Mountain Democrat., 1857-11-14
The I.n,e Riots In Ireland.

war for the rc.subjugation Of India; war
which had its origin mainly in an iR'prAciicnbfc
attempt to subvcrt the religions Of the natives
aud the unwilling conversion OF those people
10 Christianity, We find the same imprudcnt
bigotry leading to popular tumult i'll Ireland.
Street preaching" hy the ministers of .hc
Protestant faith, in the midst ~ large Catholic
communities, has produced street fighting aud
street m0bS. 1t was not to bo expected that
the cXcitable temperament Of the Irish Cath"l-
les, would not be- aroused BY violent larangucS
against their religion, delivered III the open
streets Of the strong holds Of their faith. The
ridic1llc of the forms of their religion, the de-
nunciation of its principles, the unSparc'lal'usc
of its vcnCratrd ministers, il "a~ kn"r" would
provoke physical uppnstion--W0nId invite
blows from the nsutcd. True that in the Bel
fast riots the attack was made upon the crowd
who surrounded the Protestant missionary a.;
but hulrS bpft,re tho time iAF the meeting ar
rived, it was known TO the projectors Of the
meeting that viOlcnce would "nsuc should il DC
held. II was known that the abusive, impru-
dent zeal exhibited at similar meetings. prcvi-
0usly held, had caused intense indignation :;
that the walls Of the town were covered by in
iamniatory placards; that the officers Of the
the meeting, und assured HIM that il would in
cvitably originate mob
The Catholic clergy. from their rulpiis on
the same day, atmonishcd and cntrcatcd their
congregations to remain within their houses
during the hours fixed upon for the street meet
ings. 1t was then universally known in that
city that on that day street preaching would
induce street fighting; that the meeting, il
held, would produce IL roI the admnnitions Of
the peace officers were c0ntrmptuouSly diNrc-
gardcd the meeting was held, and its object
WAS attained. 1t was interrupted and Il Ll""dy
fight and riot ensuctl.
We entertain as high nn opinion for the min
listers of the Protestant church as anv man can.
We feel assured that in general, they have
more Of moderation and less Of bigotrv than
tase- any ether faith t,r sect nh riirtlr; and
yet often they too are led by their scctarnn zeal
into acts 81 grossly imrrudcnt, thHt we can find
no excuse for them. We said that the street
meeting attained its real object, II street fight.
Are we wrong? Then answer what other OBJ
jcct could any man Of sound mind expect to
secure from 4 meeting Of tEat character, held
under those circumstances? Did the preacher
expect TO make converts of men whose at:cn-
tion could not b. directed 10 his discourse, so
intent were their thoughts fixed upon the ac.
| cumulating evidences aruund them of the com
| ing Of the fray. Perhaps. though new converts
were not expected 10 be made, the filth Of the
opponents Of Catholicism might BE- strength
cncd. But il such was the purpose Of the meet
ing, how absurd, how unworthy of the risk il
was. Faith results from conviction of right
what sane man could hope to present reasons,
arguments that could convince any man Of the
truth Of any matter under such circumstances:
We suppose however, that the meeting WAS one
prohibited by no express law. that the preach
| or had right to preach and his ndhcrcnts to
assemble and listen II lin. Ect IT'S conccdc
the mal"f right, yet We deny the right Of any
man or set of men To asSuil the feelings or preju-
diccs even of others where no possible good can
result 10 any one. II the trncntS Of any sect
cannot be propagated without outraging the
sentiments Of those who are Of other sccts,
without directly conducting to blond$hcd and
civil war, they should not Lc propagatrd. We
undertake to assert that the spirit which deter
mined the calling of those street meetings was
bad and wanting in true Christian elements {;
that it was IL mcdllcSome, antagoniSiic spirit,
that sought opposition, and about which there
was no conciliatory design. The streets be-
longcd to the Catholic as wclas the Protestant
Each had the right to walk their streets withou,
having his feelings shocked, ht4 cGuanimity
disturbed by public defamation Of his religion
Every man may protect his house from the in.
trusion of those who would insult him or hi.
family. and we don't see why, ON the public
highway. he should not also b. exempt from
similar obstacles to his right peacefully to travc
those highways. We are II" apologists fol
mob violence of any kind, but So much NAV b,
said at times in extcnuation even Of the acts o
mob; and that u spirit Of intolerance in En-.
gland and in the United States is becoming a
most serious evil, recent tumults in the old
States, the revolt in India and the Belfast
riots have made painfully manifest.
Mr.. Kirk represented to them (AIc,srs. II. Rawson
A. Rawson and W. Grayson) that II they adopted the
Honey Lake route they would he compelled tu traverse
q desers Of about one hHn'iI'td amt FTiy miles. Mr.
Kirk represented to them that the waters Of Honey
Lake Valley were poisonous. and that an immense
number Of stock had persisted rol itsuSr. Mr.. Gray
induced by these representations to adopt
the fRvOTite route Of Mr.. KirL.-!2dAk RPl,ublicdn
The above lacks one very essential ingrcdi-
cnt-truth. The editor of the R.puhiicum has
bend imposed upon. Mr.. GraysOn was an old
settler Of our county, left California on visit
| to his old home, and on his return, of his own
accord, without consulting any person, " ador
| ted The Carson Valley route. II "Mr. kirI
represented that the waters of Honey LAX,
were poisonous and that an immense number
Of stock had pcrishcd from their use" he rep
resented nothing but what can be easily proved
None Of the stock of the Expedition ''pcrishcd'
until after they had drank of the waters q
Honey Lake, md it was his duty to warn immi
grants Of the injurious properties of the waters
4 company sent out by Plumas county, moi
Mr.. Kirk, stated to immigrants that " from tht
head of the Humboldt to Honey Lake Valley
the whole distance, zone hundred and thirt,
five milcs) was IL complete descrt-not parti
Gle of grass on it, and dead stock covering it, =
Parties that passed over ii stated that they had
counted 563 dead animals on the route and
they returned another way. The great north
is great institution and We have no disposition
to thwart her wishes but she should bear III
mind that another portion Of the State is as