New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-10-16
Bradlaugh's Lecture.
The Republican novem- mt I'm EngIs .d--it,
Reality, Legality, -nd U'ii'y.

The Republican novem- mt In EngI s.d--tt,
Realty, Legality, -nd Utiiny.
The following is from the New York
World's report OF the first lecture delivered
in this country by Charles Bradlau.h, the
distinguished English republican orator:
Charles Bradlaugh, the distinguished Eng
fish republican oratoS, addressed last night
for the first time an American audience at
Steinway Hall. His audience, besides being
American i'll the wider acceptation at the
term, was Enthusiastically American in the
varied element. of society it represented and
the average intelligence and appreciation
which pervaded it. Apparently there were
very few present attracted by idle curiosity.
\ genuine spirit OF earnest sympathy or hon
est inquiry had evidently brought together
the hundreds which filled the hall, and 50 tar
as thoughtful attention and warm applause
may serve ID crafty a man whose purposes
AMI eloquence have long commanded these
tributes, Mr.. Bradlaugh can but be gratilied
by his reception last evening. The lecturer
arrived at the hall nearly half an hour before
the time announced for the lectures begin
ming. During the intervening time he re-
manned in the small committec-roOm adjoin-
ing the stage, where a number of persons
were presented to him, with whom he en-
gagged in conversation freely, and 20 whose
varied questions he replied with easy self.
possession. At O'Clock Mr.. Bradlaugh ap-
peareI upon the platform, and when intro
duced to the audience he was received with
a warmth that bespoke unusual interest. In
personal appearance Mr.. Bradlaugh is thor
oughly un-English judged by the typical
Britons with whom Americans are prone to
compare his countrymen. He is tall large.
boned and powerful. His head is massive
and well set upon broad shoulders and full
developed chest. His eye is clear and pierre
ing; his voice deep-toned and thrilling with
power and passion his manner less graceful
than thoroughly vigorous, and his expression
kindly yet full of strong purpose. All these
give him that appearance OF superiority and
force SO necessary to the popular orator. On
rising t. speak Mr.. Bradlaugh was again
warmly applauded, and at once entered upon
his subject, which he announced as The
Republican Movement in England" He
said he should attempt to show during his
address, first, 1.-The reality" of his subject
second, its legality" Il irdly, its utility"
address Americans upon it.
In my own country" said the LECTURER,
" | am in the habit Of addressing alr audi
ences as my friends This is right which
| have not yet earned i'll my brief intercourse
with the people of this nation, though it is
possible that may attain it before my re-
turn, should find the sympathy here which
my reception and experience thus far leads
me to anticipate and earnestly desire. |
come here to plead for those who have no
mouth piece in this land, and it is the desire
of enlisting your sympathies in their behalf
that forms my excuse for presenting to you
views with which | should not otherwise bur
den your attention"
Mr.. Bradlaugh alluded to the persistence
with which the English press as well as some
of the American journals had misrepresented
his position and jeered at his political views.
"appear to be better informed on this sub
ject than your English edited journals
Whether this be because of the Latural OBJ
tuseness Of my cOuntrymen or not | cannot
pretend to say, but the journal in this city
which has thus far the most thoroughly mis-
represented these views is, il | am correctly
ioformed, edited by an English gentleman
whose London experience ought to have
taught him quite differently" Mr.. Brad
laugh established the reality of the Republi-
can movement in England by series OF ar
guments, in which he alluded to the forlna
ton throughout England, Scotland and Wales
of Republican clubs, whose meetings, once
secret, are now held openly, and tho increase
of the movement. Even the press now re-
cognizes this element which il has 50 lon.
affected to ignoIe-rcco.niZcsi it by their per
sistent opposition in some instances, but yet
in reality. Even the London Times admit, its
existence, and boldly defends the right of the
people to hold public meetings. This move
ment has frequently been coniOunded with
Communism, but Mr.. BradIaugh denied its
similarity with that effort. 1t is not a COM
munistic movement" said he "because while
we desire the fullest union, we are practical,
and know that we cannot play chess with
pieces not on the board, and in this political
game Of chess We have not To deal with the
proper elements for communism. Neither is
it an International movement, though We
have no quarrel with internationalism, and
simply doubt the practicability of carrying
out perfect fitting political garb for all the
nations. In one place it is question Of land,
in another Of labor, and in another of politi
cal rights. This movement is, then, not a
communist one, though it encourages coop
Grafton and individual effort nor is it an in
ternational one, though it encourages inter
national peace and alliance. 1t sympathizes
with and learns from the struggles Of other
people, but does not pretend to tit its pOliti-
cal aspirations to all other nations
Passing to the question of the legality Of
this republican movement IN England ana
the charge of nconstitutionality brought
against it there, Mr.. Bradlaugh placed him
self fairly upon the broad assertion that Eng
land could not be properly said 10 possess
any constitution other than an unwritttn
and traditionary one, upon which no statute
could infringe, since each successive act Of
statute law became engrafted upon this CON
stitution as part of itself. He a, positively
denied that Englands monarch was an hered-
itary one since the King sits on his throne
only by the elective will Of Parliament and
not by any Law of direct descent. He rapidly
alluded to the several occasions on which
the claim of loyal descent and divine right
had been set aside by Parliamentary enact
ments, the effect Of which had been 10 raise
10 the throne others than those entitled to
it by hereditary right. Ofthe thirty-six SOW
ereigns who, since the days Of William the
COnquerer had regned in Great Britain, six
teen only had assembled the throne by divine
hereditary right, the Others having been
elected By the will of Parliaments more or
less fully expressed by votes. The lecturer,
now thoroughly wrapped up in the develop
ment Of his subject and entirely in sympathy
with his audience, boldly attacked the theory
Of divine right, and with all the power Of his
far reaching voice and all the vehemence Of
earnest oratory, denounced il az absurd, and
proclaimed the existence of that divine right
only which had animated Cromwell and
greater still-a Washington-the divine right
of genius and truth. There can be no he