The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-17
CROMWELL AND WASHINGTON.
Brilliant Lecture by Chafles Brad
laugh, in Darts Hall

Brilliant Lecture by CHARLES Brad
laugh. in Darts Hall
Charles Bradlaugh, the English republi-
can leader, arrived at the Harper House,
at o'clock last evening. and found there
a depatation Of young gentlemen of
the Rock Island Athletic Club in waiting
for. him. In an hour he was ready for his
engagement.
The audience was select one, very APP |
preciative, and made up of the most cult
waited people Of the region. Moline was
pretty well represented. Quite number
were here from Milan: several sleigh loads
from Coal Valley, land from other points in
the country.
Ats o'clock Mr.. Lucien Adams, presi-
dent of the club, introduced the lecturer,
who was received with marked applause.
Mr.. Bradlaugh's personnel marks him as
an extraordinary man. His age is AZ. In
height he is full six feet, solid, square,
English build, sinewy and remarkably
active, face large and smooth shaver,
head round and full, forehead high and
broad. hair light brown and rather thin, eyes
of blue gray color, and voice Of wonderful
compass, power and sweetness-an orator
to sway world. He was dressed in
rather long black frock coat, and a hand
some suit of plain black.
+ Abiding to the title of his lecture he
said he placed Cromwell first in the order
of speaking as being the more ancient.
He began by describing the attempt OF
Charles Stuart to levy ship-money, and. de-
scribed the resistance of the people to tax.
alton by an assembly IN which the people
taxed we're not represented. Cromwell
contrary to the received beliefof the mass
les, was a royalist by birth, a royalist by
education, and royalist by principle. He
entered parliament-th third one called
by Charles with very moderate views,
and it was not until that monarch became
madly arbitrary that he assumed leading
attitude, swelled to his full proportions be-
fore the English nation. and exclaimed,
abiding to the crown, Take that bauble
, hence!" .-..
: One leading characteristic of Cromwell
, was that he always kept his good sword
tightly girded to his hips. He was, il
every sense, a thorough man. The pusil-
lanimity of Charles Stuart gave way
e before him. Oliver Cromwell became thu
: state, and Charles fell upon the scaffold
But, although the King fell, England has
. by no means Republic. The rule o
Cromwell was as great despotism a
+ Britain ever endured, but, for all that. i
was government of the English people
Mr.. Rradlaugh did not defend regicide
>. because he did not believe in capital pun
ishment. He had faith in Bulwer's aph
= orism: 1.-THE worst use to which yo1
). can put man is to hang him." Charlie
N was beheaded, the monarchy was over
l. thrown, and Cromwell was offered tn
=, Crown. He had the good sense, althoug
a monarchist, to reject the dangerous hor
t. or. Well he knew that the regime coul
ID only last his own days, and that, by h
y acceptance. the liberties of England woul
be permanently endangered by the fa
tons which new dynasty would be SUI
Il, to create. The troublous times of Charl'
ne I. s; his absurd and despotic quarrel wit
the parliament, all the kingly folly TIL
as led to his final extinction upon the sea
in fold, where he died with heroic courag
or were admirably pictured. Of Cromwe
lis no bitter word was spoken, for, evidentl
lie the great Englishman of to-day regart
ne with patriotic reverence the great Englis
S 800 man of the past, In England, Cromwt
rn was on the right-the people's-side
lily the quarrel, but Mr.. Bradlaugh, wi
ed great judgment, refrained from referrir
,h to divers career in Scotland and in Ir
land-oyer which countries, according
at the words of gifted historian, ''he mov'
ng like destructive storm"
' af In England, Cromwell was the swo
of and the shield of state. He scourge
ck the Dutch, humbled the French, al
lily brought the naughty Spaniards to the
knees. When he fell, England SUI
IN along with him, until her native ener
NJ led her to new triumph under the s,
erss 1dier-Prince of Orange.
30 The lecturer next turned to Washin
be ton, whom he hkcned to Cromwell in /
ID ing royalist by birth, education, and
stinct. Like Cromwell, Washington d
III not make the movement of the revolutio
it made him. Like Oliver, he, te
rp. always kept his trusty sword girt to his hi
gy The quarrel with England was discuss
with ability. 1t all, said Mr.. Bradlaug
arose from geographical mistake. Lo
North and George III, imagined til
ks America was part of Britain, not di
ded by an immense ocean, IF North h
OIL collected his tea tax it would not ha
amounted to, f300. The Americans {
not object to be taxed, but they object
IS. to be taxed by Parliament in which th
had no representation. That was perfe,
e'' ly right. No people ought to submit
& such an imposition. Well. to collect tn
i, f3Oo Lord North and George III. had
expend ESQ. 900, and then they d
Z not collect it. Laughter aud applause
nd Now. given $500, to start upon, and a
hitting that it took el5O,OO0,0OO to collie
the same, how many millions would it take
los collect a tax of el5O,OOO,0O0.? Chez
i'd and laughter. In point of princir