Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-03-29

Nothing further occurred until
the meeting was formally opened.
The President of the society arose
and made a few preliminary remarks,
calling attention to the fact that a
delegate from a sister society had
requested hearing from the mem.
bers of the Patriotic League rel.
alive TO the amalgamation of the
two societies. Herr K, the
delegate alluded to, then came for
ward TO the edge of the platform,
or rather the stage, and appealed to
the good sense of his hearers in the
following remarkable speech:
"My Dear FRIENDSHIP gives ME
much pleasure to address you to,
night on a subject which has engag,
ed the attention of your officers and
also that of the society of which !
have the honor TO be member.
For some time past the government
of this country has manifested a
desire to suppress all societies which
have for their object the protection
and political education ofthe masses,
and, with this end in view, has
,'""a"nd onnren which If nnre :sted
IN, will eventually enable it to
succeed. Let us review our present
position and the causes which has
led to it. We are now forced TO
hold all our meetings in secret and
have to take great precautions to
prevent outsiders from becoming
cognizant of our actions. (The in
dividual before mentioned cast a
malicious glance at me.) Why is
this necessary? Because the govern
ment has issued decree making
1t a crime to belong to any political
society, all of which, in its opin-
ion, teach revolutionary doctrines,
which have become 50 popular as
to cause serious alarm. Before this
decree was issued the press was al
lowed to publish the speeches de-
Iivered at our meetings and was our
most able advocate, but since then a
severe censorship has been placed
on it, and in consequence it is no
longer at liberty to propagate our
principles. This is a great evil and
must he counteracted. After long
and thoughtful deliberation on the
part of the leaders of the several
political societies, they have come
to the conclusion that the only pos
sible way to save lis from the de-
structlon, which the government
wishes to effect,is to amalgamatc, or,
in other words, join forces, for Iii
unity lies strength. [ This was
greeted with loud cheers. But YOU
ask, lr7----.-th:s going to benefit us ?
My dear friends, as / said before, in
unity lies strength. Cannot you
draw your own differences from
that? We'll then, it will benefit
you in this way:-by being united
you will have one object in view,
and that object is Here the speaker
bent forward and assumed a mys-
FERROUS air, the overthrow of the
existing government by fair means
If practicable, by fouI, if neces-
sary. One word more. Let me
hope that when this question is sub
mitted to vou,you will come forward
like men and jndorSe it, for l can
assure you on its accomplishment
depends our very existence"
A simultaneous cheer burst from
the large audience when the speak err
had finished, and taking advantage
of the uproar, I made my way
to the street, and was about to turn
in the direction of my hotel, when
| was tapped on the shoulder, and
before | could recover from my sur.
prise, to my horror and Indignation,
a pair of handouts were placed on
my wrists. Fin-ing protest useless,
and judging discretion to be the bet
ter part of valor in this case, went
quietly with the detective-for such
he proved to he-to the police sta.
ton. AS before, | was ushered into
the presence of the Chief Officer of
the Bureau of Enquiry, who recog-
nized me and ordered my release,
but warned me that if | were again
found at one Of these meetings the
law would be allowed TO take its
course. TRANsITVs.
Island Pond, March %, 1899.
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