The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-19 00:00:00

BROADHEAD'S EXPLANATION.

A meeting of the Broadhead Emigration Relief Com-
mittee was held on Idol:1day, in Sheffield, for the pur-
pose of hearing an explanation from Broadhead as to
the reasons which had induced him to return from
America. The R-v. .1. I'. Witty, incumbent of St.
Matthew, occupied the chair.
William Broadhead, on hang called upon, made the
following statement :

Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,—The cause of my being
here at present arises from an interview Iliad on Saturday
morning with Mr. Witty, and during the time I was in con-
versation with him Sir Wright Joined us, arid the question of
the propriety of calling the present meeting arose, and it was
decided that a gathering of the subscribers on the committee
ehould be called. I was asked to attend, and lat once
consented to do so. In consequence of that arrange-
ment I am here by the invitation of the committee,
and it is kr you to determine whether I am In my
proper place in being here or not I have seen
something In the papers respecting my return, and previous
to making any statement I am waiting to know what it is I
have to reply to. Anonymous writers I take no notice of.
This is the propertpmrter for me to make an explanation.
I recognise no individual on this committee, but I pay every
due respect and deference ti the committee as a holy. lam
here, gentlemen, determined to answer any questions that
may be put to me; hat first let me know what it Is I have to
answer.
- - -

._.•
After some conversation, Broadhead rose and said-
- • - •

Anticipating that I should be cinestioned. I have com-
mitted my remarks to writing, border to make the answer
as explicit asi possible It Is unnecessary for me to go into
those explanations again I gave in last Wednesday's Shef-
field Te!oomph, and to those explanations I have but le
to add. Von will please to recollect that the question of a
testimonial or subscription arose out of a very strong feeling
there was In the town that the magistrateu had acted
harshly and done me an injwitice by taking away my license,
and thereby my living, when they had no complaint against
me as a heerhouse-keeper at the last Brewster Sessions. A
number of gentlemen waited upon me with a view to calling
a public meeting to protest against the course taken
by the magistrates, ansl to devise means to support
me in an appeal against the withdrawal of my license. But
after maturely considering all the circumstances of toy case,
told the large number of my friends, for various reasons
which I gave, I had decided to emigrate, thinking it would he
the best, and assisting me in this would be of far greater
assistance than agitating the town, and spending money in
an appeal that I believed would be useless. I having de-
cided upon this course, my friends reluctantly gave up their
original project, and turned their attention to assisting me
in the best way they could in the course I had decided to
take. But many- very many—told me they would much
rather assist me to remain in Sheffield than to leave, because
the treatment I had received looked as if I was driven
from the town, and that I had received a mock
indemnity for the offences committed—for, as it waa
frequently Bald, of what good was either my life or my
liberty to me when they had taken from me the means to
Bee I told everybody whom I talked to upon the guess
Lion that I was not striven from the town, but I was going
of my own free will, because I thought that I could do
better than by remaining. But If I could not, I should
wino again, and I should not take my family out
until I had succeeded in establishing a home for them
to come to, and although I decishal to emigra,e, which
I did, because, owing to the manner I was persecuted,
I honestly and sincerely thought I could better my con-
dition by so doing, as I truthfully stated was my intention
to try, and that I did try my letters of correspondence
will prove; yet I neither in law or honour bound myself by
any agreement, hr gave anyone just cause to infer that by
anything I had staVel I was bound to remain away from
home lonzer than I considered was to nip own true interest
to do With this explanation which I am called upon to
supplement my last with, I shall now finally conclude, by
yowl permission, expressing the very great pleasure and

satisfaction I feel at the very hearty reception accorded to
me from the very large number of friends that have greeted
my return.
[Broadhead then read some correspondence to prove
that he had a bona-fide intention to get a situation in
America if po••eihle. Oue of the letters to his wife
coutained an account of the rebuffs which he met with
from two or three employers who had heard of his
doings in Sheffield. lie also produced the applicatimui
made to saw manufacturers for employment, together
with the answers he ercuived.
_ _ • •

_
Mr. Higginbotham moved, "That the committee is
fully satisfied with Mr. Broadhead's explanation as to
the imp .ssibility of getting work in America, and that
he retain the money subscribed, and make the best use
of it for himself and family."
The proposition was seconded by Mr. Race, and
carried, two persons only dissenting.
The Chairman remarked that there ought to be no
hindrance thrown in Broadhead's way, and detailed
the part he had taken in his endeavours to support
him in trying to get his license renewed. He had taken
a deep interest in Broadhead, who was a good parishioner
of his, and a regular attender at church. As showed
signs of repentance, and had evidently discovered the
error of his ways, he thought it was too ball that he
should be treated in the way he bad been. Consider-
ing his large family an opportunity should be given him
to obtain a livetihood, for if a man was willing
to support hi wife and children, and was prevented
from oioiaz so, it had a bad effect upon him, and was
more calculated to produce evil consequences rather
than good. It would be a good thing if there was more
sympathy between the masters and men, as they were
dependent upon each other. Mr. Witty instanced the
difficulties which returned convicts experienced in ob-
taining situations in this and other towns, and said
that many of them were driven into their old habits
on account of their inability to get employment.
hatever might be their private feelings with
rtgard to Broadhead, he was in Sheffield now,
and had candidly told them that he was lin-
able to find work. Ile (Mr. Witty) had hoped that
he would find an opening in America, when he had no
doubt his future conduct would prove that there was
a sincere and anxious desire on his part to gain the
good opinion of lieople, and to rede«ni the status and
character which in a great measure he had lost. There
was no triestion that the money was given for emigra-
tion, but still, after what Mr. Broadhead bad stated
about the impossibility of getting a living, why hinder
him from doing so in England. If he was a bad man,
they made him worse.
__ . •

On the motion of Mr. Writzht, aeconded by Mr.
Ford, the Emigration Committee wan dawolved, and
the paper. and books handed over to Mr. Witty.

11-ro;tlhead then said -

Allow me, as the individual who Is particularly Interested In
this meeting, to return my sincere thanks 1.. ille c.mtm,ttee
for the patient, Impartial, awl fair manner in which they
have gone Into this bushiest. I thank them most sincerely
for the attention they have devoted to it, and the justice
they have done to me.

A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the pro-
ceedings to a close.