Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-12-22
Communicated
The Boscobel Appeal on the Rampage

acter, scenes narrated and character
portrayed, which strike them ut one,
as having a close resemblance t.
scenes and characters coming undeI
their own observation. 1t is indeed
the mission Of the novelist and dram
atis,, TO hold the mirror up TO ma
ture to sketch nature in all its as
poets. faithfully and TO the life.
On reading Dickens Hard TINES
lately which, by the way, is one OF
bis most interesting and instructive
works.. | came across "a character
and delineation which at once sug,
gested parallel in the present atti
lado Of the Boscobel appeal The
principal character ia one Slack bridge.
the OratorC) The scene, Coketown,
q manufacturing village In England
The occasion, "a grievance on the part
Of the operatives, whe are met to-
gether 10 consult upon the remedy.
The victim, one Stephen Blackpooi,
q poor unfortunate weaver, who will
not be turned aside from what his
conscience tells him is his duty, either
by the the threats and intimidations
OF his enemies, or by the blandish
ments Of his pseudo friends. He
therefore finds himself denounced and
expelled from among the crowd fol.
lowing the lead Of Slack bridge, the
Oruor(2)
By substituting for the times pla>
ccs, aui particular illusions Of the
text, the Appeal, and the " Ring" Of
which it is the organ, on the one
hand and the Hefaid and those, who
Tor reasons satisfactory to themselves,
have acted with it, in laboring for be
re- nomination Of Gen Cobb to Con-
gress, ard in opposing The whole
brood Of Sqc'a9s Baaks-" nine far
row Of one SOW" and also opposing
County digiSt0a, on the other the
matter is brought right home to as
and rot only affords Us an excellent
parallel ia the recent discourse Of the
4ppeql, but is fun Of the soundest
admonition and instruction which
should profit Us all.
But | am keeping my readers too
long from the oration Of Siackbridge,
he Oratorl2)
A. il contains 100 much solid mat~
ter fer easy digestion ut one meal, |
will divide ard serve il up IN three or
more entertainments, with some
eight side dishes. First then-the
the salutatiou and Introduction.
Here it is
ooh my friends, the down-trodden
operatives Of Coketown Oh my
friends and fellow countrymen, the
slaves Of IN iron>handed and a grind
ing despCtism Oh nay friends and
fellow suffer err, and fellow workmen,
and fellow-mcn / tell you that the
hour is come, when we must rally
round ono another as One united
power. and crumbIe into dust the op.
pressors that too long have lattened
upon the plumber Of our families, ups
on the sweat OF our brows, upon the
labor OF our hands. upon the strength
of our sinews. upon the God created
glorious rights Of Humanity, and up
on the holy and eternal privileges Of
Brotherhood I"
"Good = Hear hear, hear r
+" Hurrah f. and other cries, arose
in many voices from various parts OF
the densIy crowded and suffocatingly
close Hall, in which the orator perch
ed on a stage, delivered hims elf Of this
and what other froth and fume he had
in him. lie had declaimed himself
into a violent heat, and was as hoarse
as he was not. BY dint Of roaring
at the top Of bis voice under haring
gaslight. clenchng his fists, knitting
his brows, setting his teeth, and
pounding his arms, he had taken so
much out of himself by this time, that
he was brought TO q stop and called
for a glass Of water
Can anything be more gorgeous
and gracious than this?
Now follows The argument and de-
nunciati0n, . red hot :"
The orator having refreshed him
self, wiped his corrugated forehead
from left TO right several times with
his handf erci,ict fold d into pad,
and concentrated all his revived tor-
C.. in sneer of great disdain and
bitterness "
'' But, oh my friends and brothers
Oh men and Englishmen, the down
trodden operatives of Coketown
What shall we say OF that man-that
working, man, that should find il
necessary so TO libel the glorious
name-wbo, ing practically and
well acquainted with the grievances
aud wrongs of you, the injured pith
and marrow of this land, and having
heard YOU, with noble and males
tic unanimity that will make Tyrants
tremble. resolve for to subscribe &c
The funds Of the United Aggregate
Tribunal aud to abide by The in
functions issued by that body fol
your benefit. whatever they may be
what, / ask YOU, will you say O
that working man, since such | must
acknowledge him TO be, who, at such
time. deserts his post, and sells hi:
! flag who, at such time, turns {
traitor and q craven and recreant
Who. at such time, is not asham &c
10 make you the das:ardly aud hu,
initiating avowal that he will hole
himself aloof, aud viii aot be one 0
those associated ia the gallant stanc
for Freedom and tor Right ? ,
Here there seems TO have beer
some interruption, which for tins
brought the orator 70 stand, bu
the text goes on
Slack bridge, the orator, looked
about him with whitening smile
and, holding out his hand at arm
length las the manner Of all Slack
bridges is), to still the LAUNDERING
sea, waited until there was q pro
found silence. =
Then follows the climax
Oh my friends and fellow men
said Slacktridge, then shaking hi
head with violent sccru, do no
wonder that you, the PROSTATE son
of labor, are incredulous OF the exIs
D,t 10 L