CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 61, 27 June 1874, Page 14

CORRESPONDENCE.

DUNEDIN ORANGEMEN.

It appears that the defeat of Mr Barton has roused the Orange ire in Dunedin. So much the better. Let moderate, sensible, and just Protestants judge between the principles and pretensions of the Catholic and Orange party in Dunedin. There can be little fear of the verdict being in favor of the Orange, provided the Catholics be true to their principles. Forbearance and fraternal sharity should mark their conduct. It is presumed you have in Dunedin a rational, moderate, and sensible Protestant public, independent of the rabid Orange sect of the Barton type— a man whom most reasonable, right-thinking Protestants must surely regard with but little respect or favor, in a political point of view. We have Orangemen in the City of Auckland, and at the Thames, many } but really they seem very quiet, inoffensive, well-spoken men, and annoy no one, so far as I see. They may give a " block vote '• at elections po« sibly, but small blame to them for that ; they have a perfect right to do so. I believe if the Orangemen at Auckland and the Thames had so foul-mouthed a member among them as your Barton, they would expel him the sooiety, and excommunicate him as a scandal to their body. For myself, I have a ! great respect for Orangemen in the bulk, violent though at times they be, because I respect sincerity even when in error. I cannot bring myself to respect Lawyer Barton, because he ought to know better than rant and rave as he does, and talk fibs about Catholic priests wanting to prevent their neighbors being liberally educated, and wishing to keep their own flock '• ignorant and unthinking." He is alawyer and a scholar, and a man of the world, and therefore what he says about Catholics or * Ultramontanes," as he vulgarly nicknames them, is utterly inexcusable, and most disgraceful to his character as a man and a gentleman. I hope he has a conscience — even though he be a lawyer. Some lawyers are very decent, God-fearing men, though I much suspect Barton does not come uadet that dais in a political sense. Yet I may be wrong. He may only have been suffering of late under a temporary insanity, arising from his defeat not by Wales, but by " Dr Moran and the 400 Catholic voters."— Tours, . „ , A B<w ow St. Akdbbw. Auckland Province.