
the brutality and stolid iguorauce of the mobs in doing
what is so des'ructive to their own interests when I look
into the party organs that profess to be the guides of
party opinion, arid find the brutal violence of the mob
excelled by the brutal intolerance and folly of those news-
papers.' And such, in truth, is the disgraceful fact.
The idea that any good cause can be served by such pro-
ceedings is shamefully ridiculous. Religion is injured,
and the religious feelings of the commueity are cutrageel
by the violence of bigots and hypocrites. It is to be
hoped that common sense will gradually regain its sway
among us, and that the decencies of the Sabbath wiel
no longer be outraged by such flaerants acts of violence.
In abstaining from exercising the right of preaching in
the public thoroughfares there is no 'abandonment of
principle whatever—no surrender of any Gospel privi-
lege ; acal those who fancy there is are very grievously
mistaken. Let not the Roman Catholic rabt le imagine,
for one moment, that any c mcession has been made to
their eenseless prejudices and inveterate bigotries. They
must be made to understand and to feel that this is a
free country—that whsle they are protected in the free
exercise of their own religion the like protection extends
to others. The genius of the age looks upon all mem-
bers of the State as entitled to equal Civil and religion
rights and privileges—equality for e.ll'in the eye of the
law, but ascendancy to none, is the constitutional maxim
that now prevails." •