The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-20 00:00:00

MEETINGS IN HYDE PARK.

The Hyde Park demonstration against the Irish Church
Establishment, which bad been in preparation for some
days,past, came off on Sunday. As a "demonstration,"
which implies the assembling together of an extraordinary
mass of people, it may bo considered a failure, but a
sufficient number of people attended to constitute a
large public meeting. At half-past three o'clock in
the afternoon, the hour at which the procession was
announced to start, about 10,000 people had assembled
on Clerkenwell-green and in the roads leading thereto.
At this time the members of the 13-kited Society of
Labourers, to the number of about 1,000 men, nearly all
stalwart Irishmen, accompanied by their banners, and
dressed in their regalia, marched on to the green, and
were received with loud cheers by the assembled crowds.
At a quarter to four the order for marching was given,
and those joining in the procession, forming about
two-thirds of the number present, fell in six abreast,
and proceeded down Farringdon-road, in the following
order :—Six marshals, with brass staves, to clear the way,
followed by a green banner, hearing the inscription,
" Down with the Irish Church." Then came a brass band
belonging to the Sons of the Phcenix Temperance Society,
followed by the Labourers' Society with their banner.
After them came the members of the Demonstration Com-
mittee and the general body of processionists, in the midst
of whom were borne two large green banners, with the
following inscription :—" Make the Lords amenable
to the People," and " Down with the Ecclesias-
tical Encampment," alluding to the bench of bishops
in the House of Lords. In the above order the
procession, numbering about 5,000 persons, proceeded with
the utmost order and regularity along Farringdon-street,
Fleet-street, the Strand, Charing-cross, and Pall-mall.
On arriving at the corner of Carlton-gardens a halt was
made for a minute, and three tremendous cheers were
given for Mr. Gladstone, whose residence is a few yards
to the right. On passing the Reform Club three more
cheers were given, and loud groans and hisses on passing
the Carlton. At both of these clubs there was a large
number of spectators at the windows. The procession
proceeded up St. James's-street and along Piccadilly. On
passing the residence, in the latter thoroughfare, of Mr.
Rearden, M.P. for Athlone, that gentleman, who was
standing in the balcony, was loudly cheered—a compli-
ment the hon. member acknowledged by repeated bows.
On the procession arriving at Apsley-gate the band struck
up the air " Here we are again," and the procession
entered the park with loud cheers, at once proceeding to
the " Reformers' Tree," so named as being the tree from
the seats surrounding which the speakers addressed the
people at the late Reform League meetings. About
5,000 people were in the paric about this spot on the
arrival of the procession. The committee having with
some difficulty reached the seat which was to serve
as a platform, Mr. Charles Wade at once assumed the
position of chairman, and called the assembly to order.
Speeches were then made, and resolutions passed, in
favour of the disestablishment of the Irish Church. The
proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, to the Demonstration Committee, and three cheers
for Mr. Gladstone. While the above meeting was proceed.
ing three others were also held at short distances off, and the
same resolutions spoken to and adopted. The meetings
were closed shortly after six o'clock, at which hour large
numbers of people were pouring into the park, especially
from the Marble-arch entrance, evidently expecting the
meeting would have been prolonged until dusk. When
the meeting began there were about 8,000 persons present,
and at the time it closed this number had increased to
fully 12,000. Had the meeting been protracted for an hour
longer, in all probability there would have been 20,000
present at that time. The committee and the great body
of the demonstration left the park immediately on the
close of the meeting, and nothing occurred to disturb the
order that had prevailed during the afternoon. A strong
body of police were kept in readiness at the Magazine
police barracks, but only the usual number of police were
to be seen on duty in the park.
About 7 o'clock several well-dressed men gathered a
crowd around them in the park, and, a Mr. Charles Silk
being voted to " the chair," speeches were delivered on
the Irish Church question, and the advantages a Con-
servative Government had conferred and would confer
upon the working classes. A resolution, declaring that the
severance of the Irish Church from the State would be
"highly unconstitutional," and pledging the meeting to
send only such men to the next Parliament as would sup-
port the present Government, was declared to be carried.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT

WIMBLEDON.

The Prince of Wales was mobbed at Wimbledon between
four and six on Saturday afternoon. The vulgar curiosity
and rude persistence which runs royalty down as if it
were some strange thing let out for the amusement of the
hour—these exalted impulses were rampant. Iron railings,
policemen, and soldiers kept people back, but they clus-
tered ten deep round the one and taxed the energies of the
others. To concentrate all mental effort into a fixed stare ;
to silently but palpably tick off every movement of the Prince
as if he were a novel piece of mechanism just wound up; to
pass whispered comments on his eyes, his hair, his mouth,
his coat, his hat, his boots ; to say audibly, " He's smiling'
now," or " He's saying something to Lord Spencer," or
" It's a cigarette he's smoking, but with a cigar mouth-
piece ; why does he smoke cigarettes ?" are fair specimens
of the manners observed on Saturday. Rumours had
been afloat in early morning that the Prince was expected,
and were contradicted at noon. A telegram had been
received deferring his visit, people said, and the banner'
announcing his arrival, which the skilful man-of-war's
man ran up to the flag-staff in front of Lord Spencer's
cottage about four, brought volunteers and visitors
from All portions of the camp like flies to sugar. First
peeping and spying through the opening in the tent while
the Prince was there, in a way which reminded one of
Leech's sketch of the children peering under the circus
canvas and calling to the passers-by to " come and see the
'orses 'oofs," they set off at full speed in chase of him
directly he appeared with Lady Spencer in a pony car-
riage, making for the firing-place, at which the great
international trophy was being shot for. The scene
now was like nothing so much as a game at "hare
and hounds," at which full-grown adults of both
sexes were playing. People doubtless do similar things
elsewhere, but the situation and the costumes of Wimble-
don made the eager vulgarity more marked. On its level
plain the Indian helmets and flowing white cap cloths,
the knickerbockers and uniforms, in which men of all
ages, stations, and figures are arrayed, are seen to
great advantage when their wearers are racing pelt melt
in one direction. A half-dressed population suddenly
alarmed and running for its life, and a handicap in which
the first man touching the Prince of Wales would win a
prize, were both suggested by the feverish rush. Lord
Spencer led the way on horseback for_ his countess's pony
carriage, and directly its occupants had alighted, joined
them, and, with Prince Tech, the Marquis of Abercorn,
the Marquis of Donegall, and a few others, took up a posi-
tion within sight of the butts. The hundreds of people in
chase arrived next, panting and breathless, their numbers
increased by stragglers picked up on the road, and a com-
pact phalanx ten or a dozen deep was immediately formed
round the ropes guarded by policemen and volunteers.
The " stony British stare " was again practised
without intermission up to the time of the badge
being presented to the successful competitor—a ceremony
performed very gracefully and winningly by the Prince.
The school process of " chevying " began again imme-
diately after this, when the royal party returned, and
continued during its stay. There was not even the pre-
tence of respecting privacy, and had the heir to the Cro
been an itinerant banjo-player, or a professor of legerde-
main practising his art, lie could not have been watched
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