The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-18 00:00:00

AN IRISH DEMONSTRATION IN

HYDE-PARK.

A demonstration, organised by sevaral metropolitan
Radical associations, was held on Monday in Hyde.
park in honour of three of the Parnellite members of
Parliament who have recently been released from
prison—Mr. T. D. Sullivan, Mr. W. O'Brien, and Mr.
E. Harrington. As Mr. Sullivan was to arrive at
Euston from Northampton early in the afternoon, it
was decided to organise a number of processions
from various parts of the metropolis to assemble at
the station at noon, and to escort him to Hyde-park.
Upon the arrival of the train shortly after one o'clock.
Mr. Sullivan was received by Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P.,
Mr. James Stuart, M.P., Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., Mr,
Pickersgill, 111.P.,__ Mr. Maclaren, M.P., and

a few others. The processionists outside the
station, probably about 6000 in number, ap-
peared to consist mainly of the unemployed,
and those who are pretty much in the habit of taking
a holiday on Mondays even when in work. The various
Radical clubs and associations were distinguishable
by their numerous banners, some bearing expressions
of welcome, and others legends condemning imaginary
tyranny. A new tricolour, green, yellow, and red, was
borne by several contingents, while a few of the
demonstrators wore rosettes to match. The majority,
however, displayed a green rosette or a spray of imita-
tion evergreen. A brisk business in the latter was done
in the streets and in Hyde-park, but the supply was
greatly in excess of the demand. When Mr. Sullivan
and his friends left the station they were greeted with
considerable cheering, and the crowd surged around
the carriage, shouting and gesticulating. Preceded
and followed by other carriages, the ex-Lord Mayor of
Dublin was taken to Mr. Percy Bunting's house close
by for refreshment, and during the hour thus occu-
pied the procession resolved itself into a somewhat
disorganised mob, while many, tired of standing out
in the cold, sought more comfortable quarters.
Eventually the procession made a fresh start, and
with banners flying and bands playing a variety of
Irish airs, found its way down Tottenham-court-road,
and along Oxford-street, in somewhat straggling
array, and to the serious inconvenience of the ordinary
traffic. Passing down Regent-street, and through
Piccadilly-circus, the procession turned into Piccadilly
and eventually reached the park. Assembled in the
broad open space sacred to demonstrators in Hyde
Park, the gathering, numerous as it was, was seen
to be positively insignificant in comparison with pre-
vious assemblies of a cognate character.—Mr. T. D.
Sullivan and his friends having mounted a tempo-
rary platform, Mr. Stuart, M.P., in the name of the
Liberal and Radical organisations of ,the metropolis,
presented an address enclosed in a green casket,
elaborately embellished with symbolical figures,
including "Erin in chains." The address congratu-
lated Messrs. Sullivan, O'Brien, and Harrington upon
the termination of their imprisonment, and recognised
them as champions and martyrs in the cause of free
speech, free Press, free meeting, and free association.
Sympathy was also expressed with other members of
Parliament who either had suffered or might suffer in
the same cause. Brief remarks of a congratulatory
character were offered by Mr. Seager on behalf of the
Radical Union, Mr. E. Smith for the Radical Federa-
tion, and Mr. Pickersgill, M.P., representing the
Home Rule Union. Mr. Sullivan having accepted
the address, amidst great cheering, thanked the
assembly for their hearty welcome and magni-
ficent demonstration. He considered it a glorious
answer to what he described as "Mr. Balfour's
paltry, disgraceful, and altogether futile Coercion
Act." Although Irish leaders were being " tortured "
the Irish people bore no hostility or illwill either towards
the English people or "the integrity and solidarity of
your great and magnificent empire." After expressing
a hope that other Englishmen besides Mr. Blunt might
be sent to prison, because it would help to cement the
Union between Irishmen and Englishmen suffering in
the same cause, Mr. Sullivan concluded by promising
that the Irish people would help the working classes
in England to reform the grievances which afflicted
them. Amidst renewed applause and the waving of
hats, Mr. Sullivan and his friends descended the
platform and entered their carriages, and the
crowd began to disperse. Mr. Sullivan's vehicle had
some difficulty in getting through the mob, from the
numbers who clung to it in the endeavour to shake
hands with him. Before it had got many yards a cry
was raised, "Take the horses out," and that being
done, the carriage was dragged by men and boys past
the barracks, and a little distance along the road by
the Serpentine.
Professor Stuart presided at the banquet which took
place at the Criterion Restaurant, the guests of the
evening being Mr. Sullivan and Mr. E. Harrington.
The first toast proposed was that of "The Queen," and
subsequently the Chairman gave that of "The Guests
of the Evening." Mr. Sullivan, in responding, declared
that Ireland would not be pacified by coercion, and
expressed approval of the policy of Mr. Gladstone. Mr.
Harrington also responded.