1883-08-11aa

During the Saturday afternoon of August 11, 1883, the local lodge of the Loyal Orange Association held a demonstration at Dundurn Park.

Following a procession of Orangemen through the streets, it was the intention of the organizers, immediately after the processionists reached the park, there would be a speech by Mr. Thomas White, M. P.

However that proved to be difficult:

“You couldn’t collect the people together no matter how hard you strove.

“Here was a great throng watching, with the keenest relish, an exciting baseball match; over there was a large company of votaries of Terpsichore, while a larger collection looked at them going ‘on with dance; in that corner gathered groups of thirsty souls sampling the lager dispensed at the refreshment booth, and sampling it thoroughly too, at later events proved; in a word, everybody seemed to be going in for amusement on his or her particular hook, and without a thought of the programme for the day.”¹

¹ “The Relief of Derry : Saturday Afternoon and Evening’s Doings”

Hamilton Spectator. August 13, 1883.

The speaker, Member of Parliament Thomas White, in consultation with the organizers of the demonstration decided to let the events unfold as they would, and did not attempt to give their speeches until later in the day:

“Five o’clock came, and yet the speaker of the day had not mounted the rostrum, and the address of welcome prepared for him – which, the Times, with an enterprise that can be better imagined that described, published some hours earlier – still remained in the secretary’s pocket.”¹

Finally, the decision was made to proceed with the speeches. Brother John Hottram introduced Mr. John White, and the Grand Master of Ontario East, who had been fighting for the passage of the Orange Bill.

After thoroughly recounting his efforts in parliament to support the Orange Order, M. P. White made reference to a local controversy in which the Thirteenth Battalion Band had not been allowed to be hired by the Orange Order, while such permission had been granted to the Emerald Beneficial Association (a Catholic organization), saying :

“The band would either be prohibited from playing for all secret societies or they would be allowed to play for any that asked them. (Loud cheers. He (Mr. White) believed the majority of members of the band were in sympathy with the Orangemen; but Col. Skinner did not seem to be. The colonel’s game - if it was a game – would not be permitted to go on. (Cheers)

“A voice – ‘What about Adjutant Moore?’

“Mr. White : ‘That gentleman has gone a step too high for me. He has left our side and I shall let him go.”¹

A reporter for the Spectator had attempted to get a statement from Major Moore about the Thirteenth Band:

“ ‘Now ,my friend’ broke in the officer before the reporter could finish his query, ‘you really must excuse me from talking on the subject. I don’t care for newspaper interviews of any kind, but I particularly desire to have my name kept out of this little affair, not simply because it is contrary to militia instruction for us to go into print about such matters, but because I have no wish to prolong this unfortunate discussion and intensify the bad feeling already engendered. The less said about it, the sooner the breeze will blow over.”²

² “The Battalion and the Breeze: ‘Under Which Order, Cornelius?’ is What the Orangemen Want to Know”

Hamilton Spectator.    August 13, 1883.

The reporter persisted in his attempt to get Major Moore the problem.

Eventually the major relented:

“ ‘Personally, let me say, I have no ill-will toward the Orange association, and if it were not contrary to orders, I should not object to the band playing for them. I tell you candidly, I prefer to have nothing of my conversation with you paraded in print. I have been actuated by no personal or religious feeling in the matter, and I am prepared at any time to submit to the verdict of popular opinion on the course I have taken.’ ”²