The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-16
PEACEFUL LAWRENCE {!


The riot at Lawrence, Monday,of which
a detailed account has appeared in our tele-
graphic columns, was, in our Judgment, as
diseraceful to that city and to tho country
as it was to the Irish race or any part
thereof 1t is disgraceful and lamentable
condition of affairs when the people of any
nationality, of any shade of religious faith
or political opinion, cannot appear publicly
in the streets, or openly express their SEN
,iments, without being brutally assaulted
or causing riot. In this affair, on the
day of its occurrence, it would appear that
the outrage was all on one side that the
wcarers of the "orange' were quiet,
pcaceabe, making no public demonstration
but simply returning in an orderly manner
from picnic which they had perfect
right to attend and enjoy. While SO re-
turning, they were brutally attacked, Sc
rious riot ensued, attended by loss of life
I-i,'uI most reliable accounts of the
disgraceful affair, written after the excite
ment of the day by intelligent and impair
tial observers, it would seem that the irish
Catholics, as a class, were not responsible
for the riot, did not to any considerable
extent participate therein, but, on the con-
trary, utterly condemned it. Unfortunate
ly, however, it is fact that the riot had
its origin in difference of religious belief
and unthinking persons will make haste to
hold the many innocent members of the
Catholic church responsible for the few
guilty ones. This, to be sure, is unjust,
but it is fault of human nature, and the
innocent, peaceable citizen will suffer equal
ly with the guilty rioter.
Prejudice, an unjust prejudice, will add
TO the intensity of these feelings for when
we see equal, if not greater guilt, shifted
to other shoulders, public opinion does not
confound the many with the few-the
guilt is placed where it belongs. This is
shown by the occurrence of Wednesday
morning. Then the tables were turaed.
Then the Protestant Irishmcn became the
aggressors, and the Catholics the sufferers.
1t is claimed, perhaps truly, that the rioters
were temporary residents engaged in con-
structing the new Lawrence water works,
and against this class was revenge sought.
In revenge, large shanty, used as a
boarding house for these men, was fired,
and two of the seventy occupants persisted
in the flames. Does any one hold the
whole Protestant community, or even the
Irish part thereof, responsible for this out
rage? Surely not-God forbid that they
should And yet why should not the inno-
cent be condemned with the guilty, in one
case as much as in the other? Prejudice,
unjust, unreasoning prejudice makes the
distinction. However disgraceful and
reprehensibe the riot of Monday may
have been-and we shall none of us differ
in our estimate of tit was bold and
manly compared with the affair of We'd
nesday morning. The one was an open,
bold, unproyoked assault on peaceable cti-
zens. The other was cool, calculating,
sneakipg, cowardly act of arson and MUIR
der. The one was the result Of excite
ment. The other of cool revenge. And
yet VIC venture to say that the latter has
more secret sympathsers and defenders
than the former.
The authorities of Lawrence have not
acquitted themselves with credit in the
matter. The police force was sadly al
fault, and to their supneness and neglect
is due the riot and its accompanying blood
shed. The mayor and his associates acted
with commendable pluck and energy aftel
the riot had actually commenced, and sue
ceeded in quelling it and restoring temper
airy quiet But here their efforts for thu
public peace seemed to stop, and their ct
tention was turned toward the chief o.
police. He was promptly removed, his
place supplied, and then occurred the fir
of Wednesday morning. Upon the heel o.
that fire, while the community was excited
over the burning of two men, the mayo
issues his proclamation stating that thu
responsibility for the riots rests with th'
floating population drawn thither by thu
building of the new water works. Why
issue such proclamation, or card, at sucl
time? Was it to show the country thai
the return blow had been struck in thu
right place to congratulate the Protes
tants that, 90 far as life was concerned