New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-28

The first necessity Of o great cause 10 the
possession of q martyr. Though We are as
sured by the copy-books of our youth that
truth is mighty and will prevail, there is no
commodity that requires such liberal advertis.
ing in order to bring it into general circulation.
Money will buy vice, but, since the world be-
gan, the price paid for truth has been blood.
When John Brown went forth to the scaffold
bravely exclaiming, 81 am persuaded that am
worth inconceivably more to hang than for any
other purpose" he fopeto!d the knell Of slavery.
When the Government Of that contradictory
inconceivable, M. Theirs, condemned Rossel to
be shot, it gave to Communism hero whose
fame bids fair to extinguish that OF the Presi
dent himself
Republicanism in England is young. Born
obscurely, not knowing who were its parents,
the poor thing has languished for want Of proper
care. Adopted recently by Sir Charles Dixie,
it has gained in strength and stature, only need
ing baptism in blood to attain ripper de-
| velopment. That baptism has come. 1t is not
the martyrdom of John Brown or OF ROssel
that we have now to record but William Scho-
field, age Sc, is no less martyr to free speech
because of his being in humble life. On De-
cember Z. William Schofeld, laborer of Boil
ton, died from injuries received in the Temper
ance Hall, while peaceably listening to Dilke's
very sensible and by no means revolutionary
address on the distribution Of political power.
Elsewhere, Dilke's arguments in favor of q
republic, Of truer parliamentary repre-
sentation, of reforming, or, better, abolishing
the House of Lords, have been answered by
bowls, cheers for Queen whom the young N.
P, has never attacked spasmodic singing, and
showers of red pepper.
Burning to resent the right Of independent
criticism, scorning weak retorts. inaamed by
l., ri. ~ H. ov~l n
with stones, bricks, bludgeous, hrmmers, and
other weapons, the rough and ready royalists
of Bolton proved that Britons were not meant
for slaves, by q continual attack upon the win
dows and doors Of the hall in which the Dixie
meeting was assembled, until one side of the
building became a complete wreck. Had this
high carnival been held in America. where,
according to the London Telegraph, "rowdy-
ism is a religion" Europe would have been
told to gaze upon the license of Democracy !;
had the assailants been partisans of Dixie,
England would have been shown the fearful
consequences Of republican doctrines but the
rioters were loyal subjects of the crown, which
makes difference Certain rules do not work
both WAYS; therefore the police did not inter
fere. Temperance Hall was sacked, William
Schofeld was killed, wife became q widow
and three children were made fatherless Well
done, We good and faithful servants. Enter We
into the United (2) Kingdom of Great Britain
If Dixie had not had the courage publicly
to avow what many other Englishmen acknowl-
edge privately, that the best form of govern.
meat is republican, William Schofield would
now be alive. Having made this declaration,
supposing Englands Wanted right Of free
speech to be far less mythical than it turns out,
his opponents are determined that he shall net
be heard on any subject, no matter how vital
it may be to the peoples interests. This
tyranny reminds US of the good old days before
the war, when AbOlitIonists were pelted with
rotten eggs, Garrison was threatened with
death, and the Press was muzzled lest it should
attack the peculiar institution" But we
tell England now, what we told America then.
that free speech is as inalenable right as free
thought, and no amount of bullying, bricks, or
bludgeons can stife honest conviction. Men
who are brave enough to avow their principles
are brave enough to endure SANDER, and worse,
for the sake of them. Persecution will only
make them greater heroes, and increase the
number of their adherents. William Schofield
has lost his life, and thereby his family is re.
duced to poverty, as we'll as misery, for daring
to sympathize, though never so remotely, with
the opinions of Sir Charles Dixie. His is the
first blood shed in behalf of the people. The
anti-Republican Association, composed of
"noblemen and gentlemen" banded together
for the purpose of putting down Democrats,
infdels, and atheistical Spirits" morally and
physically" physically being italcised in
their circular-will do we'll to remember that
English republicanism has now its martyr
". Y. Tribune.