St. Landry democrat., 1882-03-25
How BradIaugh Took the Gath.

The following details are published con.
corning the late Bradaugh incident in the
British House Of Commons:
! While the result of the division on Mr.
| IabOuchcre's motion was being made known
Mr.. BrJd!augh rose from the seat which he
| occupied on the crosS-heuch below the bar
and advanced rapidly to the table. In mo-
mcnt all eyes turned upon him The
house, taken conn letely by sur rise expected
| that he would address them. Instead, he
dipped his right hand su ldealy into the left
breast pocket of his frock coat, pulled ont a
| small. dark, shiny octave volume, with red
! edges, which he transferred to his discnraecI
! hand, made 4 second dive and brought forth
! piece of paper, made third dive and drew
| from his waistcoat pocket stump of pencil
| and amid ordinations of astonishment not
| unmingled with groans Of derison, "gabbled''
| through a form Of words :nalltiiblc above the
din OF dissent, kissed the little book tossed il
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 l have taken accord
ing to law,' and just as the clerk reached
the corner where he stood deposited it beside
the book. There were some manifestations
of contempt and aversion, but the prevailing
sentiment seemed to be one of unbridled
Tirth. The very daring of the act evoked
peal upon peal of laughter. Then the Speak
cr arose i'll 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 thai, 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 gangwav
which divides that part of the chamber from
the cross-benches, and dropped into vacant
seat within the body of the House. Cries of
''Ordcr. ordern' rose from the opposition
but the Government and their supporters
remained imperturbable Mr.. Speaker, how
ever, was not to be tritled with ''rhe hon
orable MEMBER said Sir Henry Brand in
accents OF offended authority, has not car
RED out my instruct ons, which were that lie
should Withdraw below the barr
Mr. Bradlaugh. no longer disconnected, re-
piled, as it seemed somewhat rudely; Il 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.. Bradlaugh should go below the bar and
remain there, which he accordingly did. On
a question of privilege Lord Randolph
Churchill, asked the House to affirm that the
seat for Northampton was vacant, as if Mr.
Bradaugh "were dead" Sir Henry James,
on the other hand suggested a more cautions
procedure. AS the case now stood it should,
he thought, be settled in court of law, an
opinion in which Mr.. Labouchere fully CON
cured. Not SO Lord Randolph Churchill.
How, he inquired, were they to know that
Mr.. Bradaughs book was a New Tesla
nent and not a copy of the Fruits of Phi
osophy!" 1t was insanity on his part to.
suppose that such pretense of complying
With most sacred and solemn form would
De accepted in that place. 1t was a deliberate
INSULT to the House. Matters had by this
lime come to such pass that Mr. Gladstone
ound it advisable to interpose. He suggested
hat the question was one for calm delibera-
ion and unimpassioned discussion and pro-
'osed the adjournment of the debate. DR..
4yons reiterated the charge of scandal and
outrage, and proposed as an amendment to.
he Premier's motion: 'That Charles Brad
augh in rendering himself to take an oath
pon his conscience, is guilty of profana-
ion, that he hereby is declared incapable of
lifting in this Parliament, and that he be
orthwith discharged from further attend-
lnce." Between the making OF Dr. LYONS
notion and the temperate speech of Sir Stat
ord Northcotc, counseling moderation and
alling on the Government to take some step
o vindicate the 'outrage inflicted on the
lightly of the House." Lord Randolph
Churchill walked up to the table, whemce he
emoved the piece of paper from which Mr.
'radlaugh had read the words of the OATH
returning to his place he examined the tiocu-
lent and afterward it was passed from hand
0 hand for inspection until it Hached Mr.
ames Lowther, who flung it back upon the
able. Meanwhile Mr.. Gladstone took pos
ession of Mr.. Bradlaugh's little book, which
roved to be not what the member from
Woodstock had suggested, but copy of the
Revised Version.' In spite of Mr. O'Don--
ellis counsel that neither 'the book nor
the piece of paper'' should be taken pos
esson of by the responsible officers of the
louise, lest some further legal bubble shdeld
RISE Mr.. Bradlaughs Revised Version' did,
matter OF fact, rysterously disappear
rom its conspicuous position near the mace
he motion for the adjournment of the de-
ate was agreed to, and the incident ter
linated.