The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-10


power despite the understand hostility of any clique Of
trade unonsts.
tive" gave Up the ghost at the age OF eigh,y-one and
his successor Earl RUSSELL took the earliest opportunity
Of informing dspuaiion from the Reform league that
without delay and In good earnest and produce bill
the next session Of Parliament BY which its members
would stand or fall.
PROGRESS m 1896
The year OF 1865 had beenmaked by the Inauguration
OF democratic league for the agitation OF domestic
questions 1866 destined to impart TO that league
national recognition and to transform u from skeleton
OF an institution into ''ereat fact" Earl Russell and
Mr. Gladstone were true to their promise, and the Re-
form bill which they introduced was endorsed at hun
dreds OF meetings held all over the country between
spoke but which, nevertheless. bore more OF middle
class than of working class character Inc REFORM
League supported Russell Gladstone bill as an honest
iustanent but II was the overthrow Of that bill IN
the House Of Commons in July and the resignaion OF
energies OF the British working cassesenerges which
were freely poured into tho scores of ducts which the
Reform League had opened to receive them Only AFTER
the conservative victory did purely working class de-
monsations in behalf of true democratic reform take
really portenous and national character.
One OF the first steps OF the conservative government
10 shut the OF Hyde Park against the Reform
fore the popular pressure may be regarded as the
throw OF the last barrier which vet stood between the
free career Of soicai activity sr Beaes had already
upheld against Sir Richard Mayne the right OF the people
10 hold mass meetings In Trafalgar square.
The question of the right OF the people 70 meet in
Hyde Park is stil contested The leaders OF Doth me
traditional political parties absolutely aeny ,nai
forcement Of the government right to prohibit inc
same The government Is about 40 sue M! Nj.
passers FOR their conduct the evening Of May IL
therefore too early to claim the victory FOR the
Reform League; but at least il may be sad thai
they fought two pitched battles with the govern
ment about Hyde Park, and that The iesul. "a
each has been moro than "a draw" The Right
Honorable spencer Roratio walpol6, found tho Hyde
Park question too knoty one for his delicate hands
and gave up Office rather than have anything moro
II 10. Whether
duced into Parliament for the more faclleeniorcement
OF the crown rights as thew are defined by the crown
lawyers will ever become law is beyond our ken. The
importance of this Hyde Park question TO the future or
the London and therefore of the British democracy.
can scarcely be ovcrrated for Primrose Hill by its
uneven surface untitled TO supply tho needs OF the
a worns csc ", n as mace for open air
public meetings as mountainous country 10 unbt ior
the esoutions OF cavalry The Hyde rs,S qaess ,s
the metropolis to be allowed the same facilities for an
open ar mass meeting as the people OF tho large pro-
Already the London democracy has outgrown the ca
paety of tho largest building IN the world ana andsr
via.han proportions that the government fears It's very
sambolllnes-the msrs wasging Of It's tail. -
When Mr. Potter and The edto, Of the sssh5os dis.
s q ss ss9 sasy srE Rsr
their follosers into an ASSOCIATION called the sIondon
Worlingmens Association" This latter bcdy argS-
lied the procession to Beaufort Grounds Brs,sEo Y
Potter in his Saturday afternoon meetings In Trafalgar
square On the other haad it is the Reform League
which has twice filed Agricultural Hail. which organ
lied the procession OF February last and which held the
ten Simultaneous meetings Hyde Park on May 8. u
also the Reform League which has been holding meet
ngs In Trafalgar square Monday evenings But tho
rivalry which the London Workiugmen's Association
maintains with the Reform League is confined to the
metropolis inasmuch as the former association has
provincial branches, whereas the Reform League hos
forty branches England and is allied With the Scottish
and Irish Reform Leagues es
IN IRELAND y
Having mentioned the Irish Reform League, we must
N IA orr U0urH
reformers found It polite TO conclude an alliance With
the English Refor League. They did this by estab-
fishing Irish Reform League the same plat form ~
the English one. and by electng the oDonoghue, NJ p,
to the post OF president The English Reform League
had previously passed resolutions condcmnng the esab-
lished Church In Ireland in TOTO
Tho Irish reirmers have been called upon 70 dis
oDonoshao wa. the only Who oo par Is
speaker at the ten HYDE Park meetings Of May and at
cheers for Ireland At Its orst reunion after the Hyde
Park meetings the executive council Of the League :.
recently passed against Fenians Burke aud Donn)
AT the Dablin Asszes. should not be carried Into
men as .pariots. We think that we NAV fairly claim
that the attitude OF the Reform League this question
tho 'lrish' Church question in Parliament as mani
tested by Mr. Gladstones recent speech on Sir John
a full house, by which that motion rejected In
point OF fact Is il not clear that the British liberal
party langu.shes when the British democracy asleep
aud conversely that II enjoys robust life only when
the democracy Is on its legs?
uen0CroLc progress
Britain In 1865 can pass over in silence the session At
Geneva Of tho first international Congress OF Working
men which has ever taken place Tbs CONGRESS was
Workingmens Association, and could not have beenr
saS,sssy carried nrOaga without The help Of tho
leaders and Reform League Lecturers attended there in
the capacity o. delegates from the General Council
THE coSsuuNAr.oN IN 1867.
The R'form League and its autumna demonstrations
conver,ei Lord DERBY and the majority OF his then
Cabinet into reformcrs, a1d caused the split in the
Cabinet which led to the retirement Of General Peel and
Lords Cfanborne and Caraarvon. is It's vigor which
has called into life the organizations OF cop-
servative worklngmens associations, which, however,
have great deal Of Conservatism than OF work.
inCmenism about them.
In the February procession Of the Reform League 10
remarked by both English and French reporters Of
the scene that the demonstration, judged By tho
Hays banners apd devices displayed and tho tunes
selected, had a snguariy cosmopolitan character The
remark just ore, and bore witness 10 the truth
that the British worcingmal OF democratic opinions has
outgrown much OF ancestral John Bulism and is more
than disposed with his continental
brethren. recent instance Of this has beer furnished
al Paris by several Of the English trade unions by
the tact OF brotherhood and copar;nershp, publicly
entered into a; Paris between the president Of tho
Partisan raors Association and Mr.. Drogu, the pre-
sent president Of tho London Tailors' Society.
ihc revival OF democratic life would on pricri
sonns, be sure 10 register itself In the oucrop OF few
democratic journals In point of fact, II has been
The London Beehire has developed from weakly thing
started by the Dagger clique about fifteen months AGO.
aad has already assured existence. The General
COuncn OF lrterua,lonai Worklnrmen ASSOCIATION
has two ve1y organs, in English called the In,r-
national csnrcr the other IN French, called tie Courier
Intrwnfioa1i The National Reform Ieaqne Of Dem.
mark street. soho which was established by Bronterre
oBren in 1S4e and which Just managed TO keep itself
alive during the twelve years. Ia represented BY a.
weekly organ called tue Vcringma1 still, tho London
democracy have no daily their command. Let
us throw hurried glance NJ the
PERSONNEL oy rlE EvEcuTvE RRtoaM rrAGuE,
which, including g1;eiJ members counts. IN London.
eighteen men, We have already spoken Of Mr.. Bealcs
The president and Mr. Howell the secretary Mr.. Dell,
tho treasurer Is master cabinctmakcr ard upholsterer
who has risen from the ranks OF labor Mr. Dresser
Rogers u the business OF the League; Mr.
Baxter Langley Is mombcr the College OF surgeons,
but Is at present in commercial life. He IL active
member or tue sunday league and a promoter OF the
SUNDAY evening lectures people, lately delivered
In 81 Martins Hall Mr. Mcrrimar is now city SOLICITOR
bat has been editor o. the Preston Duly Qua didr Mr..
Oiger We have already spoken or Mr. Bradaugh, tho
leader OF the secularss IL tho head OF the most go
ahead and revolutionary spirits oil the League His tri
h,tllrl n An, uncnm porlif