The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-16 00:00:00

THE HYDE-PARK PROSECUTIONS.

A large meeting of "the lovers of liberty and freedom
of speech" took place on Sunday morning on Clerken-
well green, London, to support the fund now being
raised to defray the expenses of the prosecuted speakers
who took part in the Fenian Amnesty demonstration
in Hyde-park on Sunday, Use 3rd instant.
Mr. Osborne, who occupied the chair on a waggon
drawn up in the centre of the Green, contended that
the meeting in Ilyde.park was held for a good and legal
purpose, and was conducted throughout in a peaceable
and orderly manner. Its promoters could not be
held responsible for what was done by roughs, any
more than could the City authorities for the
rowdyism of Lord Mayor's day. He maintained it wee
the duty of the Government to follow the example of
America in dealing with Fenian prisoners. After the civil
war even Jeff. Davis's life was given back to him, and
' &general amnesty proclaimed, and as Enflishmen they
had • right to demand that these political prisoners
who had now been in confinement over five years
should be set free. (Cheers.) That request could be
made without its manifesting sympathy for the offence
of the prisoners or support of Femaniam, and it was in
this spirit the addresses were given in Hyde park.
Why then should the speakers be prosecuted? At the
clam of last maim Mr. Ayrtun declared the Parks
Regulations could not come into operation until they
had lain for 40 days upon the table of the House of
Commons; but it now appeared that declaration was
cnly a dodge to get rid of some troublesome amend.
ments to his bill, and that Mr. Ayrton never had any
intention of laying the rules on the table before put-
ting them in force. (Hear, hear.) Government had
forbidden the holding of political meetings in public-
houses; large halls were not to be obtained except at
eery coasiderable expense, and even then the pro-
prietors hesitated to let them; and if the people could
not meet in the Parks, where else could they assemble?
(Hear, hear.) The right of meeting, therefore, must
be defended to the last, and with that object two emi-
nent counsel had been retained on behalf of the pro-
secuted Hyde-park speakers, and the object of the
present great meeting was to assist in raising money to
defray the legal and other expenses of the defence
before the Marlborough street police magistrate, and if
necessary, in the courts above. (Cheers.)
Mr. Hennessy proposed the first resolution—
'That this meeting. feeling convinced tht the conduct of
the people who wont to the Park nu sunday last was in the
Internet of freedom and humanity, declears the prosecution
by the Government of the speakers to be a piece of class
tyranny, and prelatical to the best interest of the nation."
Political discontent in Ireland, he mid, might have
settled down had these Fenian primoners been released,
and the ruling class in the course it was pursuing was
only doing that which led to the old French Itevolu-
tion. He hoped it would be warned in time. (Rear,
hear.) . ••• •• - •

Mr. Brighty seconded the resolution, recalling the
incidents of the reform gatherings in Hyde-park and
Trafalgar-square, and the unsuccessful efforts of the
Government to prohibit the holding of such meetings.
The existing Government had settled two great
questions, and done nothing but disgrace itself ever
since. (Cheers.)
Mr. J. be Morgan, from Cork, and Mr. O'Leary,
two of the Hyde-park speakers, having supported the
resolution,
Mr. Geo. Brooke, said he was anxious to get the
Penians out of prison, but thought holding these Sun-
day meetings was not the way to do it. The more the
Government was premed when technically in the right,
the lees prospect was there of winning over the great
middle class, and these Sunday meetings were so
distasteful to Churchmen' Roman Catholics, and
Nonconformists alike, that there was much danger of
their gradually coming to think Mr. Gladstone
perfectly justified in refusing to release the prisoners.
(Oh, oh.)
Mr. C. Bredlaugh, who was greeted with cheers,
said he appeared thereat some inconvenience to declare
his sense of the thorough legality of the meeting which
had taken place in Hyde park. What an anomalous
state of things it would be if a man were imprisoned
under regulations requiring the 'sanction of Parliament,
which Parliament, when the time arrived for doing so,
might refuse to sanction ; and yet that was precisely
what it was proposed to do in this case ; but in his
opinion the people had a perfect right to meet in the
Park until the delay had elapsed within which Perlis,
ment, if it PO thought fit, could veto these regulations.
(Cheers.) He did not go to the Park last Sunday be-
cause he intended going when the regulations had been
approved ; but he preferred breaking the law legally—
(laughter) —and he should go to assert the illegality of
the recent Act so long as the Bill of Rights remained
in force. (Cheers.)
- - - -

The resolution Was carried unanimously.
Mr. C. Murray moved,
" That as the prosecution of the speaker@ Is to them a
question of legal ant other expellees, this meeting calls upon
all friends f human progress to subscribe to the defence fund;
all communications to be addressed to Mr. Thomas Moony,
lion secretary Patriotic Society Cltrkenwell green, and money
orders made payable to Mr. Thomas Elliott, Post-office, St
Martio's-tane."

Mr. Sinclair, who said he was a released Fenian
Firigoner, seconded the resdntion, which was supported
Mr. M 'Donald, one of the defendants, on the point
o sailing for the United States, but not till after the
adjudication, and like the first, it was caned unani-
mously.
A collection was afterwards made, and the proceed.
lugs which were free from any unusual display of en-
thusiasm, closed in the customary manner. The Irish
contingent was accompanied to the Green by a braes
band, having walked in procession from Clare-market.
• •••

Mr. Odger, it was announced, was served with •
summons at his residence, High-street, Bloomsbury,
late on Saturday night.

On Monday morning, Messrs. Odger, J. Clarke, W.
H. Pottle, Peter O'Leary, Conham, A. D. Butler, S.
Bayley, J. P. McDonnell, Chaddock, Fennell, T.
Mooney. and J. Morgan were summoned to
appear at the Marlboroughst:reet Police-court, on
the charge of having on Sunday week infringed
the rules for the regulation of the perks on the
occasion of the late Amnesty Demonstration in
Hyde-park. The defendants were escorted, procession-
wise, from Clerkenwell green to Marlborough-street,
where they were received with cheers by a large
number of their friends who had collected around the
court-house at an early hour to give them a reception.
Mr. Poland appeared on behalf of the Crown; and
hlessrs. Green and Hallett for the defendants.
Mr. Green, on the first came being called, applied to :
the Magistrate for an adjournment. The same offence,
he observed, WWI alleged against all the defendants but
many of the summonses had only been served that, the
morning of the day of hearing. Other summonses had
been served no earlier than last Saturday, and the
earliest day. of service were the previous Wednesday
or Thursday. He (Mr. Green) had not received h 4
instructions till late on Saturday. He understood
that there would be no objection on the part of the
Crown to this application.
Mr. Poland, on behalf of the prosecution, stated
that be was there, if neceesary, to go on with the canes;
but, after the observations that had fallen from hi
friend, he did cot think it would become him to resist
the application for an adjournment. The summonses
had been issued on Monday, and since then the police
had need all due diligence in seeking to serve them.
After a few observations on the part of Mr. Hallett
and Mr. Odger in support of the application,
. . • •

-- • -
The Magistrate adjourned the hearing of the cases to
two o'clock the following Monday. His worship re.
minded those present, however, that in the meantime
there was to be no breach of the law. . .

On the news of the adjournment reaching the street,
a loud shout of applause was raised by the crowds in
waiting, and Mr. Odger and the other " patriota " aa
they appeared were loudly cheered.

THE LAND FOR MARINO MONEIN—MOIIey can
be made in no time in Terse. The following is given
as an instance :—The Adams brothers, whose father
settled twelve miles west of San Antonio in 1851, and
commenced with two hundred head of stock cattle,
followed his business when he died, and now (October,
1 1872) offer their entire stock for sale; sixty-eight thou-
sand head of cattle, all their own mark and brand,
within ninety days after signing contract, at five
dollars specie per head, and to give the. purchaser all
there may be oveg, which they believe will be fully ten
thousand head. This excess is offered se an induce-
tn•ot to buy! Hut this is nothing to Mr. James Lowe,
who commenced stook-raising in 1856 with only ten
cows and calves, owned one negro man, whom he hired
out for one cow and calf per month. He now owns
the patriarchal estate of 50,000 heed of 'to* cattle,
5,000 head of bullocks, and bas tesaded this year
15,000 bead of calls%