Iron County register., 1882-03-23
The Disturbance at the Time Brad.
laugh Took the Oath.


The following details are published con-
cerning the late Bradlaugh incident in the
British House of Commons:
While the result of the division on Mr.
Labouchere's motion was being made known
Mr.. Bradlaugh rose from the seat which he
occupied on the cross bench below the bar
and advanced rapidly to the table. In a mo-
ment all eyes were turned upon him. The
house, taken completely by surprise, expected
that he would address them Instead, he
dipped his right hand suddenly into the left
breast pocket of his frock coat, pulled out a
small, dark, shiny octave volume with red
edges, which he transferred to his disengaged
hand, made second dive and brought forth
piece of paper made third dive and drew
from his waistcoat pocket stump of pencil,
and amid eXclamatons of astonishment, not
unmingled with gcoans of derison, 'gabbled"
through form of words, inaudible above the
din OF dissent, kissed the little book, tossed it
behind the crown of the mace and held up the
piece Of paper in the direction of the chair,
at the same time calling out, in an excited
though triumphant voice: Il tender that
as the oath, which I have taken accord
ing to law,'' and just as the clerk reached
the corner where he stood deposited it besde
of contempt and aversion, but the prevailing
sentiment seemed to be one of unbridled
mirth. The very daring of the act evoked
peal upon peal of laughter. Then the Speak
er arose in his place and called upon Mr..
BradIaugh to withdraw below the bar.
Nothing loath, that person only stayed to re-
mark that he would obey, but that, having
taken the oath, he would now take his seat.
Thereupon he backed toward the door,
bowed low to the Chair, and presently facing
about ran up the steps of the gangway
which divides that part of the chamber from
the cross-benches, and dropped into a vacant
seat within the body of the House. Cries OF
"Order! order!'' rose from the opposition,
but the Government and their supporters
remained imperturbable. Mr.. Speaker, how
ever was not to be trifed with. 1.-THE hon
orablc member" said Sir Henry Brand in
accents of offended authority, has not car
ried out my instruct ons, which were that he
should withdraw below the bar.'
Mr.. Bradlaugh, no longer disconnected, re
Piled as it seemed somewhat rudely: 81 did
obey your instructions and went below the
bar, and have now taken my seat in pursuance
of law, having taken the oath prescribed by
law.'' Supported by shouts of "Shame!
Shame!' the Speaker as instantly resented
the unaccustomed rudeness, and insisted that
Mr.. BradIaugh should go below the bar and
remain there, which he accordingly did. On
question Of privilege Lord Randolph
Churchill, asked the House to affirm that the
seat for Northampton was vacant, as if Mr..
Bradlaugh were dead.'' Sir Henry James,
on the other hand, suggested more cautious
procedure. As the case now stood it should,
he thought, be settled in court of law, an
oh r f,1Ix~
cured. Not so Lord Randolph Churchill.
How, he inquired, were they to know that
Mr.. Brad1aughs book was a New Testa-
ment and not copy of the ''Fruits of Phi
losophy!" 1t was insanity on his part to
suppose that such pretense of complying
with most sacred and solemn form would
be accepted in that place. It was deliberate
insult to the House. Matters had by this
time come to such pass that Mr.. Gladstone
found it advisable to interpose. He suggested
that the question was one for calm delibera-
ton and unimpassioned discussion and pro-
posed the adjournment of the debate. Dr.
LYONS reiterated the charge of scandal and
outrage, and proposed as an amendment to
the Premer's motion: THAT Charles Brad
laugh, in rendering himself to take an oath
which he declared to have no binding effect
upon his conscience, is guilty of profana-
ton, that he hereby is declared incapable Of
sitting in this Parliament, and that he be
forthwith discharged from further attend
ance.' Between the making of Dr. Lyons
motion aud the temperate speech OF Sir Stat
ford Northcote, counseling moderation and
calling on the Government to take some step
to viudicate the ''outragc inflicted on the
dignity of the House, Lord Randolph
Churchill wal l1ed UP to the table, whence he
removed the piece Of paper from which Mr.
Bradlaugh had read the words of che Data
Returning to his place he examined the docu-
ment, and atterwarl it was passed from hand
to hand for inspection until it reached Mr..
James Lowther, who flung it back upon the
table. Meanwhile Mr.. Gladstone took pos
session of Mr.. Bradaugh's little book, which
proved to be not what the member from
Woodstock had suggested but copy of the
''Revsed Version" In spite of Mr. O'Don-
nell's counsel that neither 'the book" nor
''the piece of paper should be taken pos
session of by the responsible officer of the
House, lest some further legal quib BILE should
arise Mr. Bradlaugh's Revised Version did,
as matter Of fact, mysteriously disappear
from its conspicuous position near the mace
The motion for the adjournment of the de-
bate was agreed to- and the incident ter
minated.