THE ORANGE ANNIVERSARY IN BELFAST.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume v, Issue 232, 12 October 1877, Page 9

THE ORANGE ANNIVERSARY IN BELFAST.

The Twelfth of July is now all but over, and the Briti>h Constitution must feel much the better for it, and if not, why Heaven help the Constitution. When Petty Sessions' attorneys, a few ostracised clergymen, some shipcarpentors, and country rustics meet together, beat chums, and make speeches, as they have a perfect ri^ht to do and when they, one and all, swear by the deeds of their forefathers that they will uphold tlie Constitution, whether the Constitution will be upheld by them or not, we have only to pay a tribute of respect to their enthusiasm, and cay it is a pity such feelings are not better appreciated. Whether the British Empire will be benefited by the protests of Thursday or not is not the question here, the only particulars, within onr scope being a brief recital of the events as they took place. First, let it be mentioned, the day passed over in peace, so far as we have intimation of from the various districts of the North. It is not in this column that we should ask an inference to be drawn from thisfactcompared with the stormy events of the loth August last ; but let the most advanced leader of the Orange party consider the facts as they stand and, by the application of as much common sense as the simplest rustic can command, he can infer on which side lies the " toleration and the " civil and religious liberty " so often spoken of. Of course when we say " peace ,, we mean that by the Catholic party in no district were the processionists insulted. There seemed to be a general agreement to afford no argument, or pretext for argument, °to the other side, and sincerely we say that though we were before convinced 1 that we had on our side any toleration that was gom**, W e never did believe that the Catholic population could exercise such good sense and discretion in the face of insults so deliberately and oftentimes repeated. It there were no riots it was not the fault of the processionists, for they not only through the most pronounced Catholic district, cheered, hissed, and cursed the Pope while passiu^but having passed towards home, wantonly returned, ju&t for the purpose of "having another rap at the Papists." <• Them policemen," however, " is 'always in the way, and matters got through pretty quietly. — l/htt')' Km miner. J * J