The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-02 00:00:00

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Mr. BRADLAUGH, in the course of a very violent
speech, urged the people at all events, to attend the
park, and he said the Government which had been--
cowardly enough and cruel enough to call out the
military before would do it again ; but he would
not be deterred from attending, and if violence were
used he would be among the first to meet that violence.
The concluding sentences of the speech were com-
pletely lost in the loud cheers which burst from his
hearers at the proposed defiance of the law ; and
some of the meeting, in their enthusiasm, tossed
their head-gear, mostly caps, to the ceiling. At
this juncture Mr. Superintendent Durkin, with AU.
Superintendent Walker and Mr. Superintendent
Kittle, entered the room, having previously sent in
their cards.

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but throughout the metropolis, was as wisely honour-
able to him as a minister as it was in harmony with
all the best feelings of a patriot and a Christian.
The generous confidence he reposed in the deputa-
tion of the Reform League was abundantly justified
by the result. Upon the withdrawal, as agreed upon
with him, of the military and police, upon all op-
position to the assembling and presence of the people
in the park being removed, the thoasauds who had
assembled there under feelings of the deepest pro-
vocation and excitement in consequence of what had
occurred daring the two preceding diys, and with
the full determination to resist to the utmost any
further array of force on the part of the Government,
listened willingly and attentively to the request made
to them by myself and others, both orally and by
placards, to retire peacefully and quietly to their
homes, and they complied with our requests. Such
being the positive facts, and they cannot be truth-
fully disputed, I should be curious to litiow upon
what grounds the Government are now supposed to
be determined to take active and strenuous measures
to suppress an intended peaceful and orderly meet-
ing of the same people in the same park next Mon-
day ; and that, after not only not interfering with
the political meeting held there on Good Friday,
but on that occasion pursuing the course which I
have always contended it was their duty to do on
such occasions, and which has been invariably pur-
sued by the local authorities throughout the country
—namely, to protect from disturbance the people
in the exercise of this their great constitutional
right.
That the parks are now held, and have been for
years, for centuries held, for the use and enjoyment
of the public is indisputable. Act after Act of Parlia-
ment has so dealt with them, whatever be the posi-
tion of the dry, naked, legal estate, and wherever it
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liament in 1652. It is not to be supposed that the
people can enter into these legal niceties and subtle-
ties, and distinguish between the known and bene-
ficial use and enjoyment and the unknown and ques-
tionable legal estate or interest. They see the parks
continuously and undisputedly used in the days of
their fathers and their forefathers for public pur-
pose=, and, as regards Hyde Park especially, used
not merely for the promenades and recreation of the
wealthy, and others, but for reviews, and even fairs.
Seeing all this, they cannot understand why it is
not, for an hour or so occasionally, and especially
on important occasions, and to a small extent of its
large area, and without any real
,interference with
the purposes of others, to be used for the purpose of
their conveniently assembling there for a public
meeting—a purpose quite as rational as any other
for which they are at full liberty to go there. Such,
at least, is the rooted feeling of hundreds of thou-
sands, not in London only, but throughout the
country.

Mr. MERRYNI.VN addressed the meeting, calling
for a quiet hearing for all the superintendents bad
to say, and he said the -police might carry back to
their superiors the assurance that the League were
firm and determined as to holding the meeting, not-
withstanding any proclamation which might be
brought forward.

Mr. MANTLE urged the assemblage to receive the
statement of the police-officers in solemn silence, and
to show no feeling at whatever was stated by them.
Mr. Superintendent DuRKIN then stated that he
attended with his brother superintendents, from the
Commissioners, to give the president and all other
members of the Reform League Council, the notice
he then placed before them.
With saying this he handed the members around
a copy of the proclamation, which was read by Mr.
Beales as follows :7--
" Whereas it has been publicly announced that a
meeting will be held in Hyde-park on Monday, the
Cth of May, for the purpose of political discussion :
And whereas the use of the park for the purpose of
holding such meeting is not permitted, and inter-
fere with the objects for which her Majesty has been
pleased to open the park for the general enjoyment
of her people : Now, all persons are hereby warned
and admonished to abstain from attending, aiding,
or taking part in any such meeting, or from enter-
ing the park with a view to attend, aid, or take part
in such meeting.—S. H. WALPOLE. Home-office,
Whitehall, May 1, 1867."
There was an attempt made to ridicule the seve-
ral parts of the notice, but this was suppressed.
After the paper had been real the police officers
left the room.

The CIIMIIMAN said this was a very serious crisis,
and it became the meeting, as calm and reasonable
men, to consider the notice. He then entered into
a very long dissertation upon the notice, which he
dissected word by word, and his conclusion was that
the Government had no right to exclude the people
from the park. He called upon the people to hold
the meeting, and he said if there should be any riot
or disturbance the fault would rest with the Govern-
ment for interfering with the people's constitutional
right to attend the park in a meeting for the dis-
cussion of political questions.
Mr. BRADLAUGH also entered into a long word
by word discussion of the notice. He 2alled upon
the people to show that they were not degenerate
sons of their fathers by being cowardly enough to
abandon their purpose because of this notice. The
Government, he said, had invited a contest, and
if the League brought themselves out of it like teen,
more would be done by this Monday meeting than
had been done after months' Parliamentary debate.
The resolution he moved was :

A writer in :the Times of yesterday suggests that
the cause of law and order would be assisted by pre-
venting the proposed meeting. I verily believe, and
I have strong reason for the belief, that the very
reverse would be the case, and that the cause of law
and order, a cause as dear to the members of the
Reform League—as they abundantly proved last
July—as to any other class of men, would be best
assisted by not attempting to interfere with the
proposed meeting, which, if not interfered with,
will be conducted in as orderly and constitutional
a manner as all the other meetings of the League.
The same writer asserts that this is no question of
party. I admit that it is not.
The Reform League by no means oppose the pre-
sent Reform Bill merely because it was introduced
by a Tory or Conservative Government. They
would have cordially supported it if it had been
considered by them to be fair and honest, and large
enough in the extension of the franchise. Much and
highly as they respect and admire the character and
talents of Mr. Gladstone, and appreciate the gene-
rous sympathies with what are called the working
classes to which he has repeatedly given utterance,
they have at all their late meetings as strongly op-
posed his £5 rating franchise as they have opposed
the objectionable provisions of the Government bill
in trammelling the principle of household suffrage,
which, as they think, that bill otherwise recognises
and admits.

"That this meeting, denying the right of S.
Walpole, or any other person in this realm to issue
such a proclamation, and regarding the parks as
places open for the purpose of holding public meet-
ings, which are the right of all Englishmen, reply
to the proclamation that they intend holding the
meeting of Monday, and that the consequences of
endeavouring to prevent it must rest with those who
are wicked enough to take this course." (Loud
cheers.)

This was seconded.
Colonel DICKSON said the proclamation was a Very
Inilk and watery affair, and showed that there was
some " hulking" in official quarters ; but the League
were prepared to show that there was no funking
among them.

Mr. CONNINGTON proposed a modiacation of the
resolution submitted to the meeting.
Mr. CONOLLY, stonemason, said some of the
speeches he had hoard that night sounded to him
like addresses from a general to a well-disciplined
army. He knew that some who talked the loudest
would be the first to run away in danger—(hisses
and uproar)—and, as a large meeting like that could
not be a deliberative assembly, he moved that the
question as to the holding the meeting should be
altogether referred to the Executive. He looked
upon the matter as altogether a serious one, and the
whole question was not worth shedding blood for,
or resorting to physical force in any way.
The CHAIRMAN begged leave to say that there
was no wish to imperil life, or sacrifice a drop of
blood on Monday next. If there was any disturbance
the fault would lie with those who employed force
to prevent the peaceful exercise of a right.
After some speeches in violent language, which
were much cheered, the chairman submitted the re-
solution of Mr. Bradlaugh somewhat altered in
words, but the same in spirit, and it was carried
unanimously. The meeting then separated.

Lord Derby, as reported yesterday, has expressed
admirable sentiments against any invidious distinc-
tions being drawn between the working classes, or
rather the wages of labour classes, and the other
classes of the community. To really and truly act
upon and up to such sentiments will be the best of
all means for promoting the happiness, prosperity,
and harmony of all classes of the whole country.
But it is little in unison with such sentiments to
attempt to interfere with the working men and other
members of the League in their proposed rational
and peaceful and constitutional use of Hyde Park
next Monday evening.—lam, Sir, yours respectfully,
Lincoln's-inn, May 1. EDMUND BEALES.

The League Meeting in Hyde Park.

Last evening a meeting of the Reform League
delegates was held in the Sussex-hall, Bouverie-
street, and, as in the course of the evening three
superintendents of the Metropolitan Police waited
upon the Executive of the League, and publicly and
officially served the members with copies of the pro-
clamation issued by the Home Secretary, the pro-
ceedings were of a somewhat exciting character.
Mr. Beales, M.A., presided, and among those pre-
sent were Mr. Bradlaugh, Lieut.-Colonel Dickson,
Mr. Merryman, and other members of the League
Council.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, in-
troduced to the notice of the meeting an address
which he proposed to issue in the name of the
League. This was as follows :
" Men of London, who, not yet having the power
of voting for those who are called your representa-
tives in Parliament, desire to have that power, and
to make the representation of the people a reality,
come together once more to express your desire
unanimously and firmly, and to claim the franchise
which reason, justice, and the Constitution give
you. Come and join in the protest of your brethren
and fellow-countrymen at Birmingham, Newcastle,
Leeds, against the restrictive conditions of the Bill
now before the house of Commons. That Bill
affects to be intended to give you the franchise, but,
in reality, it, in many respects, excludes you from
it, or accompanies an unwilling concession with con-
ditions contrived to embarrass you in its acquisition
and exercise. Come and meet the Council of the
Reform League in Hyde Park, on Monday next, the
Gill of May. Come as loyal, peaceful, and orderly
citizens, enemies of all riot and tumult, but unalter-
ably fixed and resolved in demanding and insisting
upon what you are entitled to. If time presses, stay
not to form in processions, but come straight from
your work. Come without bands and banners.
Show that the cause itself is sufficient to call forth
your energies, and animate your exertions. Your
enemies have ventured to treat your former demon -
strations and meetings with the insolence of rcvilings
and sneers, and insolence that springs frnodmin base-
nessus-
is ever the proof of conscious wrong a
tice, and has but too often imperilled
athnempveeracbee
toof
nations. Let your only and disdainful
meet again and again in yourmoralstrenwgitthh until
you are fully and ungrudgingly invested
free
which is your birthright as
State, the right to vote in the c
theln citizens
e n
t hoofs
ea
your liberties,
make your laws, impose taxes,
and exercise rule over your properties,
govern your country,
and your lives. If you are driven
other means, passive or active, for se
protection ,
lto_ any
adopt
f
or for the support and advancement of
your
undoubted rights, be the fault and the responsibility
with your opponents. The question is not one of
party, and ought not to be one of class. It is one