16 JANUARY 1886, Page 12

ORANGEMAN AND ROMAN CATHOLIC.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR." _I

Sfa,—Daring the last Election the desire of the Nationalist leaders to unite all sections of the Irish in a Home-rule agitation led to some curious combinations. As one straw showing how —at least for a time—the wind blew, I may cite one verse of a doggrel ballad sung in the streets of Govan on the polling day.

It ran thus :—

"Let the Orange lily be thy badge, My patriot brother ; The everlasting Green for me; And we, for one another."

The candidates were Mr. Bennet Burleigh, the war corre- spondent (Liberal), and Mr. William Pearce, of Messrs. John Elder and Co. (Conservative). The latter was elected.—I am,