The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-10-30 00:00:00

THE FENIAN DEMONSTRATION IN
LONDON. .

i
The threatened demonstration n favour of amnesty
to the Fenian convicts came off in London last Sunday,
and, as it happened not to rain, many thousands of
persons congregated in the streets and in Hyde Park to
see what was to be seen and hear what was to be heard.
From twelve o'clock to two Crafalgar-squiwe was in
possession of the sort of people who always muster in
such numbers on the occasion of a Sunday public meet-
ing. The now rather stale entertainment of a parody
on the Church eery], e, gone through by a man in can-
onical., served to amu some hundreds if persons as-
sembled roun about h lion till the "demonstrators'.
proper made their appearance. Most of these dis-
tinguished themselves by wearing green scarves, green
neckties, or green rosettes, and a young woman who
beaded the " contingent was attired in green,
even to her gloves. After some time had been spent
in marshalling the procession a start was made for
Hyde Park. Banners were carried bearing various in-
scriptions; the favourite device was an Irish harp
without the crown. Bands at intervals performed the
"Ilareeillaiee" and other revolutioner y airs The attempt
tohold • public meeting in the Park was very much ot a
failure. The Reformers' Tree has been blown down,
and the speakers had to stand as well as they eonki
upon the prostrate truck. Mr. Merriman, who was
president, made along speech, in which he disclaimed
any sympathy with Republicaniarn or Fenianiimc lie-
solutions were passed in favour of releasing the pri-
soners, and a memorial to the • Queen was agreed to
The speaking at the tree was tame enough, but oratory
of a more exciting kind was going on at some of the
subsidiary meetings which were got together by
speakers who held forth on their own account. One of
these, an Englishman, and described as well-dreeked, is
saidtolhave dwelt upon the degrailatMnland misery pre-
vailing among the humble classes. Ile saw much. he
said, of the Irish poor in the east end of London; and
by ---, if he were one of them, he would rather see
the whole of the aristocracy swept off the foie of the
earth than that his countrymen should die of
starvation. Warming with the applevise with sloe&
this sentiment was greeted, the speaker went on to
say that Irish anel English game-ices were cleakdy
mingled, and he warned the governmg classes that
within a very few weeks a cry would be raised id this
country also about the land. Before this winter was
over—this statement again the speaker fortified with
an oath—there would be ouch an upriaing of the people
that no Government, whether Whig or Tory, could tee
lust it. The chairman at thin meeting read a notion
that on the occasion of the Queen's visit to the Citif
'a manifestation of unemployed workpeople" would
take place. The notice exhorted the unemployed to
attend "in tens of thousands" and to raise the cry of
" Work! work! ! work!! !" The meetings were not
attended with any disorder worth speaking of, and
there was no imposing display of police. The Com-
missioners had, however, taken the precaution to have
no fewer than 1,14 k men of all ranks in reserve and
ready for immediate service. The military in the
London garrison were confined to barracks in case their
services should be required.