The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-09-15
From Our Own Correspondent
OUR IRISH LETTER.

From Our Own Correspondent
OUR IRISH LETTER
DUBLIN, Aug. 29tb, 1872
Since 1 wrote to you last, peace and order
have been completely restored in Belfast The
heavy rains of Wednesday and Thursday, and
the presence of an overwhelming police and
military force, both contributed materially to
the abatement in the rioting But. perhaps
more potent cause than either is to be found
in the fact that the Orangemen who provoked
worst Of it. For this is now q well-known
fact here, although the Catholic journals do
not distinctly allude to it out of a desire not
to embitter still further the already sufficient
~ embittered relations between the hostile
parties. The Catholics were at first taken ut
disadvantage in having few or no fire. arms,
while the Orangemen were we'll supplied with
them, as they have always been but after two
or three days they had them in abundance,
how ever they got them, and certainly used
them to some purpose. In the former riots 1t
was generally suspected that the Orangemen
had suffered much more severely than they
acknowledged, and few months ago in re-
building house in the Orange district of Bel
fast that had been occupied ny an orange
at a few feet under the floor of the kitchen or
| front room. The bodies were no doubt origl-
| nally placed there with barrel of lime, in or
der to conceal the amount of the Orange losses
| There is one very COED reason, in addition to
| the house having been in the Orange district
and occupied by an Orange family, why they
| 61OulQ not DC Uuo DOUloS OIL SdGuOAiCS, auo ~ 10
this, that they care very much indeed for
| Christian burial, whereas their opponents care
nothing at all. have no doubt but that time
will disclose that on this occasion also the
brethren have concealed their losses in SINH
lar manner. However this may be, it is Ger.
tain, at any rate, that truce was established
between the leaders of the rival parties on
Thursday evening last, and that the negotia-
tions were initiated by the Oraugemen. Some
of the latter suggested to a few representative
men on tho other side that an agreement
each side might be allowed to go to and come
from their work without molcstation- Vi
course, the suggestion was adopted by the Ca
tholics, who were never anxious for hght,
and soon was practically carried out. There
after, although there was some excitement,
there was no disturbance in Belfast. I'm
doubtcdly, the power of the leaders on both
sides over their followers is not the least re-
markablc feature in the whole business.
Now comes act Hin the drama. The scene Is
the police courts. In both Lurgan and Belfast
a great number of prisoners arrested Tor vari-
GUS offences connected with the riotlng were
awaiting trial. There about an equal
number of Catholics and Professionals in the
batch, and about an equal number oil each
party were summarily convicted and sentenced
to various terms of imprisonment OF sent for
trial at the asszes to be moro severely punish
ed. The courts were usually thropged by
disorderly IN ID who amused Themselves occa
sioually by singing even in the presence OF the
magistrates by singing the choruses OF party
songs. The proceedings were still further en'
livened by the dangerous bufoonery OF MT
John Rea This gentleman's pertinacity and
, infinite volatility 1 think have in previous
letter spoken to you about rather fully. ne
, exercised his powers to the utmost last weeR
in an effort to annoy and exasperate the mag
ivtrates He constituted himself advocate
e general fo7 the whsle Orange body, volunteer
ing as each Orange prisoner was put FORWARD
r to defend him without fee or reward. H'
S could not be kept silent for more than two
l minutes at a time. Every obscrva,iou-evet
= the most harmless-uf every magistrate wa
: answered III a highly provocative manner.
$ last his conduct became perfectly lntoieraoe
e and on Friday he was committed to seven day
, Imprisonment in the county jail Tor cohteWp
e of court. lie had to be, usual, dragged
T forcibly out Of court No one pitled MN, no
8 even the Orangemcn, for they do not believe Ii
Il his sincerity. Nevertheless, l hear that o.
y this evening when he is to be liberated, ther
$ is to be IA demonstration in his honor III
Il clerk it appears, is the moving spirit IN TN
d business If it takes place, there may be "A re
: newal of the disturbances bat tor man
o reasons think it viii not
y The Government, it appears, II they wer
d deficient in energy and promptitnde durin
Ii the riotinC, are going to be severe ana crut
:, now, when the whole think IS over. 1t ha
8 extended the Coercion Act to the whole {
e Belfast and its immediate neiShborhood
?, which means that any person found possesse
g of firearms may be punished by two years III
: prisonment, any. person found quit OF pa
y ticjpatcn in n riot by seven years penal serv
N tude and any person found ont OF his nous
s. after sunset and under suspicious circunstai
n ces, by detention in prison, rthoHt UtG.' at u
d pleasure of the Lord Lieutenant. 1t meal
Il more, too, but there is no occasion to owen q
that point further 1t will be sufficient TO sa
that if the police act impartially III BsIias
p the Orangcmen Will feel, for the first time
- their lives, the intolerable weight OF Brltls
~ coercive legislation. Little they thought To
Is NAV be sure, that when they howled for TN
q legislation against the poor, down-trodden Z
1T tholic peasantry of Tipperary aud Westuleat
at they would themselves, one day, feel
sting 1t is surely but Ietributive Justice th
they shoulG feel it. But it is qnite possih
"a have already, times Innumerable, in the Nor
punished the Catholics severely, even VIII