Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-19
fl5airhman Sc journal.
WEDNESDAY, July 10, 1871.
The New York Riot

the custom Of Protestant lrishmen 10 ccle.
bratc the victory Of William, Prince Of Or.
ange, over James Of England It was the
triumph Of the Protestant cause and It's pre-
eminent leader IN the seventeenth century.
As such, it has been commemoratcd by the
Protestant lrishmen, who have organized
themselves into an association called Orange
men. They have been accustomed to cclo.
brato the l2th Of July, as the anniversary Of
the battle Of Boyne, in oil countries where
the association exists, sometimes quietly and
privately, aud at times openly and publicly.
The parade Of the Orangcmcn always excitos
the bittore,t animosiy and rage Of the Cath
Ollie Irish II remind, them of the most
painful period Of their history, aud seems to
them to revive the disgrace and disaster of
the past, aud insult their most sacred scnti-
ments aud whenever the Oangcmen Of
New York have attempted any public demou-
straton it has created great excitement aud
passion in the Catholic population Of the city.
This year the Orangemcn announced their
intention to parade the streets Of New York
in public procession on the l2th inst At
once their declared purpose was met with
the loudest threats Of interference on the part
Of the Catholic Irish In vain the Arch
bishop and priests required Of their adhcrents
to abstain from all violence and dcmoustra-
ton against the proposed procession They
declared that they would resent the move
ment even to riot aud bIoodshed The city
authorities were so alarmed at the hostile pre-
parations Of the Catholic Irish that they for.
bad the Orange procession. On the 10th inst
Superintendent Kelso issued his proclamation
prohibiting the contemplated parade, on the
general ground that such professions infring-
ed the rights of citizens aud on the particular
ground that this procession would endaugor
the public peace. This proclamation created
the most intense feeling in the city and in the
State Of New York IL was regarded by the
people as the surrender Of the city Of New
/ York to the dictation of the lowest and most
ignorant portion Of its population. So great
was the opposition to this extreme measure
that Gov Hoffman FASTENED to the city, in
terposed his authority, revoked the prohi.
bition Of Kclso, and promised the amplcst
protection to the Orange procession. Under
the promise Of the Governor the Oraugemeu
decided to parade At the hour appointed
they met at their headquarters, formed into
procession, and under the escort Of four rcgi-
ments of soldiers and fifteen hundred police
, men, marched through the streets Of the city.
Meanwhile squads and companies of rough
and angry men gathered from all quarters Of
the city along the line of march They con
cealed themselves in houses aud mounted on
their roofs, and, as the procession passed,
they hurled bricks from the house-tops and
fred rcyoycrs from Windows and from
the side walks upon the escort. Several Of
the soldiers and officers were severely wound.
cd or killed, and the the passion Of the mob
was gaining in intensity each moment, when
the patience Of the troops was exhausted, aud
they poured along the line a desultory fire
into the crowd ofthe rioters and into the win
dows Of the houses from which the firing had
proceeded. In a few minutes the mob was
paralyzed, cowed, panic.struck, and fed in
every direction for shelter More than fifty
of them were killed and two or three hun.
bred wounded The side walks ran with
blood. One Of the rioters placed his pistol
at the head of woman who showed the Or
ange color and blew out her brains, and then
deliberately turned and shot her daughter by
her side, girl Of ten years of age. The
mob showed the most brutal lerocity, and
there is no doubt il the procession had not
been protected by the strong military escort,
not man in it would have escaped their
,, wrath, As it was, not hair was injured on
the head of an Orangeman, aud two or three
] hundred Of the rioters were shot to death OF
seriously wounded
There can be but one opinion with respect
to the propriety Of Governor IloGman's
course If freedom means anything, it means
b freedom for Orangemen as well as freedom
for Catholics. 1t means the right Of peace.
able assembly and parade by any aud by all
classes Of American citizens No man is tC
$ be abridged of his liberty to his opinions, OIL
$ to their peaceable expression and demonstra
: ton. No body of men is to be excluded from
: the protection of the law in any proper man
|. Hesitation of their political or religious faith
= Any other principle than this is the surrender
e to intolerance, bgotry or tyranny. If tn,
Ribbonmeu choose to celebrate the massacr,
r of St. Bartholomew, they can do it peaceably
/. and be protected in it, If the Orangemel
b. wish to commemorate the battle Of Boyne By
d procession or picnic no one has a right to in
terfere or forbid Whatever we may thinI
{, of the wisdom or expedency of such demon
!. strations, there is but one opinion as to the
Is right and awfulness That right is one tina
y may be surrendered, but never must be takei
. away.
But there is no law that requires men Il
Is keep alive the memory Of the sIrles Of tn,
D. past. 1t would be an infraction Of no RICH
I for men to give up their rights in such mat
10 tiers. There is no occasion or need to com
r memorate the battle Of Boyne any more tina
a. that of Marston Moor or any Of the horrbl
y triumphs of the civil and religious wars Q
If the past 1t seems a miserable way for me-
d. to use their liberty to revive memories @
is dead conflicts. The world has gone lon
L way ahead Of medieval passions aud mad
y ness. 1t is as useless and wicked to charg
Il upon a modern Catholic the hatreds aud PEI
d seeutions of the sixteenth century, as I
h charge upon modern Protestant the damnl
le Bile cruelty of the Eizabethau code towar
a. Ireland. 1t is time We had done with old col
h. troyersies The world should out.grow tn
H. malignites Of ancient wars In the interei
"a Of freedom We would yindicate tolerance Of a