The Press. — London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 10, 1853. SKETCHES OF RADICALS I. TILE RADICAL PLATFORM. MT first acquaintance with a Radical orator was under circumstances not calculated to impress me with a respect for the genus. Those who have heard the gifted HAMPDEN Brcoo—but let me first tell you, dear reader (whom I am about to claim as listener to these papers), how I first happened to see Hampden Blugg. . _ . "bra; at the Psycho-Gymnasium. or Hall of Freedom. in London. Know you the Psycho-Gymnasium ? There is an arched door through which you pass to that great temple of liberty. There is a coffee-room for subscribers, where you are informed that a cup of coffee may be had for twopence ; and on the tables of which lie the Morning Star, the Dawn, the Dagger, which are the political, and the Cad, which is the comic, organ of the subscribers. And a tremendous place it is for subscriptions—subscriptions are constantly on foot there—as you see from papers on the wall, announcing— " Sympathy with a distinguished friend of Liberty, Moggles pogo, " Esq. ! Subscriptions received at. &v., &e. " Aid to the cause of the Pasha of Snobkali, who, being in arms "against his Sovereign, the Sultan, deserves support. Subscriptions, " &c., &C., &c." Noge has been convicted of sonic tasteful pleasantry on the Atha nasian Creed in the columns of the Cad—which is his claim to dis tinction. As for the Pasha, all that is known of him is through the Times' columns, where we find that, after robbing a caravan, he has " thrown off his allegiance." and is resisting a force sent to put him down. This is the Pasha's claim to sympathy. Does he ever get the subscription? Who remits it ? Who receives it at Smyrna, and sends it on? Or does it go to the monthly tripe suppers of the Hall Com mittee? NVell, it chanced that in the days of my youth Ilia• the small estate we had ever had was quite ripe for the attention of the Encumbered Estates Commission) that I lived in London in a rather desultory and objectless manner. I had lodgings in the suburbs, and did not know what to do with my evenings. Of course the suburban aristocracy was no sphere to which I could aspire ! " They be very proud, sir, " very proud !" said my landlord, in the course of a casual conversation. When I say that there was a little knot of rich brokers and tradesmen there, who lived in villas, gave dinners, and were having a " search" made fin• their " arms" ( " charge three and sixpence," said the adver tisement, " for a single search" ), you will understand, if you know suburban life, that they were as proud as if they had paid the National Debt, or quartered everything in Dugdale, from Veteraponte to Forville. I must confess to a weakness tbr oratory—to which, indeed, I owe that acquaintance with Radical life which I intend to display in these papers. I admired QrINTILIAN as much as PARR did, and I was as familiar with the Pro Milone as BOLINGBROKE. Under these cireum stances, I had often had a notion that I ought to try my hand—and, behold! advertisements presented themselves in the papers, and I saw that at-- The Hall of Freedom, or Pgyeho-Gymnamium, Cow-lane. The Hall of Declamation ; The Ponderer% (established for discussion. 17s0); easily presented themselves to anybody who wished t►► hear oratory, or take part in it. In fact, these are the schools, where the young Radical drills himself—whence he emerges when he is going to try his wings in the world—and where he practises Rhetoric (and eats Welsh rabbit) in the brisk days of youth. The general aspect of these schools is (to speak mildly) peculiar. You wander out of ordinary thoroughfares before you find them. You ask the policeman where the " Hall" is, and the policeman (whose attachment to the Constitution is notorious) somewhat slightingly points towards it. By the way, does not the British Democrat feel somewhat slighted when he considers his relation to that minion the policeman? Is there a country in Europe where he dare open his mouth as he does here in Cow-lane? And let him denounce ments—revile potentates—threaten war; and yet the policeman never comes near the Hall! Nobody is alarmed or disturbed, and (as long as he pays for his liquor before leaving) not a soul meddles with him! On entering that Hall of Declamation, you do not inevitably think of the Rhodian schools, where CieEno declaimed as a youngster. On the contrary, you are instantly aware that the leading feature of the establishment is, that it is a public-house. A cry of " Chair!•" dues not dispel the impression at once, for a waiter is hur►ying about with " six of whisky-and-water" for the speaker who opens the debate, and that alarming invention, a " Welsh rabbit," to the gentleman who is going to reply. Portraits adorn the walls—Mr. Mouther (by Mugg), Mr. Sprawl (Mugg), Mr. Torchley (Mugg). For Mr. Mugg is himself a member, and he flings into the faces of his brothers of the Com- 445 mittee a degree of intellect which startles the observer. He pia invention—Mugg! " Silence, gentlemen, for Mr. Torcldey !" Mr. Torchlcy " opens " a good, wide question, mostly such as—" Is the British Constitution entitled to the support of the country?" Thu advantage of a good, wide question is obvious. Everybody can choose his subject, and expatiate on what he pleases. apropos of the British Constitution. I have generally found that Opposition is the forte of these establishments. I never knew a Ministry, or any one act of any Ministry, approved there. lam of opinion that no Ministry and no policy, for example, would satisfy Hampden Blugg. If we had a set of angels to administer our affairs I know that he would growl, and that they would be not " entitled to the support of the country." By the by, how is it that Hampden and Sidney are so much admired by fellows like Blugg? Hampden of G►eat Hampden would no more have admitted Blugg to lie in any possible way h►s equal than he would have asked the hippopotamus to dinner, had that animal been in England in his time. Sidney would he hissed if he spoke his opinions before Blugg and his friends. But to return. A want of variety is, perhaps, the leading characteristic of the orators at thew. establishments. if you come back in a month, you find the same glasses of whiskey-and-water, the same alarming Welsh rabbits, the same cloudy fumes, the same orators, and the same orations going forward. Still does To►ehley glance from the wall : still an effete Church and an stints Aristocracy are playing the same wicked games with the sinews of labour which is still gasping under the same iron hoof of the saute oligarchy. The identical " Hear, hear," is cheering the same sentiments ; and still the landlord (whose views on politics you cannot divine) occupies the same chair, and is of opinion that " this last crisis is of a nature which gives every oppor " tunity for the eloquence of gentlemen, &e." And, indeed, the land lord ,justly feels an interest in a " crisis " which increases the demand for the " sixes " and the " Welsh rabbits." THE PRESS. NE SUTOR ULTRA CREPIDAM. Said ti►.AnsTosa—'• Sir .lAmas, who goes peering about Our arsenals, storeyards, shipbuildings. and docks, If 1 asked him, might someway perchance help mu out With my craft, ' The Conversion,' which, past every doubt, As yet makes no progress at all on the stocks." Said Mol.lawoßTl—'• I faney that Netherby Jaw Is so busy in learning his part, fore and aft— How to show diffrreut eolour►+—to lurk and to trim— You should rig your • Conversion,' not ►•tiring for him, Or else—which is better—abandon your Craft. A HINT FROM HIST►►RY. A mos6mT ourjuvenile reminiseenees of English history is one of a war with Spain. on► of the causes of which was an assertion of a right to cut logw•ood at. Honduras. The ehapter describing the peace that terminated the war concludes by stating" the original cause of dispute, the right of cutting w 1, remained unsettled by the treaty." We have been informed that our late Foreign Secretary, Lord l'At.uutsvos, is of opinion that he possesses the right of cutting Wool), and if lie is Foreign Secretary again he will a►►sert it. NURSERY RHYMES FOR THE LITTLE GILA DSTONES. Dielowy, diekory, 414)e1t, Up goes the Stoek, Fame is won, Hut Stock conies down, Diekory, diekory, &wk. Willy boy. Willy boy, where are you going go with you if I may. I'm going to Conthill, to see thou a mowing. I'm going to help them make hay. Bye baby Bunting, Daddy's gone a hunting, To catch the skins of City stags To wrap poor baby Bunting, A PARTY who is desirous of taking a few lemsons ill the elements of English Composition, with a view to the aegoirrinent of an official style, would happy to employ the leisure of any competent usher who may at present happen to lc without an engagement.—Address to Captain It. H. 0., Admiralty.