MR. BRADLAUGH'S REPLY TO MR. BOTTOMLEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6947, 22 February 1884, Page 6

MR. BRADLAUGH'S REPLY TO MR. BOTTOMLEY.

TO THB EDITOR^ Sir,—My attention. has been drawn to the U(i.tter of .Mr; J'; JET. Bpbtomley, of Oldham,. ..yibgikndi republished io your issue of tordayj: and which;, it is remarked, f< is probably thei 'oest-ahswer.that.can. be given. " to my letter headed, V'iMr.ißradlaiugh : and the. farce of swearings" If this is. the* best answer that: can be given j. am really sorry for the confes9idn-rraßhamed of so easy a victory. Bug is ;it. air answer at all ? I cannot see wnere it.,bears on my letter. , ~ .I merely con-., tended that Mr. Bradlaugh should have been allowed to take ; the seat ;to which: he had been elected, and what hi* views on marriage have to do with that; the letter you have reprintedj. does not show.: I am. not going to foUow. Mr. . Bottomley's . lead:: into the;; marriage question; <It..ia a very large .question. Opinions and. practice on it are so yaricd, so different -in >ODe . country from another, so different in one. age or stage of civilisation from another, and the details are : sq difficult to handle 1 with taste and skill, .that I shall not'; attempt to discuss it, and iudeed T. do not think you would care to . have, it discussed.in your colonins. Besides; ;the discussion would only lead. i:s away from the real..question—should !Alr. Bradiaugh be ;prevented from, faking, the seat to he. has been elected; If ,Mr v BottomleyV /.letter mesans anything, it means: thai .'lib is not* satisfied that the religious i test which .has been used to obstruct Air. Bradlaugh from, taking his seat is, enough, i but he wishes to. introduce a new test, and i.demand Mr. Bradlaugh's. cocformity with othodox views on marriage. But Mr* Bottpm- : ley lives behind the time. .Religious tests, i and tests founded upon religion, have, been slowly vanishing for th'e- 'last century, until i now all that remains is a baro"theism, and i that is doomed. As you, have published Mr. Bottomley's letter, I have no doubt yoii will, with your usual fairness, publish Mr. Brad* /laugh's: reply from the National ..Reformer of . December ISS3> which I send you. 3Toir will find the, reply in the department headed which is Mr. Bradlaugh's ..personal department, and I particularly cali • your attention to Lord Chief Justice. Cbcki burn's reimarks upon; Mr, Kradlaugh, which are included in. the reply,.—l am; <fec., February 18, IS§4; A. Campbell. The following.is the articles referred to. . . Conserratismia just /how exceedingly, diaropatable' I'in. its''attack's- upon mo, A. Mr. J. H. BottomleyV ! who stated ..at. Harrocrate that. i was » man, : who i•• "Fitliculod m'arriago ns a .curse." beini: met; by'my I .declaration in tho.. National lVeforiher, December 9:u, •tbatthisis V ft 'monstrous falsehood," :no.w writes a Ion?, letter, to the .01dham.>Standard,'.ih which hu. s'eeks ; to makeoufhiscase'iajjainst nie by. putting iipon me ;,c:mtents. of - "The Elements of' Social; ; Sfcienc'e,"'ia volume of which I.ara not the author, or the printer, •or tho pub i her and by quoting from it passages :with which 1 luive no Although, it.is.only. just .to the .author to add 1 th'at..iho quotations,, in; more than one.case..are so mutilated and taken from, tho context:ns ,to. entirely .change tlielr.meaning'.... Mr.,J. 11. Bottomlcy , thon, writes, aa if. Mr.. Richard Harte were.tne autlior'of The Elements;of Social Scieiicef," ; for which statement thero.is:.a'bsoiut'elj no foundation, • and. Mr. Britt'omley; tl'ieh quotes from . the National Reformer, August.- 28th, 1S70; frp'rir a'review by.ino: of ;a paper read by Richard.Harte at ; thpvLondon. Dialcc- • tlcar Sociuty/and fitr. Hottom.ley most • dishonestly ,nnd dishonourably . applies: the. words I .'jrrbte about < Richard', carte's 0 vdi'umei , ■; with; which'.they smallest pr.most: remote' .connexion.' • Mr. Uottomley further Aitillses the-very' ..inaccurate version at a dubito. I held in liury witti ia. peraon - named King, aud fronrthiiaUeged si.ccoiintof i adebate, of wliich tbero. was.no .regular o* authorised' .report, .takes evtracts.:somo of which 'ropreseiit no views ever held or' expressed !by liie, !and many of /.which, is .tH'cy'sVahd,lir I '*. utterly itbsu'rti'. . Mr;.' : Botc'omley evidcnce 9? my hiving said, that .''ni&rrme* is:<a curse/' refers to. "Dr. DrysdaU's /work, >'Tho.. Fruits .of. Philosophy,', the prefaco ..of. which was written by'Mr; liradla'ugh ahd.Mri; Besantj. ibut was. su{)i>ressed from tho later'editions/' Mr. Bntoml'ymustbe mad. " Tho. Fruits of Philosophy" wai written. bofore.l was bore, b* Dr. Charles Knowii'ton; iDr;',iDrysdale.ihas, no connexion .whatever, with it. : The preface, by myself, and;-Mrs; lieiant wus written id. •fMarch, 1377,' when we;txplairibti why,.w.p; felt4t. oii'r'' : tHen tO'publish'the pamphlet. Wo.'sold'. • it','until "ther beginning of. lSSOj'wheiv. the said was' ,ypluntarny : Btupped,i.because'woiwishod it to, : bc'j'up.er» 'seded by- V ; The LaW of Populatibn,'.' liact been, iii-1877, written by Mrs; Beaant, a'nd .\yo never printed, issuod 'H. slngle'ioopy .'of ;tlio .KnoVrlton pamphlet, without the preface. '."Mr. Bnttomley is coarseVcnough to quoto front the., ihdlctnieptiin the, Knowlton case ,words, which, he might; havu'••known; wero.specifically fepudiated, both, by'the; late Lord: Chief j ustice Cockburn, and by .the living Sir John. Me|lor;..and he iiiibst dishonourably omits', what that learned judge •said an to ,th»v Knowlton..'pamphlet; .in; relatibu Vy ; marriage. Tlicso. wera Lord Chief. Justice Cockbur.u's words.to tho.jury.; •" ( ;think..ypu will agree with; ioe, that, to say ho moaht to depreciate'.iriarriagei (or .the •:sako .of prostitution, and tlin.t all. ; lie. .aayi 'ahd'at' marriage is only .a-, disguise*,, and intended to;iinj» upon, tho mind sentiments bf an entirolyVdlff e r en t character for tho gratification of. passion •than .by n.arriage. is av most ' I imust.say that I believe thatcyeiry : 'wp'rd>; e sa yg about' .marriage being a desirableHnstiiution, and'evory word he says'with rofo.ence to'the and hapotiness it.ongenders; is saida'3;honestl/:and truly nsanythiDg probably uttercd by. any mau/' Al r Botiorulov introduces into his;letter much matter that irrelcVAQt, . and that .l ioinit. I point out that ho not given the shadow of evidence,of. his statement thi»t X am V a man who ridicules, marriage as a curso;" and t again declare that this, is a monttrous.falsohood 1 *t. suppose ::ityis'i useless t>.appeal] to. Conservatives" to make somo'approach to honour and ilecendy ia, their f speeches and'Nwritings'against met