[Illustration]
A Mob-Cap was once upon a time a picturesque finish to a pretty face,
and it was of home-manufacture. Now the Mob-Cap is a red abomination,
typical of bloodshed and crime, of foreign make, and is mis-called the
Cap of Liberty, which, properly translated, is the Cap of Licence. It
certainly is not "The Cap of Maintenance," as it is adopted by those
who would disdain work, even if it were offered them.
Not for the first time has _Mr. Punch_ raised his voice against Street
Processions, which have developed into one of the greatest nuisances
of the present time, destructive of trade, detrimental to every kind
of regular business, and a disgrace to our orderly and respectable
London. All processions in London ought to be prohibited, with the
exception of such State, Civic, or Ecclesiastical processions as may
be deemed essential to the dignity of authority, and which have been,
and still are, a source of real pleasure to the Londoners, who dearly
love a show, when there is due and proper occasion for it.
If the Salvationist Army processions, with their tambourines, drums,
and inharmonious bands, are permitted on Sunday (which English people
were wont to observe in peace and quietness), then consistently a
Socialist procession must be allowed. And what other processions?
Freemasons, Religious Guilds, Clubs,--why should not the members of
the Reform, the Athenaeum, the Conservative, the National Liberal,
organise processions? Why not the Garrick Club, headed by Mr. HENRY
IRVING and Friend TOOLE, with banners emblazoned with playbills? No.
"Reform it altogether."
And as to the liberty of out-of-door public meetings. Let Trafalgar
Square be explicitly forbidden to these mischievous anarchists,
of whom the majority are the dupes and tools of firebrand foreign
Communists. Let certain places be allotted to them for "airing their
grievances," and let each of these places be at least four miles
distant from Charing-Cross. Our Parks are the "Lungs of London," and
if these Lungs be congested, the health of London will materially
suffer. How many hundreds are now prevented from entering the Parks by
the fear of King Mob and his rabble rout? Children and nursery-maids
dare not take their recreation in our Parks. Think of that, ye
Privates of the Cavalry and Infantry, and to a man you will be the
first to declare for the freedom of the Parks. Let one of the first
enactments of the next Session be a Bill to Regulate Processions and
Out-of-door Meetings. Let it be a liberal measure--in the true sense
of liberal; that is, showing due consideration for everybody--and let
it come into operation as soon as possible.