Charles Bradlaugh: a Record of His Life and Work, Volume 2 (of 2): With an Account of his Parliamentary Struggle, Politics and Teachings. Seventh EditionRobertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Religion
Charles Bradlaugh: a Record of His Life and Work, Volume 2 (of 2): With an Account of his Parliamentary Struggle, Politics and Teachings. Seventh Edition
Robertson, J. M. (John Mackinnon)
Bradlaugh, Charles, 1833-1891
"I was yesterday in a crowd at the door of the House of Commons,
waiting to get into the gallery for the Irish Compensation debate.
You came out and passed into the lobby. Some one pointed you out to
me. The observation was made, how much trouble one man's desire for
notoriety could give. I added that a desire for notoriety might be
gratified by a public flogging in Trafalgar Square. You seem to have
imperfectly overheard the last words on returning to the House, and
connected your name with them. I certainly had no idea of suggesting
a mode and place of treatment for any particular case. You came up to
me and said, 'You should not insult a man in his presence.' I replied
that I had said nothing to you.--Obediently,
"NORTON."
Bradlaugh's fingers must have itched to apply to Lord Norton's person
the chastisement which his lordship had prescribed for him. Less
well-bred people than his lordship expressed their sentiments to
Bradlaugh by letter, being denied the opportunity of insulting him in
his hearing. In the _Reformer_ of 12th September he writes:--
"I was sorry that Mr Dillon thought it necessary to call the attention
of the House to the threatening letters which had been sent to
him. When I was fighting for my seat in the House, I received at
least threescore letters threatening my life. I put them all in the
waste-paper basket, although one or two of the communications were
works of art, and decorated with skulls, cross-bones, bleeding hearts,
and daggers. There is always a fair proportion of lunatics who in
times of excitement write strange letters to public men."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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