The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-15 00:00:00

I ANNIVERSARY OF THE TWELFTH OF JULY.

On Tuesday, the memorable 12th of July, the members of
the various Orange Lodges in this town celebrated the anni-
versary by dining together at their respective club-houses.
Notwithstanding the determination of these societies, so ge-
nerally announced, to decline walking in procession, which
determination was fully carried out, we are sorry to say the
town in several places was in an exceeding disturbed state
throughout the entire day. The authorities, had, however,
made ample arrangements for the preservation of the peace,
and though bodies of the Irish population assembled in par-
ticular localities, attracting crowds of idlers, and keeping the
police on the qui vive, we are glad to say no serious mischief
was done. No less than twenty-four individuals were brought
before Mr. Rushton, on Wednesday, charged with having
been concerned in the riotous proceedings which took place
in various parts of the town on Tuesday last. In the cases
where assaults were proved the parties were fined in penalties
varying from 30s up to £5, mid ordered to find bail for their
future good behaviour. Others who were seen taking an
active part in the disturbances were simply held to bail, Mr.
Rushton animadverting in severe terms on the folly and
wickedness of those who, because of their absurd animosities
break the public peace and endangered the lives of their fel-
low subjects. Such conduct, he said, would not be tolerated,
and the parties offending would in all cases be dealt with in
the most severe manner. He said that in some instances in-
offensive persons who were passing along the streets, who
showed no colours, and did not appear to be partisans at
all, were wantonly and shamefully attacked by Irishmen.
During the day the streets were crowded with idle persons,

who seemed to expect a public display upon the part of the
Orangemen, and who could not be prevailed upon to return
to their homes. Vast crowds assembled in Williamson-
square and Houghton-street between the Hours of 10 and 12
o'clock. They were attracted thither by a large flag, con-
taining a full-length equestrian representation of King Wil-
liam the Third, having been suspended from one of the win-
dows of the George and Vulture Inn, in Houghton-street,
and a riot and disturbance would
.in all probability have re-
sulted, had not the Orangemen been prevailed upon to
remove the banner. The authorities seemed to have made
the most ample preparations for preserving the public peace,
strong bodies of the police, mounted and on foot, armed with
cutlasses, having paraded the town and effectually quelled
such disturbances as happened to arise in the various dis-
tricts. About half-past one o'clock a few dissentient Orang-
men formed a procession from Unworth's public-house, in
St. James's-place, where one of their club-rooms was situ-
ated, and walked to the Phoenix Inn. They wore the badges
of their respective orders, but were unaccompanied by either
colours or music. On the way they were joined by about
two thousand persons, the majority of whom consisted of
ship-carpenters. They soon returned, but shortly after seven
o'clock they formed a second procession. They returned
about eight o'clock, and were preceded from the Phoenix by
a large flag. The more respectable of their body did all
they could to prevent such an exhibition, but without avail.
The flag Was deposited in the Toxteth Hall, in Mill-street,
and the party proceeded to St. James's-place, where a
skirmish ensued between them and a party of Irishmen.
The mounted police fortunately interfered and prevented
blood from being shed. Just about the time that this dis-
turbance had been quelled, several thousand Irishmen made
their appearance in St. James's-street, and commenced a
savage attack upon another party of Orangemen, but upon
the appearance of the police they fled. At one period of tiro
day, Mr. Commissioner Dowling rendered very essential
service in preserving the peace. At the period to which we
allude, the Irishmen had been annoying and otherwise pro-
voking the Orangemen assembled at Unworth's club-house
to a breach of the peace, when the Orangemen, exasper-
ated beyond further endurance, rushed out, and folly de-
termined to clear the street. They were, however, in-
duced to go back to their club-room, without having struck
a single blow. Twice during the day the Mayor, Mr. Rush-
ton, and the Town-clerk proceeded to St. James's-place to
mark what was going forward, and to prevent, if necessary,
any breach of the peace. Mr. Lawrence, Chairman of the
Watch Committee, was on horseback during the day, and in
constant communication with the head constable, who was
also mounted, and continued to render whatever assistance
lay in his power. In the course of the evening the members
of the various lodges celebrated the anniversary by dining
together at their respective club-houses, where " the glo-
rious, pious, and immortal memory" was drunk with all the
honors. The windows of two or three of the club-houses
were broken. At the police-court, on Tuesday, James Green
and William Ryan, two of the rioters, were committed for
trial at the next sessions. The following evidence was pro-
duced against them :—Mary Woollam stated that she resided
in a court in Adlington-street. About noon on Tuesday she
was standing at the end of the passage when she saw the wit-
ness, James Pollock, who accosted her. She then saw the
witness Seed going across the street and Pollock called him
over. There was at the top of the street a crowd of men and
boys, armed with sticks, and on a signal from a woman they
rushed towards the spot where Pollock and Seed were stand-
ing, upon which the latter ran into the house and locked the
door. The crowd rushed up the court, broke her door and
smashed her windows. She saw the two prisoners and others
actively engaged in these operations. The crowd left the
court and went towards Standish-street, when Seed left the
house and was going away. The crowd pursued him back,
and he was getting over a wall when he was knocked down
by Ryan, who struck him several blows with a stick and he
ran out of the entry bleeding. The prisoner Green had a
stick with an iron head which he used in breaking the door.
James Seed stated that he was a carpenter. He was passing
through Adlington-street on the preceding day when he saw
a crowd armed with sticks, and with Pollock took refuge in
Mrs. Woollam's house, as stated by her. They locked the
door, but the crowd came and broke the door and windows.
He endeavoured to make his escape but was followed by the
mob, some of whom struck him with sticks. He was at
length knocked down, struck on the head, and kicked till he
was rendered insensible. He was taken to the Northern
Hospital, where his wounds were dressed. This witness
showed marks of having been severely injured. His tes-
timony was corroborated by that of Pollock, who ma-
naged to escape scatheless. Mr. Whitty, the head con-
stable, deposed that. about noon on Tuesday he saw a crowd
running down Aldington-street, and he went to them with
a body of the mounted police. He saw several men running
after the witness Seed. They were beating him about the
head and body with sticks. The prisoner Ryan was one.
He saw him strike Seed with a stick. He galloped up to him
(Ryan) and knocked him down. He crawied into an entry
and he (Mr. W bitty) ordered inspector M'Gill to take him
into custody, which was obeyed and the prisoner was taken
to Bridewell. The other prisoner was also taken into custo-
by on the spot by his orders- Inspector M'Gill corrobora-
ted Mr. Whitty's testimony. The prisoners were commit-
ted to take their trial at the Borough Sessions.
The conduct of the Roman Catholics on this occasion has
been most disgraceful in the extreme, for, whatever may be
the opinions of the Orangemen, they hsve never inter-
fered with the immense processions of the Roman Catholics
which take place annually on St. Patrick's day, and the
Orangemen on Tuesday did not attempt to walk. The
Orangemen complain, that in a Protestant country they
ought to have been allowed to make a loyal demonstration
under the sanction and protection of our Protestant mayor ;
more especially as the Papists on the 17th March exhibited
no small number of the most rebellious emblems and flags.
They have unquestionably been rather harshly dealt with.