The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-06-02
A coWARDLY INSULT.

l0r majesty GuSy WeAt w uuo &Au4oA AooA-
consulate at st. Thomas, hauled down
the American Tag, tore it into shreds and
trampled 1t in the hpud. These patriots
belong to the same regiment that con-
fronted the Fenian Invaders under Gen.
O'Neill at Ridgeway fp 1866, and under
Col. Booker the Queens Own regiment
covered itself with everlasting disgrace
by getting panic stricken at the sight Of
the enemy and running forty miles from
the field OF battle before it's commander
could check the stampede The Nom!
bers of this same regiment would bt
guilty of similar cowardice today in the
face of an armed foe, but having no enc
my at hand they displayed their valor by
offering dastardly insult to the Ameri.:
can flag floating over the Office of the
American consul. If the time ever comes
that the cowardly ruffians will stand in
martial array before American soldiers
this act of blackguardiem will be re-:
sented in true American style. The
colonel of the regiment apologized to Mr..
Willis, the United States consul, for the
insult to the flag, but Mr. Willis properly
refused to accept any apology and i'm
mediately telegraphed full information
of the outrageous proceeding to the
American and Canadian authorities at
Washington and Ottawa. 1t is reported
that the commander. in-chief of the Can
adian militia has been instructed by the
minister of war-n there is such func-
tionary-to request the deputy adiutant
general of St. Thomas district to find out
the names of the perpetrators OF the deed,
and the commanding officer of the
Queens Own has received similar orders.
A dispatch from the Canadian seat OF
government says that the cu]prits are
members Of aristocratic families, but up
to the time of writing their names have
not been given to the public.
The United States government seems
to be taking things easy, but it is ex-
pected that it will not allow the matter
to rest without demanding an abject
apology for such an outrageous insult to
the stars and stripes. The indignity was
offered by men wearing the livery of
Great Britain at time when the Ameri-
can flag was flung to the breeze in honor
of the birthday OF the sovereign whose
name the regiment bears. It is not
enough that the colonel of the Queens
Own rendered an apology to the Ameri-
can consul; the prime minister of Canada,
Sir John Thompson, and the governor
general, Lord Aberdeen, should also apol-
ogize to the American government with
out delay, and if they do not do SO, the
English government should be asked to
interfere in the matter and cause the
fellows guilty of the offense to be de-:
prived of the uniforms they have dis
graced. It is about time for our Ameri;
can government to resent the insults
offered to the stars and stripes and to
American citizens by petty pc aere like
Canada. The Tory element in Canada
detests the United States and it's free in
stitutions, and evidences of their hatred
have been frequently given during the
past few years. They are getting more
aggressive and insulting every day be-
cause scarcely any notice has been taken
of them on account of their insignifi-
canoe. 1t is time they should be taught
q lesson. Patience has almost ceased to |
be virtue with Americans, and this last
exhibition of unfriendliness on the part
of the registering Orange militia should
arouse Uncle Sam to such pitch Of in
dignation as to demand satisfaction in
some form or another from the Canadian
government Suppose such an insult
had been offered to the British flag by
American soldiers, what cry would
arise from loyal Britons for an immediate
apology. It would not be, enough for
the colonel in charge of the. American
soldiers or militia to apologize to the
British consul for the insult offered to
the flag Of the great nation he repre-
sented. sr
We will watch the development Of thia
international unpleasantness and see how
the case is finally disposed Of. The Incl
dent shows what bitterness there is in
the hearts Of Orangemen for our repub-
ican form Of government. And men Of
the very same type who committed this i
ofense toward the flag Of
the United States are loud il their praise
q the starry banner when they come d
OYER here to accumulate American dol L
lars and march through our cities With,
the foreign device of King William "a i