The New York herald., 1879-11-15
MR.. LABOUCHERE's CLUB.
TRUTHS" DOUGHTY CHAMPION EXPELLED
FROM THE ''BEEFsTEAK"-THE NECESSARY
VOTE BARELY obTAINED-A SPIRITED DE-
FENCE.

FROM THE ''BEEFsTEAK"-THE NECESSARY
VOTE BARELY obrAINED-A SPIRITED DE-
FENCE.
CBY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, Nov. IA, 1870.
A meeting of the Beefsteak Club was held at
five o'clock this afternoon to consider O res
olution "that Mr.. Henry Labouchere be hereby
expelled" Mr.. Lawson had already acceded to
the committees request to resign. Mr.. Labou-
chere determined to resist the action Of the
club and yesterday he issued o circular in self
defence, and addressed it to every MEMBER in
which he detailed the circumstances of the
fcud. In this document he says that the Daily
Telegraph was exercising pernicious influence
on public opinion, and for that reason
he had determined to explain to the public
who and what the Lawsons were. Judging
from the letters received by him daily he
was convinced that the exposure merited the
good opinion of the country. Labouchere ac-
cuses Lawson of first introducing the sub
ject in the club by saying there, after
the fracas, al have thrashed you outside"
He further accuses Lawson of circulating ac-
counts of the fracas among his friends. lie
says that when the slip was issued from the
office of the Daily Telegraph, giving an ac-
count of the row (which was printed in the
HERALD and the Manchester Guardian) he i'm
mediatey called the attention of the club to
Lawson's conduct. The secretary had re-
Piled that the committee would con-
slider the matter, and informed him LA
bouchere) that he must not in the
meantime publish personal attack on any
member of the club. Labouchere, failing to vim
dicate himself by the ordeal of the duel, de-
cned to comply with the request and pub
lished the alleged libellous letter in Truth The
club subsequently, notified him of the resolution
passed, asking him, ut the same time with Mr.
Lawson, to resign.
LABoUCuERE DOES NOT SEE 1T.
Mr.. Labouchorc was unaware in what way he
had violated the rules Of the club, and respect
fully but firmly declined to resign The circu-
lar concudes:--"Should you be of the opinion
that l ain guilty OF such gross violation
of the rules Of the club as to merit expu-
sion, or that l rendered myself unfit for
the society of gentlemen by acting, under
exceptionally difficult circumstances, as 1 CON
ccived that gentleman ought to have acted,
then you viii be right in registering your vote
in favor of the resolution. Expulsion from
club, l need hardly observe, is not
decided by likes or dislikes. 1t is u
reflection upon the person expelled. 1t
is only legitimate when the grounds for IL are so
cogcnt that it Is almost more than justifablc"
The meeting to-day was large. 1t was held in
the rather crampcd rooms of the club, which
were crowded with most Of the distinguished
literary men, journalists, actors and barristcrs
of which London boasts The people were
much excited. Previous to the meeting
Labouchere had q small, determined band of
friends, doing the best they could for his
interests, but the general feeling was in favor
of his expulsion. The Chairman explained the
object of the meeting. Labouchers spoke half
an hour in self-dcfcnce ably and vigorously,
maintaining that he had not violated the rules