Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1888-03-24 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

NOTES AND QUERIES.  7b tits Editor e the Denton and Naughton Examiner.  Snt,—As one who appreciates; faithful reports in the proms, I beg to thank you very much for your  excellent reports of the course of Gilchriat Lectures recently delivered in the town; as they will have • tine educational effect. I alao noticed in your last boom, • very ...curate report of Mr W. Mellor's lecture at Houghton Green, in reply to the lecture given by " • political parson," named the Rev. J. Watkin. So far so good; because good reports must commend your journal to your readers. Consequently it is a matter of regret, in the interests of your paper, that under the head of "Notes and Queries" its page* should be disfigured by sinister innuendoes and vulgar chaft. The Houghton Green meeting was. mixed meeting of Coneervatives and Liberals. The lecturer is known AK a Liberal ; and the Chairman la a Liberal I went to that meeting simply to listen to what wo said, not having the slightest idea that I should be aaked to say a word. So much for the inaccuracy of the insinuation that I "went to the meeting primed with 'goats'." When Mr. Mellor "wan piling on the agony about Mr. Parnell," who could, if he would, do much to put down the diabolical crimes which have disgraced the annals of the National League, I did remark of Mr. Watkin, who had likened the Conservative Government to "the man who couldn't shudder," that "He couldn't shudder"; but as my voice is not "a sepulchral" one, the description of it must be • draw upon the imagination of the author of "Notes and Queries." The chairman darted w• "angry glance at the delinquent" ; for he knew thlt my ejaculation was true. I remember very vividly the shudder of horror that went through the Liberal. of this district when Lord Frederick Cavendish and I Mr. Burke were murdered by Irish conspirators; and the sympathy iihewu by number., who went to the quiet, little grave yard near to Chatsworth to drop a tear; and pay the last tribute of respect for one so foully murdered, almost as soon as he had set his foot upon Irish soil. Since that eventful time the footsteps of the National League have been stained with the blood of many poor victims, of "low degree" inn the social scale ; and yet, strange to soy Mr. Watkin either can't or won't shudder at the commiadon of crimes enough to chill one's blood ; because he tries to wash Parnellite black.a.moors white. On acceding to • polite request to second a vote of thanks to the Rev. E. V. Schuster, I did take the opportunity of expreasing my own priests, opinion, that it would be as well, if Ministers of the Gospel "did not take part in politics." And well I might, after reading in your journal, that a Minister of the Gospel had so for committed himself to the exigencies of party warfare, that instead of shuddering over the long list of atrocious crimes committed in Ireland to forward its admiration from England, he tried to clear his con science, by comparing his political foes to "the man who couldn't shudder." Better far to never interfere in politics at all, than condone crime. Under the circumstances Mr. Schuster was fully justified in presiding at a political meeting held in his own perish. He has never gone out of his own district of Denton and Naughton to interfere in politics, He is amenable to no one for asserting his rights of citizenship, in • free country, to think, and speak and write upon the politics of the day. I welaremember reading in your journal an excellent ard appreciative biographical sketch of the Rector of Naughton Green ; and I am not aware that he has done aught to forfeit the high estimation of hie character and scholarly attainments, you then ge...e expression to.---I have no objection to your "Note, and Queries" being spiced with a little jocular pleasantry at other people's expense ; butt do object to vulgar chaff, and to draws upon imagination for "an angry glance," and "for a little bit et revenge," as tending to lower the educational standard of any newspaper seeking the general support of the public. I am sir, yours truly,