The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-09-04 00:00:00

SOCIALIST DEMONSTRATION IN
LONDON.

On Sunday Trafalgar-square was again the scene of
a Socialist demonstration. Unlike the one held in
February last in the same place, the meeting of
Suniay had been fully organised, and the Socialists
of the Continent had been led to see in this a gather-
ing of great significance. There were many foreigners
present in the crowd, and some of the speakers were
members of tho French Workmen's Delegation sent
over to England by the Paris Municipality to report
on labour questions. The demonstration was primarily
intended as a protest against the imprisonment of
Williams for street obstruction.

The meeting was called for 4 o'clock,but long before
that time very large crowds had gathered about the
square on all sides. The base of Nelson's column
was covered with persons. At the hour for holding
the meeting Trafalgar-square presented much the
same scene as in February last. But on Sunday the
police did not waste their strength in guarding the
column, nor did they hide the fact that plenty of pre-
cautions had been taken to guard against riot. Both
mounted and foot police, under Sir Charles Warren,
Colonel Roberts, and Mr. Superintendent Dunlop,
were on duty and held in readiness in the neighbour-
hood. Shortly before four o'clock bands were heard
coming in different directions playing the " Mar-
seillaise," and following the bands were bodies of men,
having the appearance in most cases of artisans, the
Clerkenwell contingent of which was apparently
formed of labourers. They all carried red flags, some
of which were mounted with scarlet "caps of liberty."
By the side of each procession rode bodies of mounted
police, each separate body under an inspector. The
Socialists themselves were few in number, but idle
sightseers helped to swell the demonstration, which
in point of numbers was considerably smaller than
that of February last.
There were three platforms. The crowd, on the
whole, was exceedingly orderly. The speaking did
not commence until nearly half-past four, which Mr.
Burrows took the chair at the Nelson column, Mr.
Fielding at the No. 2 platform, and Mr. Mann at the
third. There were about a dozen speakers in addi-
tion to the chairmen at the three platforms, and as a
text for the speeches was an inscription on a flag—
By Heaven your rights are worth fighting for"—the
name of Lord Randolph Churchill being given as the
author of this declaration. At the No. 1 platform a
French delegate spoke with great vivacity in his own
language, congratulating the meeting upon the great-
ness of the demonstration, and insisting that all
people should have liberty of speech. He urged all
nations to be united, and to work heartily together to
abolish the capitalists who now exploited them. He
gave his hearty sympathy to what he called the "In-
ternational Social Revolution." Mr. H. M. Hyndman
also spoke at this platform, after translating the
speech of the French delegate.
At the No. 2 platform, Mr. Champion was the prin-
cipal speaker, after a French delegate, whose name
was La Mothe, had spoken. The French delegate said
he understood perfectly what the imprisonment of
John Williams meant. Frenchmen in France were
accustomed to much the same sort of thing, and he
hoped the authorities would treat this protest as it
was meant, and at once release Williams. It was re-
markable, the speaker said, that in his country, where
there was a Republican Government, not only could no
such meeting as that be held, but they could not even
hold a meeting in a hall without the sanction of the
police. It was thus apparent that the people could be
as badly off under a Republic as under a Monarchy;
the form of government did not matter; the robbery
could be the same. He should tell his countrymen
what were the rights of the people in England, and
the use they were making of those rights in striving
to do away with the misery of the people by declaring
the universal brotherhood of man. Mr. Champion
translated this speech, and then proceeded to insist
that the imprisonment of Williams was an infringe-
ment of the rights of free speech. He reminded them
that he had nearly got into serious trouble for his
speeches in February last there and in Hyde-park, and
said that he now intended to be cautious when he
warned them against endeavouring to stand up
against organised bodies. If they wanted to organise
let them drill and learn the use of arms by joining
the volunteer force.

At the third platform the scene was enlivened by a
labourer literally taking off his coat to the work of
speaking. The French delegate who spoke here was
M. Leon Blondes, who also observed that he found
the English people enjoyed greater liberty of speech
in England than did the French in France under a
Republic. But, he said, political liberty was not
sufficient, and they wanted social liberty, Which was
violated by the imprisonment of Williams. He pro-
ceeded to advocate the formation of an international
organization of workmen.
When speech-making, which had occupied about
an hour, was at an end, the following resolution was
put from the three platforms, and declared carried :
"That this mass meeting of the citizens of London
expresses its deep indignation at the unjust condem-
nation of John Williams and Samuel Msinwaring for
doing that which religious and other speakers are
allowed to do Sunday after Sunday without inter-
ference, demands the immediate release of John
Williams, who is now suffering imprisonment, and
calls for the maintenance of freedom of speech for
men of all opinions. That this meeting declares its
conviction that this police interference with and
condemnation of the Social Democrats are due to
the fact that they alone work constantly to obtain
short hours of labour; good food, good clothing, and
good education for the workers, are striving to secure
for the producing classes collective control over the
railways, shipping, mines, factories, machinery, and
land, and intend to recommence at once their
vigorous agitation in favour of the organisation of
the labour of the employed. That this resolutioa
be sent to the Prime Minister and the Home
Secretary."
The various bodies then marched off in different
directions, with bands playing, followed by police.
All passed off peaceably.