Page:Radicalism, what is it?.djvu/22

18 selfasserted championship of the oppressed throughout the globe (except where a radical government happens to be the oppressor) would lead as to expect nothing unjust, unfair, unreasonable, factious, or tyrannical, in so pure-minded, so just, so patriotic a party, one too so jealous of the rights of a minority!! In practice we find exactly the reverse of our expectations. Mr. Bright does not hesitate to justify an agitation for the repeal of the union, if the verdict of the nation be favourable to the Irish Church. Mr. Ayrton's conduct during the debate on the Cattle Bill is an instance more truly typical. Defeated in some whim he petulantly threatened the county members who happened to be in the majority with a curtailment of their rights by some future Radical measure for Redistribution. Then by the most factious conduct and abuse of the forms of the house he impeded all legislation, and vindicated his reprehensible conduct by justifying a minority in the use of unscrupulous means. Time would fail to dwell upon the characteristic repugnance of radicalism at all times and in all places to fair argument and free speech.

Its tyranny. Mr. Beales has during the last two or three years made his name known. He has gathered together a set of people somewhere near the dark arches of the Adelphi, and there they dream that some how or other they guide the destinies of this country. The wonders they accomplish with a revenue of about £100 are enormous. It is even a question whether