ULSTER DEMONSTRATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 72, 18 November 1912, Page 7

ULSTER DEMONSTRATION.

SIR EDWARD CARSON’S CANNON. The Big Shillslagh. Of all tlio Ulster demonstrations in opposition to the Home Rule Bill, that which took place at Portadown, in North Armagh, yesterday (September 25th), (the Press Association correspondent says) was perhaps the most noteworthy of the series. On his arrival at the Portadown railway station, accompanied by Mr F. E. Smith, M.P., Sir Edward Gareon, M.P., was received on the platform by a line of men bearing arms and dressed in a kind of yeomanry uniform, with sombrero hats and putties. This was his guard of honour of about fifty troops, whose horses were in waiting outside the station.

Walking rapidly down the line, Sir Edward Carson inspected the guard of honour in quite a military fashion, and asked the number of men comprising it. The commanding officer having given the required information, Sir Edward asked : “Are they all willing hands P” “Yes, sir,” replied the officer, saluting. Exercise Rifles and V/oodsn Cannon. Outside the station Sir Edward Carson was met by a large concourse of people including contingents from the Orange Lodges and Unionist Clubs of North Armagh, wearing their regalia ahd carrying banners. The most striking feature of the demonstration was the array of men of arms. Unionists of the district have been drilling for some time past, and yesterday there must-have been between 200 and 300 apparently well-disciplined men, some on horseback, others on foot, armed with exercise -rifles, which they carried with an air of pride. Then there wore also cannon—no doubt made of wood, but painted to look like the “real thing,” and to complete the emblematical picture of a battlefield a number of Red Crbss nurses appeared on the scene with an equipped ambulance van.

In due course a procession was formed and passed along the decorated streets amid scenes of great enthusiasm. The men marched four abreast with determined mein. As to vehicles, motor cars, pair-horse, carriages, jaunting cars, and donkey carts contributed to make np a strange medley in which Scottish pipers, Boy Scouts and brass and fife bands played no unimportant part. The Grand March Past.

After a halt for luncheon at the Imperial Hotel 'Sir Edward Carson, seated in his own carriage, took up a position near the statue of the late Colonel Saunderson, who for many years represented North Armagh in the House of Commons. Here there took place what was called a grand march past, the marshals and stewards so directing operations that all taking part in the parade might see the inscription beneath the statute, “Dead yet speaketh.”

The ultimate destination of the procession was the Agricultural Show Ground, which was fixed upon as the meeting place. Here, in the open air, in the afternoon, an audience of about. 15,000 mustered, accompanied by bands. The speakers took up their places on a gaily decorated platform. Sir Edward Carson's Shillelagh. Sir Edward Carson on rising was received with great cheering, whilst rifles were raised, in the air. At vhe outset he expressed pleasure at the steady, quiet, unfaltering and consistent preparations they were making there to meet, any exigency which might arise. (Cheers.) Judging f rom some of the Radical papers, he 'wane on, they in Ulster, instead of turning out at demonstrations like that, were going to march to Dublin to take off tlieir hats to Mr John Redmond. (Laughter, and a voice: “Well make him take off his hat to us.”) That was hotter. He saw Mr Chamberlain the other day, and lie said that Ulster v. as the key to the situation. (Cheers, and a Voice: “Bravo, Joe.”) “And so it is the key to the situation, ’ Sir Edward added: “Are yon prepared to become degraded peaple? (“Never, never.”) ■ Are you prepared to give mo a mandate that you will follow mo to the end?” (Great cheering, the audience waving hats and • handkerchiefs, and crying “Yes, yes,” while rifles were held on high ) Mr Wright, Secretary of the North Armagh Unionist Association, here made a slight digression, with the chairman’s permission, by presenting Sir Edward Carson with a stout blackthorn. Accepting the stick, and flourishing it aloft, amid loud applause and laughter, Sir Edward exclaimed: “I hope I may never have to use it; but I promise you that if I do I shall use it to the best of my ability.” (Great cheering). Mr F. E. Smith on Lynch Lav^

Mr F. E. Smith, M.P., who met with a reception of marked cordiality, remarked that in* - ’Ulster the Protestant cause was overwhelmingly strong. Ulster never could be conquered, hut they ought to remember there that in the South of Ireland there were small beleaguered garrisons in a hostile population, men who counted on Ulster for help, to enable them to work out their own destiny in circumstances of constant and great difficulty. (Voices: “They shall have it.”) “I place oji record,” Mr Smith added, “that this Government, even if it had the wickedness—which I have no difficulty in believing—is wholly lacking in the nerve to give an order to the British Army to nse coercion in Ulster. (Great and prolonged cheers.) Supposing the Government gave such an order, the consequences can only be described in the words of Mr Bonar Law, when he said ‘if they did so it would not be a matter of argument, hut the population of London would lynch you on the lamp posts.’ ” (Vociferous cheering.)