The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-19 00:00:00

THE ANTI-COERCION DEMONSTRA-

TION.

Hyde-park was on Sunday the scene of a demon-
stration of the Irish Parliamentary Party, according
to previous announcement. Trafalgar-square was the
rallying place where the various detachments from the
south, the east, the west, and central districts of the
metropolis united their forces, accompanied by bands
and ranged under their several banners. Foremost
among these was one about the size of a tolerably
large handkerchief, inscribed "Vox populi vox Dei—
the Voice of the People is the Voice of God." Another
banner bore the legend, "The Cumberland-market
branch of the Magna Charta Association protests
against coercion. Force is no remedy." A third an-
nounced that the Westminster branch of the same
association was represented in the procession. Another
attested the presence of "The Social Democratic
Working Men's Club." "Union and Victory" was
the motto borne by another.

The procession was timed to leave Trafalgar-square
at half-past two, by which time upwards of 20,000
people are computed to have assembled in that great
open space. The start was fairly punctual, and the
park gates were reached shortly after three. The
speakers and other leading personages were in wag-
gonettes, which, on their arrival in the Park, were
ranged in a line with the Serpentine, and served as
extemporized platforms. In the Park the numbers
of the crowd were very greatly reinforced by a vast
concourse of spectators, who, misled by report,
gathered for the most part around the "Reformers'
Tree." The whole of those present in the park:have
been variously computed, the estimates ranging be-
tween 50,000 and 100,000. Even at the entrance
gates the throng was so dense that Earl Granville,
with the Countess and their two children, were for a
long time obstructed in the walk which they were
seen to be taking near the spot. Mr. Stephen Price
was chairman at the first platform, and the resolu-
tion, which was tripartite and was the same at all the
meetings, was moved by Mr. Fredericks, of the
King's-cross Radical Club, and seconded by Mr.
Nieass, representative of the combined Liberal Clubs
of Chelsea. It was in these terms :

"1. That we condemn coercion for Ireland. 2.
That the arrest of Davitt is mean, cruel, and unjust.
3. That we censure the conduct of the Speaker and
the English in suppressing freedom o debate."

Mr. kedmon, M.P., said he supported-the resolu-
tion as the youngest member of Parliament belonging
to the Irish party. He was glad to escape from the
heated atmosphere of the House of Commons, and to
address such a thoroughly representative and unani-
mous audience as that before him. It showed him
that Englishmen were united with Irishmen in
principles right and just. The agitation for the
alteration of the land laws of Ireland had now
assumed such a character that it would be as im-
possible to stop it as to stop the rising waves of
the tide on the seashore. The addresses were very
well received, and the resolution was carried, as at all
the other platforms. The crowd was here so great
that it was addressed simultaneously by speakers on
either side. Towards the end of the proceedings the
secretary displayed a copy of the obnoxious Bill, and
there were general cries of "Burn it." About a
score of match-boxes were handed up for the purpose,
but it was declared too bqd even to burn, whereupon
it was torn into small pieces, and scattered among
the crowd. At platform No. 5, the seconder of the
resolution closed his speech with actually burning the
Bill. At platform INo. 2, after the resolution had
had been moved and seconded, Mr. T. P. O'Connor,
M.P., in supporting it, contended that the vast
gathering which they had witnessed that day afforded
striking evidence of the incorrectness of Mr.
Gladstone's statement that public opinion in England
was in favour of coercion. On the previous night he
had himself attended a meeting at Sunderland, com-
prising many thousands of people, and only eight
hands were held up against the resolution condemning
coercion. Mr. Nelson, M.P., also supported the
resolution.

Mr. J. A. Giles, who presided at the third meeting,
rejoiced to see that vast gathering of Englishmen,
Irishmen and leaders in the cause of liberty through-
out the world, for he had recognized in the crowd of
faces of Russians, Germans, Frenchmen, and Italians,
who had all assembled for the purpose of record-
ing an emphatic protest against a policy of coer-
cion, instead of a policy of conciliation towards
Ireland. The hearts of the British people were not
in accord with the action of the British Government
in their treatment of Ireland. Mr. T. P. O'Connor,
M.P., spoke at this meeting also. He remarked that
he had been in Hyde Park before to assist in plead-
ing the cause of the Bulgarian peasant, and he was
there then to plead the cause of the Irish peasant,
whom Mr. Gladstone had deserted. The people of
London knew what it was to come to Hyde Park in
aid of the cause of liberty.

At the fourth meeting the resolution was moved and
seconded respectively by Mr. Thompson and Mr.
Richard Smith. In supporting it, Mr. M'Carthy,
M.P., expressed his satisfaction at having to address
a meeting composed of Englishmen as well as Irish-
men. He could assure them that the cause which he
and his friends advocated was in the end the cause of
the English as well as of the Irish labouring popula-
tion. The Irish members had been put to silence
in Parliament, and even expelled from Parliament,
because they strove with all their energy to prevent
a Liberal Mi:dstry from answering Ireland's demand
for justice with a Coercion Bill and a Gagging Act.
The liberty of speech which the majority had thus
taken from the Irish members would be found at
some crisis to be taken from an English minority as
well. He strongly condemned the arrest of Michael
Davitt, and declared that since his return from
America Mr. Davitt had done more to maintain order
and security of life in Ireland than the Liberal
Ministry and all Mr. Forster's policy, his band of
spies, and his clouds of informers. He assured the
meeting that the approval given there that day to the
action of the Irish members would still further
strengthen them in their determination to offer every
legitimate resistance to the lamentable and disre-
putable policy of coercion. Of the fifth meeting suffi-
cient notice has been taken already.
At the sixth platform the motion was moved by
Mr. Challcraft, and seconded by Mr. Donovan. On
its return a portion of the procession halted in front of
the Reform Club and gave three cheers for Mr.
Parnell, M.P., Mr. Labouchere, M.P., Mr. Cowen,
M.P., and Mr. Davitt, and three groans for Mr.
Forster, "the Tory member for Bradford." The
procession also paused a short time in front of the
residence of Mr Rearden, formerly M.P. for Athlone,
where a green flag was displayed, and Mr. Rearden
appeared at the window and gave a brief address.