New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-11
THE BRITISH LION DOOMED

If we may trust the promises made by can
didatcs before election, that offensive animal,
the British Lion, has only little more than
twelve months to live. Mr.. William +, Robin
son, of Brooklyn, gentleman who has caused
the Lion much unhappiness and many slcepless
nights during the past year, by the frequent
twisting of his tail, distinctly and positively
promised his constituents in an address just
previous TO the late election that if they
would return him to Congress he would not stop
with the twisting of the tail of the British
Lion, but would "wrinS his neck" Mr. Rob-
insOn is member of the present Congress,
but being in a minority can only give the
tail of the beast an occasional lively turn.
Should he undertake to wTeak upon him the
full vengeance of his cOuntrymen, he would
probably be INSTRUCTED in the enterprise by
Kcifer, or Robson, or KaSson, or some other
of the corrupt minons of dcspotism who are
paid in British gold for keeping Robinson and
Samuel Cox from Staying the Lion. In the
next Congress it will be different. No hostile
Speaker will silence him; no unfayOrabe ma
iority vote down his propositions. That will
be Congress in which attacks upon the
British Lion will be always in order. When
Robinson thrOttles him the House will view 1t
as a question of the highest privilege and
even send Samuel Cox to reinforce him If
there should seem to be danger of his getting
worsted in the encounter.
No doubt the family friends Of the Lion have
been waiting the result of the election with
the greatest anxiety ever since Robinson pro-
claimed his deadly purpose. 1t would not be
surprising if the beast himself had grown WIS.,
IDLY thin during this period of suspense. 1t
was whispered at one time before Robinson's
denomination that British emissaries were at
work in his district, just as Blanes creatures
were in the great Perry BelmOnt's, to defeat him.
But Robinson rose up to the occasion and exposed
the conspiracy, just as Perry did, and the scheme
came TO naught. 1t was on the occasion of the
exposure of this British plot that Robinson made
the proclamation to which reference has
been made, and boldly committed himself to
the engagement to wiring the Lions neck. An
engagement entered into under such circum-
stances cannot be avoided, nor do we have
auy idea that the Brooklyn Congressman
will desire to evade the responsibility OF it,
The slaughter Of the animal has been decreed,
and the voters of Brooklyn who elected Robinson
upon his positive promise to do It count on
nothing in the future as more certain than
tbat the British Lions neck will be wrung
very soon after the opening OF the next Con-
eress. They will wait perhaps for a Speaker
to be elected and the organization of the
House TO be effected but if Immediately after
those preliminaries Robinson does not rise to
question Of the highest privilege, and
thereon proceed Immediately to wiring the
neck of the British Lion, there will be great
disappointment and some disgust in Brooklyn
Robinson did not fix the day nor the hour
for the sacrifice to take place, but his manner
indicated that he intended to make it the first
business of the session, and the voters to
whom he stands committed are in no mood to
tolerate any delay. Immediately after the
organization he is expected to rise and say,
al hear a Ion in the lobby roar"
hut instead of continuing the quotation with
"say, Mr. Speaker, shall we shut the door
And keep him there, shall we let him I'm,
To try if we can turn him out aganP
he will add, "Let page lead him in and
" will be happy to avenge the woes OF my ma
tive land by wrngng his neck in front OF
1.-The Speakers desk" There was no intimaton
in Robinsons speech as to what disposition he
should make of the remains. We presume,
though, that he will wear the hide himself
Esop tells of one of RObinson's kind who
mt lions hide to that use, In that case an
unfortunate misft of the headpiece led to
UNPLEASANT results. Robinson needs to be very
careful about the headpiecc.