Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-21
THE ORrvGB.uE.,'- u.ssO TvEr
IRE.

We presume but few Of our readers, OK
cept Catholics know but little of the diff
Guilty between the two wings Of Irish popu-
lation known "a Orangemcn and Ribbon
men. The divergence commenced In 1890.
when James the Second succeeded his
brother Charles as King Of England. lie
adhered to the Catholic faith while heir APP
parent to the throne, in the face of the tact
that his faith was made the basis Of lc9sa-
ton which only failed to deprive him Of
his inheritance. When Inc assembled the
throne the anamoly was presented Of the
King being a Catholic, while Catholics were
excluded by law from all Offices Of trust in
the State. James desired to secure equality
for his co-reigionists, and to this end he
caused to he prepared what is known rs
the "Declaration of Indulgence" This
document commences by declaring thar
the King would be glad to see his subjects
reconcled to the church to which he adj
hered, and of one religious creed. but since
this could not be, and since the consciencps
of men could not be forced without dis
turbing the quiet Of the realm, he declared
that thereafter his subjects should stand
equal in the Stale, without regard to the
forms Of the Christian religion they adj
hercd to. The wisdom of the declaration
will not be questioned in this age and
country. The sincerity of James was ques-
toned by the heads of several great Eng
fish houses, who were attached to the cs-
tablished Church Of England. They claimed
that under profession Of liberaity, James
began an aggression on the Church of Eng
land and meant eventually to overthrow it.
They joined in an invitation to William Of
Orange, James son-in-law. to land with an
army in England. and promised to adhere
20 his fortunes.
James, abandoned by his subjects, his
mobiles and finally by his children, flei
from England, and by act Of Parliament.
William and Mary were declared King
and Queen Of Great Britain. james Dec
laratou OF Indulgence raised to equality
only minority Of the English people, for
only a minority Of them were Catholics.
Tho native Irish remained faithful to the
older church, and James. declaration WIS
hailed in Ireland as virtual proclamation
Of emancipation. For this reason the mass
Of the Irish people remained faithful to the
fortunes of james and to the House OF
Stuart The Irish rose in defence of James
authority. They were aided by a small
French contingent, with whom James left
the court Of Louis the Fourteenth.
He landed in ireland, and placed him
self at the head Of those who were true to
his cause. William could not maintain
himself in England while Ireland was in
arms against his authority. With charac-
teristic capacity and courage he collected
an army, placed himself at its head, and
went to the assistance of the English in
tcrcst in ireland. William was Dutch
ruler; the army under his command re-
| presented many nations. on the 18th of
/ July the two armies met in the Valley of
| Boyne. While the contest was at its height,
and long before brave men on his side ac-
cepted it a. decided, James ran from the
field, and was the first to bring the news OF
his defeat TO the Irish capital. He He'd To
France and palliated his own poltroonerv
by assaling the courage of the Irish peO-
Pile, who had risked so much IN his cause
for the reason that they accepted it as their
own. \ reputation for courage has rarely
ever been denied to the Irish. but after
James account in Paris of their conduct nj
| the Boyno, we are told the reputation uf
the Irish for common courage had sunk so
low that Irish merchants residing in Paris
were insultcd in the streets of that city.
| This was tile result Of the battle Of the
Boync, and it is the anniversary of this oc
casion which has disturbed the peace 81
| New York