two ways of telling the story ; but both state
that a " re- bellion-ruffian," (as the process-servers of the Exchequer Court are familiarly called,) and a body of policemen, were attacked by a mob of the peasantry in a parish in Tipperary ; that the people stoned the policemen, and killed one; that the police fired upon the people, killing one and wounding several ; and that finally, the attempt to serve the writs of rebellion was defeated, the officer and his assistant being glad to escape with their lives. It is also stated,—and though not confirmed, it is not contradicted ie the account published by the Tories,—that the Catholic priest re- strained the fury of the mob, and sheltered the policemen in his house.
Increased abhorrence of the Church must be the consequence of these murderous proceedings. Men of all creeds and parties shrink with horror from the means employed to support the State religion in Ireland. It matters not who are the assailants, or who have the law on their side. The fact remains, that armed men are necessary to collect tithes, and that even they are resisted by the peasantry at the risk of life, and with shedding of blood. It is indeed a crying sin and shame upon the people of England, that they do not join the Catholics in demanding the removal of the Establishment. To assert that an institution, reeking with blood and supported by rapine, can have any thing to do with religion, is impious as well as absurd; and yet Englishmen elect to the House of Commons Representatives, who vote for the perpetua- tion of this foul stigma on the national character, this curse of millions, under the hypocritical pretence that they are maintain- ing the Protestant faith and the religion of the Apostles ! To which of the Apostles can we compare Dr. RYDER, or MARCUS BERESFORD, or Dean Ihwiti NS—the person on whose behalf the foraging expedition in Tipperary was sent forth ? Let the Orange-Tories say at once, that, for party and political purposes, they are resolved to keep up the existing system in Ireland, and then they will speak at least like honest barbarians; but let them cease to insult the people of Ireland with the pretence that regard for the religion of the Gospel is their motive for maintaining the Church of Blood.
