National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-09-13
The Belfast Riots.

In an editorial article on the disturb
ances in Belfast. the London Times makes
the following reflections:
What is the occasion for all this kury,
ruin and bloodshed2 Properly speating,
nothing at all. Belfast is, indeed city
Of two camps. Tue Protestants dwell in
one quarter and the Roman Catholics in
another and their lines are as clearly d, =
fined as the German and French from ticis
When wsr has broken out between them as
in this instance, an edct OF expulsion is
passed against the Protestants in the
Catholic district, or against the Catholics
in the Protest mt camp, and the enemies
are warned to remove on pain of hazarding
their property, If not their lives. The two
were ll7ing and working side by side,
making their profit out of the same trades
and enjoying The protection of the same
laws. lfa Protestant injured Catholic.
or Catholic Protestant, justice would
be done b tween the two with undoubted
impaItality. There was no Parliamentary
or municipal contest in progress there
was nothing to fight for, nothing to win or
lose. There was not even the excuse Of
resisting an illegal demonstration. The
Legislation thought the other day it would
try the experiment Of allowing each party
to relieve Is suppressed emotion by unre-
stricled demonstration. The Protestants,
it was thought might shout "God save the
Queen" and mo Surrender" one day, un-
I'll their loyalty was satisfied or exhausted;
and tie Catholics might haunt disloyal
emblems and sing Fenian songs the next
day until they, too, had let off their steam.
But it proves that neither party is con
tented with license for itself unless it can
refuse it to the other, and the Protestants
are the more intolerant of the two. They
had their professions on the famous 18th,
and the Apprentice Boys OF Derry were
capable of recognizing the corresponding
right OF the Catholics on the 18th. But
at Belfast the hostility of the two factions
is too intense to be suppressed by any
thing short OF force The Roman Catholics
showed themselves in proce ession, their q d
foes at once attacked them, and the battle
became general There is thus nothing
whatever to account for this outburst of
civil war except the chronic smoldering
hatred of the two factions. Each ia always
ready to spring at the others throat, and
anv excuse is welcome.
The riot was a most serious affair. Re-
ports say that Belfast appeared to be a
perfect wreck. Some idea of the extent
to which the riot reached may be inferred
from the fact that at the end of the fourth
day the available force at the disposal of
the authorities amounted to about five
thousand five hundred men. One thousand
eight hundred soldiers, fourteen hundred
and fifty policemen, six hundred of the
militia force, together with the Thirty
fourth and slxty-secohd regiments attempt
ed to pnt stop 20 the violence, which
broke out in one quarter as soon as similar
violence was suppressed in another. Ac-
cording to the letter of a correspondent,
the city presented the appearance OF a
wreck. Paving stones were torn from the
streets, lamp-po ; thrown down. window
shutters torn from their hinges, and bro
ken doors and smashed furniture literally
the streets ana obstructed the
of the military. Drunkenness
went band IN hand with violence and pill
age. People fled from their homes in
ear OF meeting threatened death, and
ought shelter wherever their sense sug-
,ested security. The story altogether is
painful one, and the dreadful excesses
,r"ve to what an extent bitterness OF tcel-
ng will inllame the passions of the gno-
ant