On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
all associations of every description , in this country , whether of Orangemen or Ribbonmen—whether distinguished by the colour of orange or of green -all combinations * of persons , bound to each other i by the obli > ation of an oath ) in a league for a common pu | tosi , en dangenng the peace of the country , I
pronounce them to be contrary to law -And should it ever come before me to decide upon the question , I ^ hall not hesitate to send up bills of indictment to a grand jury against the individuals , members of such an association , wherever I can find the charge properly sustained Of this I am certain , that ,
so long as ihose associations are per mitted to act in the lawless manner they do , there will be no tranquillity in this country ; and particularly in the north of Ireland- Thcj-e , those disturbers of the public peace , who assume the name of Orange Yeomen , frequent the fairs and markets , with arms in their hands ,
iindsr the pretence of self defence , or of protecting the public peace , but with the lnrkinsr view of inviting the attacks from the Ribbon Men—confident that , armed as they are , they must overcome defenceless opponents , and put them down . Murders have been repeatedly perpetrated upon such occasions ; and , though legal prosecutions have e ? sued ,
yet , such have been tbe baneful conse quences of those factious associations , that , under their influence , petty juries have declined ( upon some occasions ! to do their duty . These facts have fallen under my own view . It was sufficient to say—such a man displayed such a colour , to produce an utter disbelief of his testimony ; or , when another has stood with his hand at the bar , the
display of his party badge has mitigated the murder into manslaughter Gentlemen—1 do repeat , that these are my sentiments , not merely as an individual , but as a man discharging his judicial duty , I hope with firmness . and integrity . With these Orange Associations I connect all cornmetnora
tions and processions—producing embittering recollections , and inflicting wounds upon the feelings of others ; and I do emphatically state it as my settled opinion , that , until those associations are effectually put down , and the arms taken from their hands , in vain will the north of Ireland expect tranquillity or peace .
Untitled Article
Gentlemen—That moderate pittance , which the high rents leave to the poor peasantry , the laige count > assessments nearly take from 'hem roads are frequently planned and made , not for the general advantage or the country , but to suit the p rticuiar views of a neighbouring landholder , at the public
expense . Such abuses shake the very foundation of the law—( hey ought to be checked . Superadded to these mischiefs , are the permanent and occasional absentee landlords , residing in another country , not known to their tenantry , but by their agents , who extract Ibe uttermost penny of the value of the
lands . If a lease happens to fall in , they set the farm by public auction to the highest bidder . No gratitude for past services—no preference of tbe fair offer—no predilection for the ancient tenantry , ( be they ever so
deserving ) but , if the highest price be not acceded to , the depopulation of an entire tract of country ensues . What then is the wretched peasant to do ? Chased from the spot where he had first drawn his breath ; where he bad
first seen the li ^ ht of heaven—incapable of procuring . any other means of existence— -vexed with those exactions I have enumerated— -and harassed by the payment of tythes—can \ ye' be surprised that a peasant , of unenlightened mind , of uneducated habits , should rash upon the perpetration of crimes , followed by the punishment of
the rope and the gibbet ? Nothing ( as the peasantry imagine ) remains for them , thus harassed and thus destitute , but with strong hand to deter the stranger from intruding upon their farms ; and to extort from the weakness and terrors of their landlords , ( from whose gratitude or good feelings they have failed to win it ) a kind of preference for their ancient tenantry .
Such , Gentlemen , have been the causes which I have seen thus operating in the north of Ireland , and in part of the south and west . I have observed , too , as the consequences of those Orange combinations and
confederacies , men , ferocious in their habits — uneducated — not knowing what remedy to resort to—in their despair flying in the face of the law , entering into dangerous and criminal counter associations , and endeavouriDg to procure arms , in orde / C to joeefy
Untitled Article
584 Judge Fletcher ' s Charge .
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1814, page 584, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2444/page/60/
-