The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY DECEMBER 20, 1879.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1155, 29 December 1879, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST. MONDAY DECEMBER 20, 1879.

Tuc rapture that occurred between the Orangemen and the Catholics at Timaru and Christchurch on Friday la3t ha 3 added a black page to the history of the Colony. The Orangemen of those placc3 appeared in the streets with the intention of joining in the festivities of a festive season in their peculiar way. A section of the Catholics objected, and the effect was a general melr.e. The question arises, Why do Catholics resent Orangedomonstrations? The innocent silk that is flaunted in the air is blameless ; there i 3 no harm in the brilliant and attractive colors that denote craft; no harm in the men individually r>r collectively, in their normal state of mind ; no harm in processions, for they are recognised as a legitimate means of demonstrating that certain principles arc held by certain men, and as one ingredient in performing acts of public jubilation. But the banner is eloquent. It appears that it sometimes speaks as effectively as words. The Catholics or a section of them view the Orange banner -with utter abhorrence. You could not give them half so much offence by treating them to strong language. To display it is to tread on the tails of their coats. It i 3 the same old tale. Orangemen and Catholics, who arc admirable men, and work together to promote the social, moral, and commercial well-being of the communities in which they live, forget themselves in the operation of asserting their Oraiigeism or Catholicism. The doing 3of Friday last present no new feature in the history of the Colony. Old antipathies of the Old Country have been revived here with all their old virulence. Truth and the occasion compel us to say that we, previous to Friday last, had proofs of this. Napier and the Thames have witnessed scenes which were evidences of similar smouldering religious antipathy and intolerance, "but luckily the rioting was omitted from the programmes through the timely interference of the representatives in these places of the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic clergy have always viewed with alarm Orange processions, and reprobated any interference with the proceedings of the party antithetical to them, which they very reasonably say engenders dangerous hostilities, whilst it dues good to nobody. The clergy are not, then, responsible for the counter-demonstrations which produce such evil results. Father Coleman's sensible remarks, In the courae of his sermon yesterday, which we reproduce in another column, are conclusive evidence of this fact. The community is greatly indebted to the rev. gentleman for such an able appeal to his people. In this nineteenth century we would fain forget the rancour and burning faggots of Smithfield. We have advanced in civilisation, and have left these things with other relics of barbarism behind us. These are th-j days of political and religious liberty ; am£ no demonstration should produce the disgraceful proceedings of Friday laat. But all men do not pause to reason. A Catholic sees the emblem of the_polit:w--religtous body opposed to his belief heittg borne through the street?. He believe* that the body whose insignia it is, is opposed to him politically and religiously, and fie resents what he views as | evidences of disrespect to the head of the church to which he belongs. He docs I not pause to think, or his respect for his I church and himself would prevail against thtr worst characteristics of his nature being cxcrciaetl, and he would scorn to 'descend to the level of the i:n- ---| tutored sruvstge by engendering strife 'such as that of Friday. In these days of ■lib«rty of action, it is asserted that, imtviishstandins that Orange demomttnttons : produce such dire results, they should not !he prohibited. The advocates of Orangetain ?.rgne that Orangemen are not the ! aggress'"* : that they are more sinned laifutw* than sinning. But they hold the \vvd rag t<v the bdOhc bull being represented t>y a action of uneducated coloi u'wts. \V« Ktu'w what the effect is; ! Uvea and property of unoffending citizens \tre- endangered. Innocent as Orange ; demonstrations may appear to be, they jafe crfjuuftGly productive of disaster, and i»nd it becomes a question for serious consideration whether all such demonstrations should not be pat down by 1 Act of Parliament. It is certainly better that Orangemen or Catholics should !b« prohibited from engaging in de|me titrations than that life and property should be endangered. On the one hand is the gratification of a whim, i*>n the other is anarchy, and, too i fcetfttcntty, bloodshed. The harmony land sense of security of colonists have received a severe blow through the late disgraceful proceed tugs at Timaru and Christchurch- It is said that both those parties who engaged in the struggles have received support from other parts, and it is wondered where the aore will next break It is even asserted that Oamaru b t.> be treated to the first act in the ! drama that has been performed elsewhere, lit* which case there would be a chance of I its being treated to the second. Wc do not believe it. The Orangemen of this district have been unobtrusive in the pasf<, atid we think tliat they will not chose a time like the present , when excite- : nient run* htgh, to emerge into a more i pub tie assert ton of their existence and their opinions. There is no harm in Orangemen inr Catholics meeting in their assembly rwtns ; there is no harm in their making inflantmatoty speeches amongst themselves, and denouncing to their hearts'content their opponents. But when their demonstrations in the public streets are viewed as an insult by a section of colonists, by engaging in such demonstrations. they do that which is calculated to provoke a breach of the peace, and cause the committal of offences against l;*w and common decency. The Orangemen of Timaru have not profited by their Issson of Friday. They have not sutlii ticnrly steeped the community in trouble. 1 New Year ai).vy is tobesignalised byanother ! foolish dwplay, and, we fear, m»re broken ; litaba and if not worse. Wc sup- ■ pose they'have counted the coat, and hope j chey will have ito cause for regrets.