The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-07-18 00:00:00

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lent STOTTIMIZIDGP. OTISERVEIv

iimost ineiantanoormly the whole of the vast
malls rose as OM/ man, and, shouting " fuera."
"fuera," with stentorian lungs, tore hi ribbon' the
whole of the woodwork of the Plaza. Everything
! gave way before their rage. Seats, barricades, and
pillars were rent asunder to supplv the infuriated
populace with weapons. Armed these logs, and
planks, and splinters, they descended into the rnw,
and for the space of ten minutes or more proceeded .
themselves to bait the bull in amateur fashion, raining
on him a torrent of blows, and stupifying him with
their repeated assaults. Not that he surrendered at
discretion. Several times he charged, but always
without effect, and at last stood at bay, cowed and
terrified. It was now high time for the intervention
of the auliorities. The assembly sounded, and is large
body of Guardia Civil marching into the arena
resolutely proceeded to clear it. Although brave enough
before El Toro, the rioters did not dare to face the
guardians of the peace. They turned and fled without
striking a blow, leaving the ring empty, and the
bull to be despatched to the new corners; for it is
almost needless to state that the torreros— espadas, pica-
dores, banderilleros, one and all—had disappeared at
the first symptoms of the disturbance. The media hula
WAS produced, and several unskilled and futile efforts
were made to hamstring thn enemy by this most
barbarous of weapons. It was eventually necessary
to call in the assistance of some of the mows of the
company, who disabled the bull ; yet, with tendons
cut and limping painfully, he managed to hobble out
of the ring. Long before this the house itself had been
deserted by the most respectable of the audience, who
had feared the most serious consequences. A further
order was bsued to complete the clearance of the
plaza, which was effected ri et armee. Outside the
doors a strong force of infantry was formed in readiness
to take an active part in quelling the disturbance. Nor
had the fire-engines, as coercive weapons, been for.
gotten by the aathorities, who seemed to be well aware
of the potency of cold water to allay the effervescence
; of rioters. However, the affair passed off quietly
I enough, and without further breach of the peace. It
, was ~enerally expected that the events of Sunday
would lead to a prohibition of the second day's bull
fight, which had been announced for Monday.

. _
it Yoshi havo been safer to do so. The stalwart soul
of the Rev. Mrs. Olympia Brown may hays hankered
to horsewhip him.
"An adjournment was then had until the evening,
when there came a crowd as large as any during the
day ; " and well were the faithful repaid for their
attendance. The session contained only two scenes, but
I they were evidently of surpassing interest. Mr. Frank
B. Sanborn, of Concord, Massachusetts, commenced
by reading an "Essay or Revert on the Religions Duty
ot Philanthrophy and Social Reform." It would be
hopeless, even if space permitted, to attempt to give
the reader a summary view of the learnin,, the
breadth, anti the research of this wonderful essay.
The last scene of all that ends this strange eventful
session is the appearatre of the great Wendell Phillips
on t'ae stage, "amid thunders of applause." He said
that " the question treated in Mr. Sanborn's paper
was a new one to him, and he hardly knew what to
say about it." Nevertheless with the ready facility of
a veteran American stump orator, be made a long and
animated speech, a most vigorous and incisive attack
lipon all ecclesiastical organisation., the general
drift of which may be gathered from the following
quotation
" The reason, he maintained, why the Church was in
a morbid state was because it was a capital punish-
ment, pro-slavery, women-under-the-laid society. We
hang a man for not doing what society allowed him to ,
do by rot educating him, and all this comes from the
great root of Christianity. Coming to methods, he
said the Church would thy, if one had an idea, present
it ; but not arraign the authorities ; for that would
he fanatical and basphernous. With all respect, he
added, if Jesus should come and preach in the streets
of Boston, and try to create a feeling among the
massea, he would be in gaol in lees than a week."
Here it was rightly felt by the managers of the Con-
vention that the meeting had dune its work, and that
the proceedings had reached a climax beyond which
it weuld be inartistic to prolong them. Acmrdingly
the " Hutchinsons " sang tile obi woman's rights
campaign song of the Kansas prairies, and the assembly
dispersed.