The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-07-14
WHO IS RESPONsIBLE?

The New York riots are still the
main topic of thought and conversation.
So far as we have at present learned
there was no outbreak yesterday and il
NAV be safely assumed that the disturb
ances are over and that the riot Ii
uuelled. Public interest will now be
directed to ascertainiug upon whom the
responsibility rests for the murders that
have been committed and what motive
actuated the guilty parties. 1t is per.
haps too early for us at this distance
from the scene OF strife to Judge cor,
rectlv concerning these things, and we
must therefore await the developments
of the future and learn from those who
are in position to know to whom and
to what the sad and disgraceful events
of the 18th of July in the city OF New
York are attributable.
tits asserted by many that the attack
upon the Orangemen was made bya lot
of "lewd fellows Of the baser sort, ex-
citable and irresponsible, loving a fight
and seeking some occasion Of gratifying
their lawless propsnsities. The Orange
men who persisted in holding their pro-
cession were as eager for fray as were
their assailants, and both parties look
ed upon the celebration of the Battle OF
the Boyne as affording fine oppor-
tunity for a "shindy," "ruction,' or
whatever other term the Donnybrook
Irishmen use to designate what West
ern men would denominate "a free
fight" There is q class Of Irishmen
who are never happy except when en-
gagged in q row. Broken heads and
and bloody noses are inseperable con-
comitants of "a good time" and every
opportunity is seized npon for enjoy
ment Of this questionable kind. 1t may
be that the New York riots have this
significance and nothing more The
assailants and the assaied being both
of the same nativity, and, to a great
extent at least, both occupying the
same position in the social scale, gives
color to this view.
The fact that the Sixty-ninth regi-
ment Of New York militia which, it is
well known, is composed almost exclu-
sivelv of Catholic Irishmen, was fully
trusted by the Governor and assigned
an important place in depressing dis
order and preserving the public peace,
shows that the affair was not considered
religious struggle as between Catholic
and Protestants. 1t is also fact that
the Catholic clergy of New York on
last Sunday expressly warned their con-
gregations against any violence or dis
order, and it is equally true that the
Ancient Society OF Hibernians" who
seem to have been the chief rioters, are,
as members OF a secret political asso-
citation, under the ban of the Catholic
church. There is no class OF people in
the country who seem to deplore and
condemn the disturbances on Wednes,
day more earnestly than the mass OF
the Catholics and it would be the ex-
IRENE of injustice to hold that church
responsible for the lawless conduct OF a
portion ofits unworthy members.
We have no doubt that the rural
journalists and politicians of the Rad
ical party will make some attempt to
manufacture political capital out OF the
affair and will, to this end, resort
to all manner Of preversions and
distortions of the truth, but it is
as vet difficult to see what they will be
able to make out Of it. The conduct of
: Mayor HALL and Superintendent KELso
seems to the whole country, irrespective
of party, cowardly and unwise. Upon
the other hand, the courage and firm
ness of Governor HoFFNAseare greatly
admired by all and have made him
hosts of friends. even among his politl
cal foes. Governor RANDOLPH, of New