Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-11-14

novels; and there he was with a white
choker big enough for a sheet, and with a
pair of understandings which bore such a
marx OF genuineness that, as an American
with southern attachments, we were made
home-sick by looking at them. Dear.
good old soul, he could only tell the old,
old story; he wasn't at all up to the DO.
lemical standard of the usual Hyde Park
preacher. But what he said was that "de
wost slave msrser in all de wold was de
| debil," and that 'fdere war many folks in
desc European lands as war like Phsreah
In de Red Sea-dat is dey was war dey
didn't ought to be-" in which sentiments
we quite agreed with him, and we left his
audience fervently hoping that he would
have good luck in getting European people
generally into their proper positions
The next performance was an exhibition
of downright blRsphemy. A fellow of
considerable mimic power had donned q
wig and gown, and was delivering a mock
sermon to an imaginary congregation.
His real audience, we were psined to OBJ
serve, had an inner circle of children, who
heard from him no little profanity and
some things verging upon the Obscene.
But they laughed and seemed to enjoy 1t.
The old stories about Rotterdam, and
about the 1rishman and Gabriers trumpet
were woven into this mock discourse, and
quotations from scripture were jumbled
up with the slaug sayings of the day in a
manner that was shocking. For more
than three hours this fellow held forth to
| large crowd in one character or another,
and many were the pence and ha'pence
thrown to him. We listened ourselves for
only few minutes at long intervals, and
We really thought that before darkness
settled down the police would interfere
pr,E 4la,- l-r. = :, -.
that from Sabbath to Sabbath this shame
less profaner of religion is one of Hyde
Parks regular attractions.
Making our way toward the Oxford
street entrance where the largest crowds
appeared to be, we passed a man who was
exposing the tricks of mesmeris.s, and an
other who was showing some military
msn9lvres, and appealing for coppers on
the ground that, having been a wild boy,
he had enlisted in the army and had spent
several years in hard service away out in
Manitoba. What would become of her
majesty's yaunted supremacy on land and
sea, he exclaimed, but for those who, like
himself, were patriotic enough to enlist
81. re was a poser, and many, under the
spell of this question, threw q penny into
the hat.
Approaching the point before men
toned, which, from the large number of
people about, we have judged to be the
center of hostilities, we lind The right of
free speech being exercised here by all
sorts and conditions of men, upon all
sorts and conditions of subjects. A pale
faced, dyspeptic looking gent is entertain
ing sympathizing auditory by tearing the
Bible to pieces. Another man, having the
appearance of O broken down priest, is
dealing out Irish wit and eloquence in de-
8 h1.lnr H. @1,..
his learning is still whole, though his
clothes have gone to tattere, he descants
ostentatiously upon what the New Tests-
mont says in the original Greek. Rsrest
thing of all-something we had never ex
pected to hear in all our earthly pilgrim
age-there was an Irishmsn at another
stand preaching proper Submission to the
powers that be, combating the theories of
the socialist speakers around him, and
warning young men not to be led astrsy
by any movement which proposed to up
set the government This rare product of
the Green Isle made some good points, but
the truth of history compels me to say
that the one which seemed to take best
with the crowd was when he drew a bottle
from his pocket and asked his hearers,
with an unctuous Irish grin, to excuse
MIN while he refreshed the inner maa.
The socialists use the occasion not only
for airing their theories from the stump,
but for circulating pamphlets and selling
papers. On any day but Sunday one could
listen with interest to speakers of this
school; for the MASSES of Old England
have many grievances, and any sincere
man who sets these forth, and proposes
a respectable remedy, is worthy of a re-
spectful hearing. But there are others
close ut hand who pride themselves upon
being more advanced. We should know
what these Were in a moment though
the red iags were not there, and the
haring red necktie were absent They
are young fellows of dark skin, large,
far away looking eyes, and for the most
part, pinched aud hungry features.
Their appearance tells US plainly enough
what their teaching will be, but to be sure
we are not mistaken le. us listen awhile.
Their spokesman argues to us thus: If
government is right in principle it is right
in essence. If it is right in essence, then
government by the minority is right
equally with government by the msiori-
ty. TheIefore government by a despot
is right. Bat government by a despot,
you cay, Ia not right, aud If 1t is not,
then the anarchist is right in opposing
government of every sort aud kind.
The flaws in this logic the reader will
easily find for himself, and he will also
see the point of what followed. al advise
10 man to use force" be said, "but when
society has nothing to give me and l am
driven to the last extremity, know what
I shall do m yself shall not seek shelter
in the poor house, nor throw myself from
q bridge, but shall strike blow, and
shall make it as effestual SIS possible"
All this We heard in England, with the po-
lice passing to and fro, aud sometimes
stopping to listen. II Is part Of the regu-
lar Sunday performances in Hyde Park.
The young dsserter from the ranks of
the Salvation army who, with osths and
cu'sss, was publicly vilifying General
Booth, ought to have been taken home and
soundly spanked, We thought; but that
doughty old Scotchman, who, aitsr wait
ing nearly an hour TO get q bearing. an
nounced himself as the bishop OF Jolly
Butchers Hill, and then, with a chip on
his shoulder all the time, proceeded to
rake intidelity from stem to stern. paying
back the ribald interrupt.r in his own
coin, and dealing such heavy blows that
usually those who tackled him were glad
to slink away without being noticed
well, we thought this gentleman was sll
right; naturally so because We were on
his side of the fence. Nevertheless our
calm judgment would be that Hyde Park
on Sunday afternoons affords an tllustra-
tion of free speech run wild, the like of
which it would be difficult TO find any
where else on the earth, and that matters
there have descended to a pitch which
would naturally Justify, and which indeed
Reems to demand, little official restraint.
And thus. from having gone there to hear
preaching, We come away to preach little
sermon ouTsslf. III. I.