The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-07-15

gives its hundred columns of half true, half
false details. in an unintelligible jumbled mess,
but from the whole the following history of
the affair may be eliminated
About week ago the Orangemen in New
York gave notice Of their purpose to celebrate
the anniversary of the battle OF the Boyne, by a
public procession. The "Orangcmen," our
readers of course know, are protestant Irish
men, and the battle of the Boyue was fought
by William of Orange, a protestant, after
wards William III. of England, against James
H., Roman Catholic prince, and the victory
of the former decided the domination of the
protestant over the Roman Catholic religion in
England and Ireland, so far as It's recognition
as the religion of the state could determine
such domination.
OF course, between the Roman Catholic
Irish and the Orangemen, since the date of
that battle-July II, l69O-thc bitterest feud
has been maintained, and when the Orange
men announced their purpose to celebrate
that event, the Roman Catholic Irish, or at
least those in sympathy with them,-tor
doubtless there are many among them who
care little about any religion, made threats
that if the demonstration took place it would
be assaulted and dispersed At first these
menaces were treated lightly, but by Sunday
it became apparent that all the Irish assoca-
tions of the city were armlng and full bent
on riot. Bishop McClosky directed all the
priests, in their mlnistrations on Sunday, to
denounce the proposed riot, and himself de-
livered discourse which was published, dis.
suading from it in the strongest terms. All
seemed, however, to have little effect and on
Monday it became quite apparent that unless
extraordinary measures were taken, a terrible
riot was inevitable.
AT this point, chief of police Kelso, proba-
bly, at the instlgation of Mayor Hall, issued
proclamation, proposing to avert the riot by
the extraordinary expedent of forbidding the
Orangemen to parade. Of course this only
produced the intensest indignation among the
pretestants of all natlonalities in the city, and
the offers of assistance poured in upon the
Orangemen so heavily that they are said to
>
order. However, they asked the Governor of
New Jersey for permission to transfer their
procession to Jersey City, which Gov. Ran
dolph promptly accorded.
About this time, however, Gov. Hoffman,
at Albany, was advised of the nature OF Chief
Kelso's order, and he promptly repaired to
New York City to take the matter in hand.
His first act was to issue proclamation re-
voking Chief Kelso's order and granting per-
mission to "any and all bodies of men deslr-
ing to assemble and march in peaceful pro.
cession to do So" and quarantine them pro-
lection to the fullest extent by the military
He took effective steps, by ordering out an
adequate military force to suppress promptly
any riotous attempt on Wednesday, should
such unhappily be made.
On Monday, at the appointed hour, the Or
ange procession was organized, but the scare
among them, in spite of the unlimited protec- !
ton offered, was manifest in the fact that of
the boosted $4,000 in their organization but
200 had the courage to appear on the street.
The little squad had proceeded but short
distance, however, before the mob began to
make belhgerent demonstrations. AT length,
the military, no longer able to keep the crowd
back and being repeatedly themselves assail.
ed, fired upon the mob, killing, it is vsriously
estimated, from Is to 100, and wounding 800.
OF course, many of the killed aud wounded
were mere spectators and innocent of any un
lawful purpose.
This appears to have been the beginning
and end OF all the riotous demonstration. The
Orangemen concluded their march, and quiet
ly dispersed.
Like all affairs of this sort, however, the
end OF the actual fight is II long way from the
end OF the war of words to which it give.
rise. AS matter of right, the Ribbonmen,"
as the Irish Catholics are called in contradi,
tlnctlon tn the Orangemen. in a,tcmptinv To
prevent the parade OF the latter committed IA
blunder Certainly there is nothing in the
spirit OF our institutions Ia forbid any party
or society," no matter at villa, political or re-
hgious creed, or of what nationality, from
having procession or maxim. any other dis,
play so long us they co'.duc, themselves with
proper regard to the duties of allcuIonce
they owe to their adopted country. The out
rage would be not whit less gross to ATTEMPT
to prevent Fenian parade, or II procession