New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-04
THE BRADLAUGH CONTROVERSY.

THE BRADLAUGH CONTROVERSY.
Charles Bradaugh's enemies have surfeited
his appetite for notoricty. The Affirmation
bill, which was intended to admit him to the
House OF Commons, has just been de-
featcd Thrice returned for Northampton,
a borough having the same right TO be repre-
scented in Westminster which the remaining
G5l constituencies enjoy, Mr.. Brsdlaugh has
been deprived of his seat and Systematically
prosecuted until he is now a conspicuous figure
before the country. At the outset he expressed
his contempt of the Parliamentary oath as
having no binding force upon his conscience,
and was allowed to take the affirmation, and To
vote at his own risk, so far as legal penalties
were concerned, pending q decision OF the
courts respecting the validity OF aiilrma-
ton. When that decision proved uniavoraole'
he offered to take the usual oath and pro-
fessed that he could do so conscientiously.
The Conservatives, with the aid of q Liberal
faction refused to allow him to decide this
matter of conscience for himself, and when he
forced his way into the House and admin
istered the cath to himself through audacity
and stealth, they expelled him from his scat.
Private members sought to exhaust his scanty
Gus litgations, by which he should be
adjudged q bankrupt. One member brought
an action in the Criminal Court by which he
was menaced with imprisonment; another
sought to make him responsible for blasphe-
nous lbels which he had neither written nor
published and another pr0tracted litigation has
finally been disposed of by the House OF Lords
and the decision rendered that he Is liable On
heavy penalties for having voted without taking
the oath of allegiance, but that the Crown alone
has the power to prosecute him. These Parma
mentary votes and law proceedings have not
affected the main question at issue. Northamp-
ton. which has elected him three times In as
many years, is entitled to representation, and
if the Commons will not allow him to take the
usual oath, 1t ought to seat him in some other
way, and 10 exempt him from the heavy pen
altes which he would incur by voting after
affirmation
WHY is il that political mission has been
thrust upon Mr. Bradlaugh. the atheist, while
other representatives, who are known to be
without religious belief, have been suffered to
take the oath in silence and without remon-
strancef When Mr.. John Morley appeared a
few weeks ago for Newcastle-on-Tync, no OBJ
although he has never made any secret of his
| religious unbelef Why has Mr.. Bradlaugh
been singled out for prosecution and expnl-
sion, when in the Commons there arc known
TO DO many pronounced atheists. who attach
no importance to the theistic Oathf There
| are two reasons, one personal and the other
political. The personal reason is that the
member for Northampton is dislikcd and dis
trusted on other grounds than the unseemly
and ostentatious display he has made of his
atheism. BY other classes OF writings than
those bearing on religious questions, he
has contrved to bring himself into social dis
repute; and in conducting his various contro-
| versics he has not hcsitited to collect crowds
abnut him and to resort to the arts of q political
agtator. These personal offences against So
cial ethics and the readiness with which he en-
ploys democratic agencies in appealing to
English working people have tended to excite
the hostility of his enemies in the Commons
But political considerations outweigh personal
prejudice. The Conservatives have perceived
the advantage which they derive from this
question. and consequently have sought tn
keep it open and to prevent final settlement.
1t has enabled them to harlss the Govern
! ment by obtaining momentary control of the
Honse whenever the Bradlaugh case was dis
cussed, and to denOunce the Liberals in ad-
dresses to their constituencies as enemies of
religion who openly associate with political
leper. 1t has been a melancholy display of
malignant and INSCRIPTIONS partisanship, and
apparently it is TO be prolonged until the
general elections. Even if Mr.. Gladstone, by
his personal authority and oratorical triumph
had succeeded in forcing the Affirmation bill
through the Commons, the Lords would have
thrown it out.
Il is singular political situation which has
| compelled MIR. Gladstone to enter the lists as
the champion of man whose personal char
acter is 50 repugnant to his own deep relig-
ious nature. Probably there is no other mem
Der of the House who regards Mr.. Brad
laughs atheistic opinions and breaches
of social decorum with feelings of such
utter detestaion as he who has spoken
most eoquenty in behalf of Northamp-
toms jnalienablc right to representation on
that floor. The weakened Liberals, who out
of regard for the religious prejudices of GER
| tain sections of their constituencies had not
the courage to vote with the Premier
heretofore, have deserted him again. Mr..
Gladstone has proposed the only rational and
effective way In which the member for North
| ampton can be seated, and the Commons, 10y q
1 .n.aiI ,,aiorifv hava reiected the measIre