The Labor enquirer., 1888-04-07
The People Shut Cut Of
Even the Public
Squares. IL.
TO Be STORMED.
How the Drunken "Six Hundred
Scoundrels" in Parliament Treat
the Peoples Representatives..

ADVANCED thinkers ana lovers
of liberty in England have not
had much reason to rejoice in the
results of a legal and constitu-
tional vindication of their wrongs.
We all know how their ap-
peal to law courts ended in
the conviction of o,lr two
comrades. Burns and Graham.
for unlawful assembly," which
heinous offence was punished by
six weeks imprisonment. Now
our comrades have served their
sentence and are free once
more, we have received another
"crusher." Our legal and consti-
tutional friends, the Liberal and
radical memb ers for London and
elswhere who are thoroughly i'm
bued with a holy horror of force.
insisted upon carrying the ques-
tion of Trafalgar square into the
house of commons. They toldus
that we must not fight our battle
in the streets, it would be wicked
and unconstitutional so to do. We
must trust our honored represent
atives and they would do the busi-
ness for us" We did and they
have done it. The middle class
house of commons has rejected
their honorable petition for an
inquiry into the rights of public
meeting by majority of ninety
two. Mr.. Bradlaugh's amendment
for another inquiry into the con-
duct of our admirable police" on
the eighteenth of November was
thrown out by a still more crushing
majority of one hundred and
fifteen. These efforts of these
well-meaning friends of ours have
resulted in the absolution of police
and in the confirmation of the
edict of our new dictator. Bye
the-bye, there is good story told
about these representatives of
ours, the liberal members of
London. They were asked at
political meeting by constituent
of an inquir!ng turn of mind,
What they were doing while the
police were running a muck
among men who returned them to
parliament7" One gentleman, a
laborer, M. P, who occasionally
oficiates as bootblack for the
Sir Thomas Brassey,
replied: That for his part he had
conscientious scruples concerning
Sunday demonstrations and that
was the reason he did not head
one of the columns in the march
to Trafalgar square. The other M.
P. said: That though we had seen
nothing of them, yet they assured
us they had not been idle for they
had frequent communication dur
ing that period of danger and
difficulty.
The London democracy have
now received the benefits of the
consultations" of their M. P.'s;
direct slap in the face from a Tory
parliament, which they may enjoy
with what appetite they will.
While the debate was in full
progress we were furnished with
beautiful example of culture and
good manners of the young gen.
tlemen" who sit on the Tory
bench. 1t is the custom of those
young sparks to come down to
the house of commons in a half
drunken state and while there to
have little fun" by continually
interrupttng any Irish or advanced
members attempts to speak. On
the night on which the debate
concluded they had some sport.
Among the speakers was Mr..
Cunninghame Graham, and when
he began his speech all who were
present noticed that he was not in
a fit condition for the task before
him. In addition to the batoning
in the square some more than Or
dinarily Jealous policeman-who-
has no doubt been promoted by
this time-had kicked Graham in