The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-07-21
The columbian.
sBLOOMSBURG, PA.
FRIDAY MORNING, July 81, 1871.
New York Riot.


procession. The Catholic Irishmen de.
termined to break up the procession.
Excitement ensued, which was famed
TO the utmost heat and excess by the
newspapers of the city without distinc-
tion of party or creed. Finally the
Mayor Of the city and Chief of Police
determined there should be no process
ion, and the latter issued a proclama.
tion to that effect. At this stage Gov.
HOFFMAN interfered and issued proc.
lamation promising protection to the
procession and the Orangemen contin.
ued their preparations. They turned
out on Wednesday at q o'clock, p. NJ,
protected by the police and large force
Of Militia. They had not proceeded
far, however, until some shots were
fired at them from windows. The fire
was quickly returned by portion of
the military. About 80 persons in all
including men, women and children
were killed and over 100 were wounded,
and, what was most unfortunate, most
of these were innocent persons.
or course the right to turn out in
peaceable procession Is one that every
form of government, from the Federal
authorities down to the most humble
municipality, is bound to protect. This
is abstractly true and denied by no one.
But people of certain peculiar opinions
would not be tolerated In procession by
the most peaceable of communities. In
former times, in days of infinite public
purity as compared with the present,
all Abolitionist was not anywhere in
this State permitted to lecture without
insult or attack In some form. No ABB
olition procession could then have NOV.
ed through the streets of the most peace
able towns in the State without attack.
Even now, ,ifsecessionists or anybody else
were to attempt to celebrate Rebel vic.
tories in the most peaceable northern
towns they would be driven from their
purpose. Ifa Mormon procession were to
perambulate the streets of the highly
moral, patriotic and beautiful town of
Bloomsburg, its sweet angels, if nobody
else, would institute riot. We hold,
therefore, that this abstract right of
glorification of events or purposes, can
only be INDUCED in with safety and
will only be respected when substance
is not offensive to the public. Nor is it
expedient to exercise abstract rights at
all times or at all places. A child may
be properly spanked in the kitchen but
not in the church. TO put strong case,
any man has right to shear wolf or
grizzly bear, yet all will agree that it
is inexpedient to exercise such rights.
Fhe Orangemen had right to parade
In the streets Of the city Of New York.
1t is the duty of the government to pro-
seet this right of the people. 1t was,
however, inexpedient and unwise for
the Orangemen to parade, as the result
proves, and while the government of
the city and State of New York proper.
~ protected the procession, 1t cost many
lives and great deal of money to do
80. Should factious people be permitted
thus to leopard the public peace and
bleed the public purse? The whole
question resolves itself into one of ex-
pediency, and not of principle, and from
that stand point must be decided.
Orange lodges have little business in
America. They are inapplicable to our
institutions. They are protestant Irish
men who avow loyalty to the English
crown in opposition to Irish indepen-
dence. The battle of the Boyne, which
the New York lodges proposed to cele-
bfate, was the decisive battle foug hit in
1870 by usurping King of England,
William III, against James II, who had
been driven from the throne and had
taken refuge in Ireland. The forces of
the former were composed of English,
Dutch,a few protestant Irish, and others.
Those of the latter were mainly Irish
Catholics, aided by small French force.
The victory of the former was complete
and overwhelming, and the persecu-
tions ofthe Catholic Irish that followed
were OF the most cruel character. The
feeling of hatred has ever since been fos.
tered and Intensified, the Orangemen at
all times siding with the British against
the great mass of Irishmen who desire
the independence of their country. The
latter look upon the former as traitors
and hate them with all the intensity of
their tervid natures That any glorifi-
cation of the Orangemen, therefore,
would excite feelings of the utmost re.
sentiment on the part of the true repre-.
sentatives of the feelings of the Irish
nation against the participators in it is
natural. But as the whole matter at
issue is foreign to our soil, and has no
reference to anything with which the
American people can have proper con-
nection, and is sure to induce serious
riot, as well as other most dangerous
consequences, the Orangemen might
well be required to conduct themselves
in such a manner as not to disturb the
public peace.
The Radicals expect to make political
capital out of this sad event, and their
newspapers vehemently espouse the side
of the Orangemen. Well make it. What.
ever they gain by taking sides with the
oppressors OF people who have as
much right to independence as any
other on earth, they are legitimately
entitled to, for to rob white men of theii
rights and to oppress all who do not
agree with them, is the very heart o
their principles.
Of course the Radical press teens
with and will continue to spew out any
quantity of libels upon the Irishmen o
New York particularly and the Irisl
people generally. At present, therefore
it will be we'll to accept only as facts
that which is admitted or otherwise es.
tablished.
Fishing Greek COniederacy.
1t is source of unbOunded pleasur
to the Radical editors in all this regio
round about, and especially to the Viii