The Irish standard., 1919-12-20
A BUcKETFUL OF BoYNE WATER.

Winding along the southern border of the Black
North" as it is called by the Munster peasantry,
meandering through the lush pastures of the Mid
lands now grooming itself to sleep among the flag
distance like the broadsword of the chieftan, or
tumbng in bright cascades over the ruined weirs
is river famous in Irish history 1t is the storied
Boyne. Today no sound breaks the majestic calm
of this noble river save the train rafting over the
bridge on it's way to Drogheda, or the lowing OF
bullocks knee-deep in grass, fattening for the Eng
lish dinner-table Yet here on its banks on cer-
tain July day two hundred and twenty-nine years
ago fought one of the great battles OF history
Here, to use the words of the poet Moore "the
emerald gem of the western world was set in the
crown of stranger" when William of Orange
placed on his brow the crown ingloriously lost by
the last of the recreant Stuart kings. Since that
time the Boyne has been Protestant river and the
anniversary of the battle day Of rejoicing for all
good Orangemen. The cowardly flight of James
opened the way to Limerick. After Limerick came
Aughrin, where Ireland stricken dead as once
before at Kinsale; and after Aughrim the Wild
Geese, the Penal Laws, and the Protestant Ascen-
dancy
No wonder Orangemen all the world over would
regard that date as sacred anniversary no wonder
they would sing and dance and break their Catholic
or "The Protestant Boys" For then fastened
on the neck of the Irish nation the yoke they have
been striving to break ever snce the calling yoke
Of Protestant Ascendancy. Every Irish uprising,
movement, or cOnVentlOn, 1rOm tnaI OF DunSdHIlON
in 1882 to that of the prescribed Sim Fein in the
basement of Dublin hotel few weeks ago, has
had as one of its chief objects the overthrow of this
monstrous system of special privilege. Before the
great war the hope of accomplishing this liberation
was comparatively slight the idols of Ascendancy
were straddled all over Europe. Today, thanks to
America, they have been ground into powder and
their ashes scattered on every wind. But there
still is one spot where they stand apparently as
immovable as ever. That spot is Ulster. There
Z ofA ic xyion
aourshing as though there had been no war for
Democracy. Is it not the irony of fate that the
very province which was the hope of the Kaiser
Immediately before the should be left the sole
gantly represented?
And now the beauteous Boyne has broadened Out
and become the Atlantic Ocean. As, some two cen.
turies ago, King William crossed that river and
loyal sons Of that saviour from Popery, brass money
and wooden shoes, crossed the ocean to save, not
Professionalism, but its 6rst-born child the Ascen.
dancy, from the vengeful sword of the Sim Fein
On December 4 there arrived in New York city q
delegation of Protestant preachers. chaperoned BY
Unionist member of Parliament from Tyrone. Ths
cable announcing their coming stated that the dele
CATION comprised six clergymen and one layman
IL we had nursed the hope that the lone laymal
might perchance be a representative Of the Ulste
Catholic minority we were soon undeceived. Whi
& still on board ship they hatched manifesto which
was promptly launched at our much-endurn,
American heads the moment the boat touched dr..
dock And since that pronounciamento dispels al
doubt concerning the mission and method of thi
ultra clerical delegation let us scrutinize it with tn
care that it deserves.
It begins by stating that the delegation wer
B Officially sent by the Episcopal, Methodist an
Presbyterian churches in Ireland" Very promisin
indeed; they were sent to America by the Protes
stants Of Ireland; and for what purpose? Listen t
s. tleir words: "We are not here on political can
paien. Our mission is not sectarian. Our missio
81 Is % say to America that the Sim Fein movemer
= radical and destructive in its methods; that it
as nsoven1ent akin to the Bolshevist republic
81 Rnssia.''
So then II seem. these grave and reverend del