BEHIND THE SCENES AT A REPUBLICAN MEETING.

Southland Times, Issue 1560, 5 April 1872, Page 3

BEHIND THE SCENES AT A REPUBLICAN MEETING.

»— — ■- (From Lloyd's Newspaper.) The Hole-in-tbe-Wall, the rendezvous of the Democratic political agitators, was on Monday night the scene of a violent uproar. A concert had been given for the benefit of the secretary of the Democratic Club, held at the house, and at the close Mr VV. Osborne, the chairman'of the Patriotic Society, also held at the house, proceeded to hand over the proceeds (said to be 7s 2d) to the secretary, and in doing so remarked that he w.is sorry that the amount was so small, but it was only characteristic of the working class Democrats meeting there. They were ready enough to come when meetings were going on and there was nothing to pay, but if they were expected to take a twopenny ticket for the benefit of any man who gave night after night of his time to serve them they stopped away. — Mr Odger (rising in a great rage) : I rise to order. I object to these constant attacks on the working men that come here, and these insinuations against the liberality of the Democrats generally. It is not the first time you have done this, and I now tell you, "Osborne, that if ever you do it again I will move your ejection from this room ; ay, more than that, I'll move that you be ejected from every 1 Democratic association in London. Mr Osborne : You move my ejection from the room ! Aro you to be dictator, then, throughout the country, and assume a power that we are not even to express an opinion ? After some further observations, it was remarked that there were several reporters in the room — Mr Odger : Oh, let them report if they like ; I don't care. He did all the harm be could to the Republican movement the other night. — Several speakers : Yes, he told about the blanket having to be raffled to support the Republican newspaper, on purpose that it might get into the press ; and that was a lie after all, for it was a bed quilt. — Mr Osborne : Well, never miud ; it put a wet blanket on your Republican humbug. — Mr Odger: I tell you that you ought to be scouted from every Democratic Association. — Mr Osborne : Oh, you are not going to be a dictator, if you think you are. Do you mean to tell me that if I choose to go in for manhood suffrage and the ballot, and to get parliamentary reforms that way, that I ana to be hounded down by you, because I and other working men don't choose to j follow you in all your mad schemes about a Republic ? You know as well as I do that with all the forces, and all the real working class against you, you have no chance of a Republic. Why, if you were in earnest, you would do what I should do if I meant anything ; you would sharpen your swords and learn your drill; but you don't mean anything but talk, and you are not the men that will ever get a Republic. — Here the speaker, who is a very powerful man, gave emphasis to his declaration by bringing down hi 3 fist with great weight, and shivering into several pieces the desk, already .split. — Mr Odger retorted vigorously, and at a quarter to one, when the reporters left, the discussion was still raging. _____