BITTER ABUSE OF A KING.

Waikato Independent, Volume V, Issue 328, 24 January 1907, Page 5

BITTER ABUSE OF A KING.

“PROCLAIMING THE REPUBLIC ” IN PORTUGUESE CHAMBER. : The discussion on the King’s debts to the State continued in the Portuguese ' Chamber on November 20th, writes a Lisbon correspondent, and Dr. Alfonso Costo, a Republican, after violently attacking the President of the Cabinet, re-. ferred to the King in most unseemly language, ending with this apostrophe: “ If you President of the Cabinet, are an honorable man as you say, do your duty. Mortgage the private property of the House of Braganza for the debts of the King to the State. Afterwards say to the King; “Go away if you do not want the nation to put you in prison like a common criminal.’ ” An indescribable tumult arose at these words, but Dr, Costa shouted: “For less than this the head of Louis XVI. fell on the guillotine.” At this the tumult exceeded anything that has ever been witnessed in Parliament. The President of the Chamber, rising from his, chair, ordered Dr. Costa to leave - the. House. The Republican member re-, fused to do so, while the majority shouted, “ Turn him out, turn him out,” and the public in the galleries, in wild uproar, gave “ Vivas ” for the Republic and for Dr. Costa. Then the President called upon the military to enter the Chamber. The Republican member, turning to the soldiers, exclaimed, “Soldiers, you cannot touch the representative of the people.” At the same time, Dr. Almeidn, another Republican member, getting on top of a desk, shouted to the troops, “ Soldiers I You who are sons of the , people, as we are, proclaim in this House the Republic of your country in this ■' bitter hour of our history.” In spite of this eloquent apostrophe, the soldiers loyally did their duty, sur-, rounding Dr Costa and conducting him out of. the Chamber. The multitude from the galleries burst through the 1 crowded passages, accompanying the Republican members with “ Vivas 1” and disloyal cries. The troops forcibly l cleared the House, and many were wounded on both sides. "When the debate was resumed Dr. Graga, thd Republican leader, declared that the King was the chief of a robber gang, who stealthily abstracted public funds. He also was expelled, whila Senor Aluecida, another Republican, shouted from the top of his desk, “Excel me, too! I said, and I repeat, that the King is a common criminal!” Dr Graga and Dr Costa have been suspended from the Parliament for a neriod • of thirty days.