The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-14

The 18th Of July and the Montreal
Disturbances.

Disturbances.
It is nearly two hundred years since the
Pedestrians won the Battle of the Boyns
and the Catholics lost it. The battle was
substantially religious one, Catholic
against Protestant, and this fact has given
tone to the celebrations Of its anniversary.
The celebration of this fatal anniversary
appears to be always attended in some
quarter of the world by bloodshed, and it
is probable the number of men killed
iu honor Of the battle of the Boyne since
1880 is double of those who were act
ually slain at the time.
The trouble caused by this celebration
has become unbearable, and if il must for
ever be attended with bloodshed it seems
to be about time that it was wholly discon-
tinued. The whole business curiously
illustrates the deep rooted prejudices en-
gendered by religious strife. No such
consequences attend the celebration OF the
Fourth Of July on English soil, and even
British men of eminence and holding high
official position are often seen i'll attendance.
In our country the Englishman can eel
citrate the battle of Waterloo and the
Frenchman does nothing more than shrug
his shoulders in contempt. The Germans
celebrate the victory of Sedan, or any
other national event. ard no one interferes
or molests. But few yards of ribbon
exhibited on the 18th of July is sufficient
to produce riot aud murder. That such
should have been the case two centuries
ago and upon another soil is not perhaps
remarkable, considering the condition Of
affairs then existing, but here and IN this
age it is unbearable, uncalled for, and
ought to cease.
1t is one of the misfortunes Of Protest
antism that it has to bear the disgrace oil
cliDging to the bigotry and fanaticisms o.
other and less enlightened times
and that it should itself countenanc'
and hand down from generation tc
generation, the Internal spirit of intol
erance begotten in an age of religious
fury and religious persecution. The inter
ferAnce with Orange demonstrations by
rioters calling themselves Catholics ii
equally detestable, and ought to be repro
bated in equal terms of severity. Americ'
has made the peoples Of all nations wei
come, and has promised them protection
in the pursuits of life, liberty, and happi
ness; but it is not right, and it is not ex
pected they will bring with them ant
transmit forever the feuds and quarrels o
their ancestors. All intelligent classes o
men, clergy and laymen, unite in sever
condemnation of the mutual intolerance o
Orange and Ribbonmen The folly an
wickedness of annually causing the gutter
of our large cities to be sprinkled wit
human gore over an ancestral feud whicl
should long since have become one OF tn
things of the past is an evil which ough
no longer to be tolerated.
If the memory of the Boyne is so exces
sively dear to the Orange heart that
must and will celebrate, let it do so with
out molestation or interference: if Irisl
men desire to commemorate st. Patric
by professions and music they should hav
tho privilege without being endangered c
disturbed; it Catholics wish to pay hOnol
TO the EpiscopaIe Of the Pope by Jubile'
and with grand displays Of ceremOni
observances, 1t is right and proper +,
thom to do it without being threatened (
assaulted; any and every form of publ
display, professional or otherwise, is ent
tied to peaceable exhibition and unmoles
ed possession of halls and streetways, pr
vided always, they do nothing prohibitC
by law and keep within the limits o. dec
rous and orderly proceedings. All lay
abiding citizens in their lawful unde
takings should be protected by the stroT
arm Of the law; those who engage in
incite to riot and murder should be pu
ished TO the laws extent.