A QUIET "TWELFTH."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15314, 9 September 1920, Page 6

A QUIET "TWELFTH."

SHI E. CARSON'S CHALLENGE TO SINN FEINERS. BELFAST, July 12—To " a large audience m a large wet field at Finaghy, near Belfast, where Orangemen this afternoon were celebrating the "Twelfth," Sir Edward Carson made this declaration: "We tell the Government that, if you ■ = are unable to protect us from the machinations of Sinn Fein, we will take, tho matter into our own_hands. ]We will ■ reorganise the Ulster Volunteers at all costs, and, ""notwithstanding the conse--1 quences and under God, We will defend "■ ourselves."

This was the chief point^n a speech delivered under rather 'depressing coh^ ditions. A fine rain had fallen while the processions had marched from Belfast, and the gaily-painted banners were furled as soon as the place of assembly was reached to protect them from -the rain.

'Early, m the day the throbbing of. the Orange war drums began to roll through the streets, and for hours the processions moved past the city hail on their fourmide march out to the place- of assembly. Banners that celebrated m rather crude portraiture Orange favorites, from Cromwell and King William to Sir Ed-ward-Carson, wrestled m the breeze with their perspiring bearers. Drum and fife bands rolled out selections from Moody and Sankey hymns. Biujle bands brought back memories of other days, when Ulstermen and Irishmen marched together m France, and there were countless squads of kilted Scottish pipers. * But over above the hyjnns and the pipers rose the crashing throb of tightlystretched drum heads being assaulted .wil-h stout canes.

"With all this delight m putting on broad _ .scarves of orange or blue and marching m procession behind the beloved drums one gives these men the respect * due to those stubbqinly devoted to a cause m which they devoutly believe.

It may be said that recent examples of Sinn Fein organisation and energy so filled the Orangemen with respect that they were ready to believe the wildest rumors, and there wer* even those who feared an attempt, tp kidnap Sir Edward Carson and sent him to share the enforced leisure of .General Lucas. At any rate, no risks were run. Profimtions were taken for guarding Sir Edward during the whole of his stay m Belfast, pnd members of the Ulster Division Orange Lodge acted as a special escort.