Huntsville gazette., 1888-03-24
HUNTSVILLE, ALA, SATURDAY, MARCH "a, 1888.
STILL RAMPANT.

STILL RAMPANT.
Anarchy Stin Smouldering and fostering
In Chicago Ready to Break Out on Oc-
casion-Incendiary Utterances at a Cele-
bration of the Birth of the Commune in
France-A Blathe RS kite that Needs Sup
pressing.
CHICAGO, March 2O-'I am an Anarch-
ist, let them strangle me if they dare -
shouted Albert Curlin, the Anarchist ed
itor, to the crowd assembled in North
Side ball last evening. Anarchy was hav-
ing a holiday, with no attempt at con-
cealu mt 1t was the seventeenth ami
versery of the French Commune and the
"Reds" held an indoor picnic. The Central
Labor Union assumed the responsibilities
Of the affair and arranged the programme
which was termed Commune festival".
There were fully fifteen hun
dred persons present, including all
the prominent Anarchists in the city and
the relatives of some Of the men executed
last November. The red banner Of the
Central Labor Union fluttered at the en-
trance to the hall. At each side of the
stage were pedes tails draped in blood-red
bunting and bearing a card inscribed
November II, 1SS7''. These bore the
busts of August Spies and Louis Lingg.
Each head was encrcled with a wreath
of myrtle, a sash of the same sombsr
leaves entwined with red ribbon being
knotted diagonally across the breast.
Later in the eve ing life-size bust oil
paintings of Spies, Parsons, Lingg and
Fischer were in turn displayed upon the
stage and received with transports Of de-
light.
After long programme Of songs and
recitations, the festival address" was
announced, and its deliverer, Curlin, was
received with tremendous cheering. Cur
lin spoke in German for over half an hour
in most impas ssioned manner. The sub
stance of his remarks was as follows:
''Vive la Communei Aye, vive la Com
mune! This glorious sentence thundered
upon the ears Of the tyrants and money
grabbers of seventeen years ago. The
world tire embled at the sound The thieves
OF the bourse, the pulpit and the press
shook like autumn leaves in a high wind"
Curtin then gave what he said was an
account Of the events of the Commune
how the French and Prussian tyrants
combined to crush out "the patriot prole-
tariats", and how, at the fall, workmen,
their wives and children, to the number
of at least eighty thousand, were slaugh-
tered.
'This orgie of blood Finished" he con.
tinued, Show the money bag aristocrats
and the priests shook with laug hter How
they boasted of the downfall of the sup
,orter of the whole social system Did
they laugh with reason? Did they kill
Anarchy .s the stamping out of The Com
mune?v
"No, mol" and ironical laughter from
all parts of the hall
"No, indeed" thundered Curlin. San
archy and Socialism have marched right
onward. Our principles are abroad in the
world, and are undying. They can not be
stamped out"
The orator then reverted to the trial
and execution of the Chicago Anarchists,
and worked his auditors into a
white heat. fWhat say you, you
citizens of this glorious Republic, to
the murder of your brethren? Are we
cowed? Have they spread terror in our
ranks? Do we kiss the hand that she'd the
best blood among us? Do we grovel be-
fore those who have placed our cham
pions beneath the cold sod or behind iron
bars? Are there no longer Anarch SITS in
CllCdRO! lHoT6 Is Oub-l dul Ill All
archist. Let them strangle me if they
dare (applause and shouts lasting nearly
two mnutes), and I am not the only one.
We live and will live to act as becomes
us. The combat between barbarity and
Justice is not ended. Past events were
needed to strengthen us for the struggle
There has been too much wind in our ag-
tation. Too much merry making. We
have talked and danced while our op-
pressors have worked and staid up nights
to find means for our continued enslave-
ment. The fruition of their labor has
been the erection of five gallows-trees and
the hireling press laughs and tries to per-
suade them that they have reached the
end"
Curlln then spoke of the conspiracy
laws enacted by the last Leg stature of
Illinois, and said: "The man who would
obey or allow himself to bs cowed by
such bastard laws is a coward and a pol
troon". He closed with a strong appeal
for renewed action and urion among the
radical host. 1.-THE time has come when
we must range ourselves in serried ranks;
no beating about the bush. If we are An
archists, let US avow it to the world. Our
martyrs live in our midst. Long live An
archyi Long live Socialism, Vive la
Commune"l
Tremendous applause and excitement