Reporter is threatened with expulsion from meeting
ON March 4, 1868, a meeting was held in the Ulster Hall to "express sympathy" with Mr William Johnston, a prominent Orangeman from Ballykilbeg in Co Down and his family in connection with his recent prosecution under the Party Processions Act.
Johnston was a vociferous opponent of the Party Processions Act and he had headed the 12th July demonstration from Newtownards to Bangor in 1867. As a result he was imprisoned in Downpatrick gaol for two months.
This act of defiance and personal sacrifice greatly raised his profile resulting in him being elected as an Independent Conservative MP for Belfast at the general election of November 20, 1868.
It proved to be an eventful night for the reporter from the News Letter who attended the Ulster Hall meeting when he was threatened with expulsion from the meeting. The reporter told how as the meeting was about to get under way he had gone to take his seat at the reporters’ table having purchased a ticket. On being recognised as member of the News Letter staff “a cry was raised” for his expulsion.
Several persons on the platform threatened the reporter with personal violence and ordered him to leave the hall immediately. It was reported that “one stalwart man declared that he himself would take him bodily, to the outside of the hall” if the paper’s reporter refused to leave.
The reporter told the crowd that he had purchased a ticket and should be allowed to stay but said that to avoid unnecessary disturbance that he would leave if requested to do so by “the persons acting officially upon the platform”.
The storm continued for several more minutes and soon the reporter was requested to leave. At this time some of those about him reminded him that they would happily assist in removing him if he did not leave.
The paper declared: “Our reporter declined the too flattering compliment, and then withdrew.” As he went to leave the platform he asked for the return of his admission ticket and money which was promptly refused.
But then another body of men requested that he remain. This group was headed by Mr Thomas Ward who was to preside as the meeting chairman, and the reporter was told that “it would be all right”.
The reporter said he would return on one condition – namely, that he should be invited to do so by a resolution of the entire meeting. Mr Ward then went to “courteously” conduct the reporter back to the seat at the reporters’ table from which he had been forced to vacate but the reporter refused until the requested resolution was passed.
Shortly afterwards Mr Ward moved the resolution urging the reporter to remain at the meeting.
The paper reported that: “One of the persons who was prominent in inciting the meeting to the expulsion of our reporter, in a short time came to corridor where our reporter was, and said that the meeting had, by acclamation, decided that he should be invited to return.”
The paper’s reporter said he would not return unless the public retraction was communicated to him by the chairman or his secretary personally. This request was complied with and the paper’s representative returned “amid loud and general applause”.
Mr Ward then addressed the meeting: “Now, gentlemen, the reporter of the News Letter has returned.
“To expel the gentleman was not the way to go on with the meeting. Let us speak our mind freely and openly. Let us determine that we shall do nothing further to stop the meeting; and let us at once say that we will not refuse to allow any reporter to come here and report our proceedings.”
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Weather for Belfast
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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