Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-19
CORRESPONDENCE


The Lincoln Lecture Association
has opened its course for the win
ter, and tho great Charles Brad
laugh has come and gone. On the
evening of the 18th inst. he adj.
dressed a large audience in the OPP.
era house, aud was received with
enthusiasm. Without any prelimi-
naries on the part Of any one, Brad.
laugh dashed out upon the platform,
and, with several quick chances
over the room, seated himself be-
hind the speakers stand. In man.
ner he was more bold than digni.
fed, and if he lacked grace, it was
more than compensated for by the
life and animation that accompa-
MED every look, every movement,
| and that filled every feature of this
great and winning orator. Brad
laugh is man of forty years, over
medium in size, with large head,
piercing blue eyes, and heavy
mouth and chin. In short, he is
just such q speaker as to come like
a thunderbolt upon an audience, and
to hold them spell-bound by the
power and eloquence of his utter
ences. When speaking in a low
tone, his voice has mellowness
peculiarly it's own, and is smooth
and pleasing, his delivery being
marred, however, by his inability
to articulate the letter "h." Stand
ing before the audience on last
Thursday evening, with his proud,
manly frame erect, and his mas
sivc head thrown back, his face lit
up with animation, and his eyes
flashing with the earnestness and
enthusiasm of his heart, be looked
the picture Of true manhood, while
his power rs an orator seemed alb
solute. 1t is SO seldom that lee
turer Of Mr. Bradlaugh's rank APP
pears in towns and cities on the
frontier, and when he does come he
is almost worshipped. Lincoln was
rot slow to appreciate him, and
manifested the same by rendering
him a most cordial reception. When
the train that brought him to the
city arrived, posters were circula-
ted throughout the city, announcing
in the largest type "Bradlaugh is
here" ''The Republican Movement
in England" this was the subject
Of his lecture. He began by sta
ting the names that connected him
with this movement, and So elo-
qucntly painted the sad and pitiful
scenes of poverty among the poorer
classes of England, as to almost
bring tears to the eyes Of his list
eners. This suffering and misery
among England's poor, chiefly the
result of British tyrrany, manifests
itself in more forms than one. Glad
stone had said there was q large
class Of aristocracy who subsisted
off the effects of the poor, and in
taking from them property for
which they received no compensa-
ton. The public press and those
in high official relations, instead of
condcming the wrong, openly sup
press the fact or gently as possible,
and pass it by. This is one of the
chief evils Of British rule, and is
one Of multitude he wishes to re-
place with the blessings of a repub-
lie. The debt of England also has
been increasing ever since the reign
Of King George the first. Now the
national debt is over $500, 100000.
Another evil which goes to swell this
Indebtedness is taxing the people
for the support of some near rela-
tives of the family in power, and if
not by taxing, then by direct sup
port from the government. Since
his arrival in America, he had been
told by the New York Times that
should be loyal to his government,
and this duty was also urged by the
Boston 1docrtiser. Then by
close review, phrased in cutting
irony, he exposed the corruption
and oppressive measures that char
acterized the reign Of the success
sive families of the house of Bruins.
wick, and especially the present
one, and then pertinently asks if he
should be loyal to such hypocrites
and tyrants. His denunciation of
them was a sweeping one. His OBJ
ject in lecturing in this country is
to familiarize Americans with the
unhappy lot of the poor of his coun-
try, and to make direct appeal to
them for support as far as their in
fluence extends. He also closely
observes and makes 4 practical
study of the workings of our Re
public, that he might still moro eff
iectively labor in his chosen field.
Not only this, but he desired to re-
turn to England, bearing with him
the rich message of Americas SYM
pathy for the millions of unhappy
ones for whom he labored, and who
watched with eagerncss for his re-
turn.
Charles Bradlaugh is represen-
tative of the poorer classes of Eng
land, for whom he speaks, having
been born humble, and his first OPP
position to his country began when
England undertook to suppress
open air meetings, held in the in
teres of the Chartists. Mr.. Brad
laugh took an active part in these
meetings. and finally came out de-
votedly against the government. In
his early manhood he wrote some
dangerous articles, and for this he
was compelled to pay the govern
mcnt $500. He afterwards started
paper of his own, with the motto,
'Published in spite Of Her Majesty"
This ought him prominently be-
fore the public, and he finally be-
came recognized as one Of the gov
ernment's most bitter antagonists.
Such is faint glance Of Charles
Bradlaugh, the agitator and Repub-
lican Of England. J. w. 5.
----rx--.-.-.....---...-r.
THE following good thing is told
of that incarnation of effirontery,
Ben Butler of Massachusetts: