New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-23
4 MARTYR TO FREE SPEECH

MIE1fR ~ TkCC OF rF''''
The first necessity of q great cause IL the
possession Of martyr. Though we are AS
surcd by the COPY books of or youth that
truth is mighty and will prevail, there IL 10
commodity that requires such liberal adyertls-
ing in order to bring 1t into general cIrcula-
ton. Money will buy vice, but. since the world
began, the price paid for truth has been blood.
When John Brown went forth to the scaftOh
brayely cxclaiming, az am persuaded that
cam worth incODceivably more to hang than
"for any other purposcp no forctold the knell
of Slavery. When the Government OF that
contradictory inconccivable, NJ. Theirs, con-
dcmned Rosscl to be shot, it gave to Com
m,lnism q hero whose fame bids fair To eAtin-
guish that of the President himself.
Republicanism in England is young. Born
obscurely, not knowing who wero Its parents,
the Door thing has languished for want OF
proper care. Adopted recently by Sir Charles
Dixie it has gained in strength and stature, only
needing baptism in blood to attain ripper de-
yclopmcnt. That baptism has come. 1t IL not
the nurtyrdom of John Brown OF OF Kosscl
that we have now TO record; but William Scho-
field. AGE 50, is no less a martyr to free speech
because of his being in humble life. On Dec
:, William Schofed. labOror OF Bolton, died
from injnries received in the Temperance
Hall, while peaceably listening to Dilkes
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-
seniation, of reforming, or, better, abollshlng
the House of Lords, have been answered by
bowls, cheers for Queen whom the young
NJ. p. has never attacked. spasinodc singing
and showers of red pepper.
Burning to resent the right Of independent
criticism, scorning weak rctortS. ini'amcd by
living placards. primed with drink and armed
| with stones, bricks, bludgeOns. hammers, anu
other weapons, the rough and ready rOyalists
of Bolton proved that Britons were not meant
for slaves, by Il continual attack upon the
windows and doors of the hall III Which the
Dixie meeting was assembled. until one SIDE
of the building became complete wreck.
! Had this high carnival been held in America,
where. according to The London Telegraph,
| "rowdyism is q religion" Europe would have
been told to gaze upon the license oil demOc-
racy; had the aSsailants been partisans or
Dixie. England would have been shown the
fearful consequences of republican doctrines;
! but the rioters were loyal subjects OF tho
| crown, which makes a difference. Certain
| rules do not work both ways; therefore the
police did not interfere, Temperance Hall was
sacked. William SchOticld WAS killed, wife
became q widow, and. three children were
made fatherlcss. Well done. yc good and
| faithful servants. Enter ye Into the United ~
Kingdom Of Great Britain.
bad fba u
lcly to avow what many other EnglSbmen
acknowledge privately, that the best form of
| government is republican, William Schofield
| would now DC alive Having made this dec
laratiOn, supposing England's vauntet right of
free speech 10 be FIR less mythical than 1t
! turns ont, his opponents arc Determined that
| ho shall not be heard on any subject. no mat
ter how vital it may be to the peoples inter
csts This tyranny reminds us OF the good
old days before the var, when AbOlitiOnists
were pcled with rotten eggs Garrison WAS
, threatened with death, aud tho Press WIS
| muzzlcd lest it should attack the "peculial
institution" But we tell England now,
| what we told America then. that free
speech is as inalieuabIc q right az free
| Thought, and no amount Of bullying, bricks
or budgeOns can stihc honest conviction. Men
who are bravo enough 70 avow their prin-
cpes arc brave enough to endure SANDER
bricks, and worse. for the sake of them. Per
secntion will only make them greater heroes
and increase tho number of their adherents
William SchOficli has lost his life, and there
| by his family il reduced to poverty rs well
| ~ misery, for idaring to sympatbile, though
never 80 remotely, with the opinions of SiI
Charles Dixie. His is the first blood shed i'll
behalf of the people. The auti-Republican AS
ISOLATION, composed Of nobemen and gentle
"men," banded together for the purpose of put
ting down democrats, infdels and atheistica
"spirits," morally and physiealIy"-" physically
being italicized in their circular-will do well
to remember that English republicmism has
| now its martyr.