The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-09 00:00:00

THE FENIAN DEMONSTRATION IN
HYDE PARK.

Last Sunday, the combined Irish Home Riders,
English Republicans, and the knots of persons cal-
ling themselves "the Internationists " and "Ad-
vanced Radicals," held their long-threatened demon-
stration in Hyde Park, London, to 'demand the
release of the Fenian prisoners." The Times (from
whose columns we take this report) remarks, that the
gathering was useful in" demonstrating" to the
British public, who came forth to watch the proceed-
ings, the sorry character of the orgauizaticne which
thus place themselves in the position of defying the
law, outraging decency, and destroying the property
of the people, as they themselves term the Parks.
The day was beautifully fine, and before the or-
ganisers had arrived at the Park, tiA time appointed
being after the Willi-houses had closed for the after-
noon, there wei e crowds of curious people anxious to
see what the police would do in cage of an open de-
fiance of the law. These crowds increased as the time
went on, and were made up of elapses altogether dis-
tinct from the members of the combined organisations,
for any one could pick out the shopkeeping classes, the
respectable artisans, and the domestic servants, all of
whom, though curious enough to witness the scene, were
painfully studious to keep themselves unmixed with the
dirty and noisy specimens of their own flesh and blood
who came trooping into the Park headed by bands
and banners. The banners were of the usual nondescript
character. Most of them were of green, mounted with
caps of liberty, and the inscriptions they bore in tinsel
letters were "God save Ireland," "God save the Coun-
try," and "God save the People." The demonstrators
were made up of various classes, In addition to the
carnal small mob of out-at-elbows, dirty-pipe smoking
youths seen in all these agitations, was a crowd of
Irish, nearly all of the bricklayer labouring class, and
there was a tolerably full sprinkling of the true English
"rough," who did not conceal from those about that he
"was good for any game."
I The bands led over to the " Reformers' Trees," some
I of the following climbing into the trees, while others
I formed round one of the seats, which was made into a
platform, a Mr. Chadclock being invested with the
I dignity of presiding. Mr. George Gdger occupied
another seat southward.

The resolutions to be proposed were
"Resolved—That the first and dearest right of man is the
right to resist injustice and oppression ; and those men who,
In whatever age or nation, have been foremost in resisting
tyranny are among the great benefactors of the human race,
have won from history its highest tributes of applause, and
made examples which will at all risks be imitated among Men
for all time to come. That the political rrisoners are men of
this type, who bravely stepped forward from the ranks of
their countrymen to protest against, and resist at the peril of
their lives, the most galling system of oppression known
among the civilized nations of the present day. That Mr.
Gladstone, the Prime Minister, was the foremost MAR in
England, four years ago, to Justify the lonians, and accept
office upon the avowed platform of redressing the grievances
which drove them to revolt , and It appears to this meeting
a saddening inconsistency on his part to hold those patriots
in dungeons in opposition to the oft-declared sentiments of
millions of people in Ireland and eLsewhere, and in conflict
with the public opinion whivh raised him to power."

" Resolved,—That this meeting expresses its unbounded
abhorrence of the practice of degrading political prisoners to
the class of felons, enforcing upon them the horrors of the
silent system, and otherwise subjecting them to a cruel and
vindictive regime, repugnant to every human instinct, and
disgraceful to our vaunted civilisation. 'that the said tree -
ment of Fenian prisotn-rs, considered in conjunction with
the algerine-like rule of the Government in Ireland, at,' the
treatment of so-called rebels in Jamaica and India, combine
to exhibit the true spirit of British policy, and contrasts
most strikingly and unfavourably with that of the United
states of America after the suppression of a protracted and
sanguinary civil war. This meeting therefore demands the
immediate and unconditional release of all the s .1.1 prisoners.
as also the repeal of the Parliamentary enactments by which
such odious treatment is sanctioned."

Resolved,— That should our demands be not conceded
this meeting pledges Itself to form an Amnesty Association
for the purpose of promoting and holding meetings thr ,aih-
out Great Britain, in conjunction with the Irish Anineety
Association, anti continue active operation until the whole of
the Fenian prisoner. (civil and military) shall be set at
liberty ; and, moreover, we can upon the working men of
England to oppose any candidate for Parliament who shall
refuse to pledge himself to release those ill-treated men, and
also to repeal the unconstitutional law. that now prevail in
Ireland, which grievously afflict the unfortunate people of
that misgoverned country."

Whatever expectations were formed that the police
would interfere with the meeting were disappointed,
for the police walked about in threes and fours, and,
with the greatest forbearance, submitting to hootings
and jeers.,

addressed those who gathered around his
platform. He said that every one present would be
convinced that he was doing a good work in helping
forward the movement which that 'glorious demon-
stration" represented. The meeting was not held to
promulgate discord, or to interfere with other people's
opinions, but to express emphatically the view that the
keeping in gaol of a number of " truthful, patriotic,
and devoted Irishmen" was unjust, and should not
continue. It had been too long the practice for
certain persons in this country to heap ridicule on
the Irish nation. (A Voice,--` They can't do it."
Laughter.) This course had been extremely detri-
mental to the harmony and good will which should
subsist among the peoples of these islsnds. (Cheers.)
It was a main object of the meeting in the park to-day
to declare on the part of the English people, that the
retention in prison of the Irish political prisoners was a
blot on the name of England ; but it could also be
declared, at the same time, that Ireland was mis-
governed. (Cheers.) What were these men in gaol
for? Why, because they loved their country too well,
and they would not be worthy of the name of Irish-
men if they had not declared against the Government
which had ruled their country so badly for ages.
(Cheers.) There were people who would hug their
chains, fearful that the rattling of their bombs would
disturb their taekmakers ; bit the Irish, whatever
other faults they had, did not endorse the bad govern.
ment they had lived under, and they had always
said it was bad, and should be set aside. The Irish
' had shown, by their manly conduct, that they would
I not endure the state of government which they knew
to be a bane to the interests of Ireland, and they
, were ready, when favourable opportunities presented
themselves, to demand the freedom of their coun.
• try. England had given freedom to the colonies,
- and was it to be supposed that Ireland was
I not to have the same freedom ? (Hear.) It was a shame

for use; to say at Ireland should not govern herself,
or that if it. had the power she would misuse it.
Well, lb England the power had been misused and
abused, and it was too bad to tell Ireland what she
would du when the English even could not govern
themselves. (" Ilear," and "Oh !") Let Ireland
have the power, and if then she asked England to
take back the power, then it would be a clear gain to
this oouutry. To make Ireland a confederated part of
England would be to relieve this country of a great deal
of useless legislation, and leave the House of
Commons freer to discuss those questions which
were nocessary to the well-being of the nation.
England had tried for TOO years to govern Ire-
land, and there was no such Mack history as that rule;
and it was now time to let the Irish govern them-
solver. 'the prisoners were in gaol for asserting
the right of Ireland for Home Government. Now, if
the Fiend', the Oermang' or the Americans got the
oi per hand of England and ruled the English as the
English ruled in Ireland, would not every Englishman
be a rebel? Certainly he would, and therefore justice
should be paid to the feelings of the Irish who telt for
their country ar i tried to make her free. The men in
prison were ti e "beat blood of Ireland." There
were low and mongrel Irish as there were English;
but theme traitors could go together, and he, for one,
would sing a requiem over them. The English must
join with the Lath and demand the release of these
plialoMalt, and it was not only a disgrace to keep them
in prielh, but it was a disgrace that they should be
there at aIL Ile concluded by declaring that no stone
should be left unturned to effect the release of the
prisoners.
The next speaker was a Mr. Ryan, who echoed the
sentiments of his chairman, and moved a resolution
concurring in what was proposed at the other "plat
form." He appeared to regard the breaking of the
oath of allegiance by the soldier Feniana as patriotic
and commendable. . . .

The seconder was a Mr. Wales, who spoke in a
similar strain.
_

The motion was then carried, and after the usual
vote of thanks to the chairman, the throng dispersed.
At the other platform, where the crowd was denser,
and, especially in the immediate circle of the speakers,
more exuberantly violent in language, the addresses
were couched in terms curious for their candour, but
the leaders, if they had any judgment at all, must
have heard sufficient to convince them that outside of
the few hundreds they brought with them there was
no sympathy whatever with their sentiments. When-
ever, as was frequent, sonic outrageous expression was
made use of and roused a cheer from the "inner circle"
of this very mixed gathering, it was followed by a "burr"
of contempt from the outer classes. The prisoners
were deecnbed as men who were in gaol because they "as-
sociated themselves together in the endeavour to eman-
cipate Ireland politically and socially," and the speaker
said he was proud of the men whose "undying devo-
tion to the cause" which was "yet to be won" wculd
never be forgotten. It was declared that the English
working classes were in favour of a Republic being
established in Ireland, and when an unmistakable sound
of dissent arose the speaker said the "respectable work-
ing classes" were, and he added It would be a glorious
day for the English and Irish working classes when the
barrier VISA broken down and the "common tryant of
the peoples" was overthrown. It was said that nothing
would be got out of England by begging ; but
what was wanted must be got by those who wanted
to achieve the " cause of liberty," " doing it as
men." Another orator said that the demonstration
had met to defy Mr. Gladstone, and to show
him that they were united to demand the release of the
noble men who had shown themselves ready to fight
for their country. The same speaker pointed trium-
phantly to the fact that they had defied Mr. Gladstone's
Government in the matter of holding the meeting, for
he said the Government had interdicted the meeting,
but the meeting had nevertheless been held. He trusted
that not another summer's sun would rise before these
men would be in a land of liberty, and the flag of Eng-
land, that emblem of oppression, would be trodden
in the dust.

The next speaker urged that the best form of Home
Government would be a Republic, that the prikomera
must be released, and that then "we moat go in to
overturn thie Government."

With the vote of thanks to the chairman the throngs
broke up. Numbers followed the Hags, but some of the
roughs lingered, and were hugely delighted by the in-
dignity cast upon a newly-erected board, the last work
of the First Commissioner, prohibiting the delivery of
addressee. The charm of the board was that the nega-
tives throughout had been erased, and the notice, in
place of prohibiting meetings, read so as to sanction
them.