THE LATE MR. BRADLAUGH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8486, 10 February 1891, Page 6

THE LATE MR. BRADLAUGH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sill,— Following your excellent leader on Charles Bradlaugh, the following may not be uninteresting to your readers, viz. In June, 1888, through the interest of a friend, I was privileged to be present at a sitting of the House of Commons. Among other notables present were the venerable Gladstone, Salisbury, Chamberlain, Harcourt, and Bradlaugh. The Local Government Bill was under discussion. The previous week had witnessed that tremendous demonstration in Hyde. Park against the compensation clauses in the said Bill. At the commencement of the business, the First Lord of the Treasury, Mr. Smith, arose and said he wished to make a statement. He said : "On behalf of the Government, I beg to say that as we do not consider the compensation clauses vital to the Bill, in deference to public opinion, we hereby withdraw them." The uproar was tremendous — cheers, shouts, hisses— was as bad as if Bedlam had broken loose, and, amongst others, Mr. Bradlaugh stood and frantically waved his hand, while his stentorian voice was heard above all the rest. It was a scene never to be forgotten, especially as it was known that, had the Government passed the compensation clauses, it would have ousted them. The next business was to decide how often elections should take place. Mr. Chamberlain rose, and argued in favour of two years, saying that he thought if they had them too often it would lessen the interest, and be a loSs of time, etc. As he sat down, Mr. Bradlaugh rose and said —" Mr. Speaker, I think it will go forth to the country as a new departure 011 the part of the hon. member for Birmingham—the so-called poor man's friend—(this very sarcastically), that he would limit the working man in his exercise of the franchise, and rob him of his political privileges. I disagree _ with the lion, member. The yearly elections would not lessen but increase the interest. lam in favour of annual elections. -'Ring out the old, ring in the new.' Many of our clear, level-headed business men may give one year for the benefit of the country, when they could not spare two or three. These long terms prevent our best men coming out. We do not want professional politicians so much as men of sterling business capacity." He sat down amid cheers on all sides. He spoke twice that afternoon, and, even to a casual observer, he was a remarkable man. His square and massive lion-like countenance—the scowl of his eyebrows, and piercing looks—as though lie would bear down all opposition, together with his powerful voice, which, when he put its strength forth, was a positive roar, rivettod and chained the attention of the House till he had done. Whatever people thought of him, his influence was very great, and they yielded him, though it might be reluctantly, their undivided attention. —lam, &c., N. W.

A COUNTERBLAST. TO THE EDITOR. Who killed Cock Robin ? I, said the sparrow, With my bow and arrow ; I killed Cock Robin. And I am not afraid of the whole host of you. You say that I live only on grain. You should pro to school, you beggars, and learn logic. You have killed a few of my family, and found only grain in their crops, ana thence you conclude that I live only on grain. A better man than any of you laid down the law, " Arginnentum a particulari cul universale non talei." Answer me this simple question, How do we live when there is 110 grain? You will say that we live on farmyards, and stacks, and fowl's meat. What nonsense! Do you think that my large and hungry family could find food enough there But when people wish to find a reason they will find it in cabbage stalks, or their own distempered imagination. Go and examine any member of my family when there is 110 grain available, ana if you do not find him chock full of insects, then I am 110 sparrow ; and what are you good for, if not to raise food for your betters, who can take flights that even John Abbott cannot equal? —I am, etc., Cocksparrow.