ENGLISH LIBERTIES INVADED.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 267, 12 November 1887, Page 4

ENGLISH LIBERTIES INVADED.

If any Government desired to foment disaffection among the populace, it could find no surer way of doing it than by curtailing popular rights and declaring perfectly legal and Constitutional acts to be criminal. This truth is clearly taught by the facts of history, but the English Tories seem determined to maintain their character of the "stupid party," and are acting as though they were in blissful ignorance of the history of oppressive tactics in every age and country. Undeterred by the patent failure of their coercive legislation in Ireland, Lord Salisbury's Government have encouraged their officials to try similar tactics in England. The proclamation of the Chief Commissioner of the London police prohibiting the holding of meetings in Trafalgar Square is a bold and open attack upon.the liberties of Englishmen. In many European countries, where the right of public meeting does not exist, men are driven into secret societies and dangerous conspiracies ; in Ireland the Continental system lias been tried, and although there the Tory Government have failed miserably in their attempt to regulate public meetings, they are apparently desirous of applying the same vicious principle to England. By law and usage the people of the United Kingdom have the right to assemble together in any public place for- purposes not in themselves illegal, and the authorities have no right to interfere unless there are lawless tendencies developed at the meeting. What are the facts in the present instance 1 In London there are about 100,000 men out of employment, and they and their wives and little ones are suffering keen distress. These men wish to meet together and devise a concerted course of action. They want to deputationise the authorities; perhaps they may even desire to discuss the social basis under which their unhappy csndition has become possible—all perfectly legal purposes; but a police officer clad in a little brief authority stops in and forbids tho meeting taking place in Trafalgar Square, It is doubtless true that a number of roughs and scoundrek have taken/advantage of former meetings there to start} the work of outrage aud pillage, that discloses no sufficient reason fo,v prohibiting all meetings, The, cjeay d.ufcy of the. police authorities fa tQ ftV re ßt these, Ja.wles.B. soeußcU'elsTsruet $o restrict the liberties

of the law-abiding, but unfortunate, "unemployed." The action of the authorities in rudely " slumping" the lot has a decided tendency to lead the orderly demonstrations to make common cause with the disorderly, and the danger to London is consequently increased instead of being minimised. Authority is debased when it ceases to discriminate, it is no longer, as it should be, "a terror to evil-doers, but a praise to them that do well."

It is not surprising to learn that the "Pall Mall Gazette" has warmly espoused the cause of the London unemployed, and the power and prestige of that journal will have the effect of thoroughly arousing popular sentiment on the subject. If the people exercise their right to hold a meeting in Trafalgar Square, the probability is that the leaders, and perhaps Mr Stead also, will be sent to prison. It is more likely, however, that the Government will find it expedient to order the withdrawal of Sir Charles Warren's proclamation. In any event, this little taste of coercion will do much to awaken English sympathies for the Irish people, and cause them to demand that equal liberties be accorded to those who have so long been subjected to harsh and oppressive treatment.