Nobody knew at the time that the struggle would go on for years. In the tax resistance campaign against the provisions of the Education Act that allowed for taxpayer funding of sectarian religious education was still ramping up.
It was a campaign that would inspire the later tax resistance struggles of the women’s suffragists and of Mahatma Gandhi, and which would associate the term “passive resistance” with nonviolent civil disobedience and with tax resistance in particular (a phrase that Gandhi chafed at, leading him to coin his own term: satyagraha).
The editions of The Sheffield Daily Telegraph and Evening Telegraph carried a letter from Henry Joseph Wilson, a Liberal Party member of parliament, to the assistant overseer for Sheffield in which he explained his refusal to pay the complete taxes. Some excerpts:
I beg to enclose cheque for the amount of your demand note, less the sum of
£1. I decline to pay that sum, as a protest against the education policy of
the Government, and particularly against the Education Act of
I wish to state, briefly, why I make this protest.
He then makes the by now familiar case against the Act’s “encroachments on popular rights, and on freedom of conscience, which, so far from enduring any longer, we are bound to resent, and to oppose to the utmost of our power.”
Under these circumstances, my wife and I, having protested in every way
hitherto open to us, have decided that I ought to make the further protest
involved in the indignity of a summons, magisterial proceedings, and
distraint.
Below this were these articles:
“Passive Resisters” in Sheffield.
The Sheffield magistrates will be busy with “Passive Resisters” in a few days.
Already 47 summonses have been issued at the instance of the Sheffield
overseers, and now the overseers for Ecclesall are about to take action
against some 67 defaulters. In both instances the lists contain ministers of
religion, and leaders of the “Nonconformist conscience.” The Sheffield cases
will be heard on , and those
from Ecclesall township probably . The amount involved in
Sheffield is about £14, out of the £117,000 that the rate will produce.
One of the Ecclesall “resisters” had a singular experience. He had appealed
against his assessment, but while awaiting the result of the appeal, his rate
fell due, and he paid it less a small amount, which he withheld because of his
so-called “conscientious objection to pay for the maintenance of Church
Schools.” His appeal was successful, and the balance in his favour was greater
than the amount he had withheld, so that he has been robbed of all the glory
of posing as a “Nonconformist martyr.[”]
The overseers of Nether Hallam have agreed to allow “Passive Resisters” to pay
the undisputed portion of their rates.
A “Case” at Chesterfield.
The assistant overseer for the borough of Chesterfield (Mr. George Broomhead)
has received a letter from the
Rev. J.E. Simon, who is the
pastor of the Congregational Chapel, Brampton, which the Mayor (Mr. C.P.
Robinson) attends, stating he is unable to pay that part of the rate “which
is levied for the support of sectarian schools. By this rate I am required to
pay directly for the teaching of Romanism and doctrines of the Established
Church, which I believe to be untrue. This I, as a Protestant and
Nonconformist, refuse to do voluntarily.”
The amount which Mr. Simon was “prepared to pay” has been tendered to the rate
collector, but as it was not the amount the last-named was “prepared to
receive,” the sum was refused. Interesting developments are anticipated.
The Rights of Overseers.
Mr. Vicary Gibbs,
M.P., has
sent the following reply to a constituent in the Albans Division, who asked
whether he could obtain from Mr. Walter Long a definite opinion in regard to
the rights of overseers in accepting or refusing part payment of local rates
in connection with the Passive Resistance campaign:– “Mr. Walter Long writes
me that he has looked very carefully into the question, and finds that the
overseers are vested by law with the responsibility of deciding whether or not
they will accept part. I think you will agree that nothing would be gained by
my asking him a public question.”
The Burnley Gazette of told the tale of another new resister:
Rev. W. Robinson as a
Passive Resister
This week, Rev. W.
Robinson, formerly pastor of Hollingreave Congregational Church, Burnley, and
now pastor of Market street Congregational Church, Farnworth, was one among
others summoned before the magistrates for not paying a portion of the
Education rate.
Mr. Martin, assistant overseer, produced the poor rate book for the rate laid
. Mr. Robinson’s rate was £7
19s., of which he had paid
£6 16s.
11d., leaving £1
2s.
1d. unpaid. He had
received the following letter from Mr. Robinson:–
, — Dear Sir, — Herewith find my cheque to cover the amount of the
demand made by the overseers on the note enclosed, less that part of the
amount demanded for the Education Committees’ expenses. This I shall not
voluntarily pay, as it goes to the support of schools not popularly
controlled, and to some schools in which teaching is given that has for its
end the destruction not only of Free Churchmanship, but the overthrowing of
English Protestantism. — Yours, sincerely, William Robinson.
Mr. Martin, continuing, stated that he had received a precept from the
Farnworth Education Committee for £1,650, to be devoted to educational
purposes.
The Rev. W. Robinson was
sworn in the Scottish fashion [this apparently means that he was sworn in by
raising one hand, rather than by kissing the bible which was the default;
this may have been for a number of reasons, hygiene among them], and Mr. Hall
suggested that as he admitted owing the rate, he should simply be asked if he
refused to pay on conscientious grounds. They had all their own opinions on
this matter. The magistrates had theirs, and he didn’t think it worth while
going further — Mr. Robinson said he objected to payment of the rate on
conscientious grounds, and had deducted the amount which would be devoted to
what he termed sectarian schools. He would have deducted this money if all
demanded had been going to the education of children in Congregational
schools. He was a Congregationalist minister, but objected to pay money
towards any denomination whatsoever. He thought if any man held a religious
opinion or a negative opinion on matters of religion it was no affair of the
State, and that no man ought to be penalised because he did not believe or
because of what he believed. he would have objected to pay this money were it
all going to Francis-street Congregational School — Mr. Hall: I suppose you
pay income tax? — Mr. Robinson: I do. — Mr. Hall: And you know that a
proportion goes to the Consolidated Fund, and for educational purposes? — Mr.
Robinson: The matters are entirely different. My income tax is a mere trifle.
I know I may be charged with inconsistency, but surely you do not suggest that
I should object to pay the income tax. It would lead to much more contention
than this. — Mr. Hall: I suggest that to be consistent, you should. — Mr.
Robinson said that supposing he had two properties, and in order to have the
opportunity of expressing his conscientious objection he paid the rate on one
and not the other, would that not be equally inconsistent? — Colonel
Ainsworth: It depends upon the law. — Mr. Robinson: Of course, and we
Congregationalists are among the most law-abiding subjects. When, however, the
law encroached on a man’s conscience, he could not pay the money. — Mr. Hall:
With all due respect to you, I think we have heard enough. — Colonel
Ainsworth: We are here to administer the law, and we cannot help it if you
think the law is wrong. It is your business to get the law altered…
Here the article begins to lose legibility. There is an interesting exchange in which Mr. Hall asks whether the defendants would pay up without going through the process of distraint (the panel evidently having decided against them). On hearing that they would not, Hall asserts: “I remember the Church Rate days, when the Quakers refused to pay [illegible]. They, however, did not go to the extent of having their goods taken. If shopkeepers, they would leave [illegible] open, and tell the officers to help themselves to the cash.”
Distraint warrants were issued. The article notes that “The Court fees… were considerably reduced owing to the cases being taken together…” — evidently Robinson had been joined by some others at some point in the illegible paragraphs — “This will be much less than if they were not acting in concert.”
On the same page as the above article appears a letter from the Rev. J.B. Parry to the Burnley Borough Treasurer explaining why he was under-paying his general rate, giving a subset of the usual arguments.
The Rev. A. Gray, who seems to have become a spokesperson for the movement, penned an article for the Burnley Express and Advertiser:
The Passive Resistance Movement
The Right Hon. W.H. Long,
President of the Local Government Board, in an address delivered at Devizes,
Wilts, on , “appealed to
passive resisters not to defy the law, but to try by constitutional means to
obtain a repeal of the Education Act if they considered it to be unjust.” We
are glad to note that at least one member of the Government is sufficiently
impressed with the strength of the movement as to “appeal” to the passive
resisters on the point at issue. Whilst we appreciate the spirit of the right
hon. gentleman towards us,
we cannot acknowledge the ground of his appeal. We disavow any intention “to
defy the law.” Perhaps the name we bear is responsible somewhat for that
misconception of our attitude toward the law. Just as the term
“Nonconformist,” which is purely negative, is being slowly but surely changed
for that of “Free Churchman,” which is positive, and more truly expresses our
position to-day, so the term “resister,” which is negative, should be changed
to obeyer, which is positive. Whilst we cannot, for conscientious reasons, pay
the education rate, that is, the portion of the rate which is to be devoted to
denominational schools, but leave the authority to collect it in such a way as
it deems good, we thereby do render obedience to the law. It is “not active
obedience,” but it is “obedience.” It is “passive obedience.” We intend “to
give the State the honour which is due to it, without depriving the conscience
of the honour which is due to it. The State was entitled to assistance only
within its own proper sphere, and when the State went beyond its own sphere,
it could not rightly claim the assistance of the citizens.”
I’m not sure what Gray is quoting there at the end. A little further on, he continues:
Because we feel [the Act’s] injustice we have taken this step. The injustice
will be impressed upon the minds of the people as they see the goods of their
fellow men distrained and sold to pay this rate. Further, we can assure Mr.
Long, that we shall in addition to passive resistance work earnestly for the
repeal of the sectarian clauses, and the general amendment of the Act.
He quotes a Sir Walter Foster, member of parliament for Ilkeston Division, who said in part: “As to passive resisters, he was glad that he had hundreds of them in his own constituency. If there was one thing that could save the nation, it was the men of strong conscientious conviction…”
He also addresses the dilemma of Free Church schools that qualified for funding under the same objectionable clauses that might fund Catholic or Anglican schools. Some of these Free Church schools were refusing to accept such funds, but others, like the schools in the Wesleyan Conference, could not resist the temptation. This raised the spectre of some nonconformists being distrained upon for their refusal to pay education rates that were destined for sectarian schools run by their own sects, which threatened to appear ridiculous. Gray reprinted the remarks of Robertson Nicoll, who condemned the Wesleyan Conference’s decision.
Nicoll also wrote:
“Public opinion will shortly make it impossible for overseers and magistrates
to refuse part payment, and as soon as the slow processes of the law permit,
we shall know how far the authorities are entitled to make excessive
distraints. We believe it will be found that they are not entitled, and that
they can be punished for going beyond their commission. If so, steps will be
taken to call every transgressor to account.”
Gray continued:
Whilst we are waiting the decision of the legal authorities consulted by the
National Passive Resistance Committee on the question of excessive distraint,
attention may be called to the fact that at Sheffield the following
declaration by a
K.C. was quoted:–
“It is beyond question illegal to make an excessive distraint. The bailiffs
have no right to remove more goods than are estimated in reason to meet the
account of the rate and the cost of distraint. If the people who are taking
part in the passive resistance movement feel that the bailiffs have been
unreasonable, they can claim damages in court, and it is for the jury to
decide. A vindictive distraint is also illegal. A distraint has been held to
be vindictive where valuable goods have been removed against the wishes of the
occupier, who has tendered other goods. A bailiff is not necessarily to take
what is offered him, but if he take things that he is requested to leave, he
may be convicted of vindictive distraint, and the owner may be awarded
damages.”
The Shields Daily Gazette reported in their edition:
The Policy of Passive Resistance
In not a few Tyneside towns, including South Shields, the past few days have
witnessed the painful spectacle of the invasion of the homes of respectable
law-abiding citizens by police and bailiffs, and the carrying off of household
treasures to be stored in common sale rooms and sold “for non-payment of the
rates.” In most places the overseers have taken what we cannot but think the
very high-handed course of refusing to accept part of the rate when tendered,
and of levying execution for the whole amount. This may be law — although the
question is not yet definitely settled, pending the appeal from West Ham to
the High Court — but it is certainly not equity. Moreover, it is contrary to
what appears to be the general usage of the overseers, whose collectors
frequently accept part payment of the rate. Indeed, every demand note issued
bears the significant line at the top “arrears of former rates” and arrears
could hardly exist unless the collectors were in the habit of accepting part
of the rate when tendered.
…it seems nothing short of monstrous that warrants should be issued and costs
imposed for the full amount of the rate, when in reality the defendants have
only declined to pay a very small proportion thereof.… The local authorities
who are apparently bent upon making matters as unpleasant as possible for the
Passive Resisters are unquestionably arousing deep and wide-spread sympathy
for those sturdy protestants, even amongst those who do not see eye to eye
with them in the course they have taken.
The following article comes from the Kent & Sussex Courier:
Passive Resistance at Tunbridge Wells.
Auction Sale Under Distraint Warrants.
.
Scene in the Police Yard.
“Boohing” the Auctioneer.
Prayer Meeting Precedes Sale.
the sale by auction of
the goods and chattels of the four defendants who were recently summoned for
non-payment of the Education Rate took place in the police yard, adjoining the
Town Hall, in the presence of some hundreds of sympathisers and other
spectators. The local Passive Resistance Committee had organised a
demonstration for the occasion of the sale, on the morning of which the Town
Crier was sent round to remind the public of the fact contained in the
auctioneer’s announcement placarded about the town, as follows:–
In the County of Kent.
Borough of Tunbridge Wells.
Sale by Public Auction, under distress warrants, in the yard adjoining the
Police Station, Calverley-street, Tunbridge Wells, on
.
MR. W. LAING, Auctioneer, will OFFER for SALE, at the time and place
above-mentioned, by PUBLIC AUCTION, the undermentioned goods, which have been
seized under warrants of distress, issued by the Court of Summary
Jurisdiction acting in and for the Borough of Tunbridge Wells:–
Lot 1.—Silver Cake Basket and Silver Salver.
Lot 2.—Thirteen Silver Spoons.
Lot 3.—Five Mahogany Chairs.
Lot 4.—Copper Coal Scuttle and Scoop, and Silver Fish Servers, in case.
Each Lot to be paid for and cleared immediately after the Sale.
Chas. Prior, Chief Constable.
.
A big crowd had consequently assembled and awaited the unlocking of the gates
of the station yard, and a good many people had evidently come in from the
surrounding districts to witness the proceedings.
, the Chief Constable escorted the
Rev J. Mountain and the
Rev H.C. Palmer, with several
ladies, to the gates, and the crowd, recognising the ministers, gave them a
very cordial reception, to which they bowed their acknowledgments. As soon as
the gates were open there was an excited rush to enter the yard, in which a
considerable proportion the fair sex came in for some derangement of their
toilette, and in a very few seconds the crowd in the street had transferred
itself en masse into the yard, where a posse of stalwart
constables was drawn up on either side of a temporary rostrum erected for the
auctioneer, and directly communicating with the door leading into the police
officer — a strategic arrangement in view of possible contingencies. The
Chief Constable had very diplomatically discounted any likelihood of a
disturbance of the peace by affording the demonstrators the greatest possible
latitude. The platform erected for the sale was placed at their disposal for a
protest meeting both before and after the sale. It was eminently judicious of
Mr Prior not to confine himself to the strict letter of the law, but to permit
the demonstrators to demonstrate as much as they pleased within orderly
limits. The station yard being full and a further crowd in the street beyond,
the preliminary protest meeting was at once proceeded with. The Chief
Constable smilingly escorted the
Rev.
Dr. Usher, the
Rev. J. Mountain, the
Rev. W.H.C. Palmer, and the
Rev. Dennis Cooper to the
rostrum, and an outburst of cheering greeted their appearance, which was
renewed when the word went round that the redoubtable
Dr. Clifford was also present.
Placards of protest were affixed to the rostrum to give place later to a bill
of the auction, and then
Dr. Usher gave out the hymn “O
God our help in ages past,” after which the
Rev. Dennis Cooper engaged in
prayer.
The Rev.
Dr. Usher then explained that
they were allowed to meet by the courtesy of the Chief Constable, a gentleman
whose acquaintance they had been proud to make. He had met them in the kindest
and most conciliatory manner (hear, hear). They had met as citizens to protest
against a law which went against the religious beliefs of millions of his
Majesty’s subjects. The grievance was as real as those under the Uniformity
Act, the Conventicle Act, and the Five Mile Act, or as the progress of
Ritualism in the eyes of their evangelical brethren. It had been said they did
this for political purposes, but Free Churchmen had been in advance of
political leaders in this matter. They were called law breakers, but he denied
that they were. They submitted passively. Their doors were open and their
furniture could be seized for that which they could not as matter of
conscience pay voluntarily. But if they were law breakers, they were proud to
bear the shame in such company as Latimer and Ridley, who went to the stake
when the Law said do one thing and God said do another. They heartily
sympathised with their four friends in what they had had submit to. They
protested not against the auctioneer or the Chief Constable, but against the
political power of the land and particularly the Bishops, for the way in which
they had misused political power. If those present wished to show true
sympathy with their cause, they would allow the proceedings which were to
follow to be conducted in an orderly manner. Those proceedings would be
repeated if need be a dozen times. There were plenty more defaulters waiting
to have their goods seized for conscience sake, and he asked them never to
forget that in , in a town like
Tunbridge Wells, they had seen the goods of true citizens sold for religious
purposes.
The protesters then proceeded to vacate the platform, but the Chief Constable
informed them that they had another five minutes yet in which to demonstrate,
as the sale would not commence before . Accordingly the hymn, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus,” was
given out, and was immediately succeeded by a decided contrast. The
hymn-singing changed to a different sound as the crowd proceeded to booh at
the top of their voices when the auctioneer made his appearance and hung his
card over the rostrum. This bore the inscription,
“Wm. B. Laing (late Savage and
Son), Auctioneer, 127, New Road, and Whitechapel Road.” Above the groaning and
hooting could be heard various insulting expressions hurled at the auctioneer,
who smilingly informed the crowd that he was not in a hurry and could wait.
The address appeared to take the fancy of the crowd, who shouted
“Whitechappeler,” “Coster,” “Hooligan,” “German-Jew” until they were hoarse.
Dr. Usher appealed in pantomime
for silence, and Mr Fryer, who was standing conveniently near the rostrum to
buy in some of the effects, was heard by those near to shout to the crowd that
the auctioneer was not a German, but a Scotchman. “More shame to him” roared
the crowd, and the boohing was renewed with redoubled vigour, in which even
the shriller voices of the ladies present could be heard above the hubbub. The
auctioneer lost no time in announcing the sale and putting up the first lot.
“You have not read out the conditions of sale,” bellowed a gentleman, who had
been doing his best to drown the auctioneer’s voice. “I have just done so,”
retorted the auctioneer. “I never heard you,” retorted the gentleman, with
unconscious humour, as he proceeded to booh louder than ever as the auctioneer
attempted to make himself heard. Had the devotional exercises failed to soothe
the passions of the crowd? The auctioneer, amid laughter, removed his silk hat
to a place of greater security, and pointed to the auction bill as he
stentoriously called for Lot one. Several gentlemen who had arranged to buy in
goods stood on the alert, and Mr Mountain and Mr Palmer supported each other
in the absence of the other two defaulters — Mr Alexander and Mr Edmonds — who
are enjoying themselves on the Continent. The Chief Constable, notwithstanding
the eulogy just passed on him, found it quite as difficult to obtain a hearing
as he stated, amidst renewed hooting, that he was there to do his duty by
carrying of the magistrates’ orders under the distress warrant, and that the
auctioneer, who was doing his duty, had come down at a very moderate charge to
carry the law into effect. Amidst considerable hubbub, the articles in the
first lot were then handed out from the police office window under the
guardianship of the constables. This lot consisted of a silver cake basket and
silver salver, the property Mr Edmonds. “Who bids £1”? shouted the auctioneer.
Mr Elwig promptly bid £2 15s
on behalf of the owner, and the auctioneer knocked down the bid, and before
the crowd realised it, the goods were handed back into the police office. Lot
2, a dozen silver spoons, the property of Mr Alexander, were next handed up in
the same way, and at once knocked down to Mr Drake, acting for Mr Alexander,
for £2. Lot 3, five mahogany hair stuffed chairs, the property of the
Rev J. Mountain, were
promptly bought in by the Rev
Dennis Cooper, for £2, and the concluding lot, a copper coal scuttle and
silver fish servers, the property of
Rev. W. Palmer, were
similarly knocked down to Mr Fryer, on Mr Palmer’s behalf, for
30s. The auction, which
concluded in dumb shew had not lasted five minutes, was over before the crowd
had finished hooting the auctioneer, and then some missile was heard to strike
the window behind the auctioneer. It turned out to be only a match box, and
the police, who were interspersed in the crowd, at once seized the offender,
bat as he appeared to have only jocularly thrown the missile, which was first
thought to be a stone, he was not arrested, and no proceedings will taken
against him. The auctioneer and his clerk, Mr E. Smith, promptly vanished
within the police office, where the bidders followed them to write out their
cheques, and claim the furniture, after which the protest meeting was resumed,
and proceeding without incident, except that an elderly man, named Sewell,
living in Kirkdale road, was overcome by the heat, and had to be removed to
the Hospital on the police ambulance.
Dr. Clifford then mounted the
rostrum, and had an enthusiastic reception. His remarks were somewhat
inauspicious, as they related instances of other sales, where the auctioneers
had “not dared show themselves,” but the doctor as he went on cleared himself
from any suspicion of arriere pensee by congratulating the
crowd on their orderly behaviour. He went on to add that their protest was not
against magistrates or chief constables, but against the bishops. He
congratulated Tunbridge Wells on having a Chief Constable of such fairness and
moderation — a remark which the crowd, who had just hooted Mr Prior, now
responded to by cheering in the utmost good humour. He was glad that the
vindictiveness of magistrates at other places was passing away, and they were
being treated with consideration. They were being forced to pay for religious
teaching they did not believe in, and to submit to their children being
proselytized.
A Voice: That is Christianity.
Dr. Usher: No, Churchianity.
Dr. Clifford: It illustrates
the tyranny of the Established Church. It was one of the most atrocious
spectacles that the opening of the 20th Century
could witness — a pampered, favoured, law-established sect forcing itself by
political means upon those who conscientiously differed from them. This Act
could not last. It would have to be repealed, because it would injure the
Established Church more than it would injure these who resisted it. These
scenes would have to go on until the Act was repealed. His father took him as
a boy to witness a distraint sale for refusing to pay a Church rate, but the
Education Act was more iniquitous than that. The Church rate was to maintain
church buildings, but the education rate was to proselytise their children.
This Act would be swept away, and they would not rest till they had a free
system fair to the children, fair to the parents and teachers, and fair to the
ratepayers.
J. Mountain spoke next, saying nothing particularly unexpected, unless it was to call Clifford “the Oliver Cromwell of this century.” Then W.H. Palmer spoke:
Rev. W.H. Palmer said they
had been taunted that this was a matter of pocket, but it was not so. His
education rate was
4s
9d but the recovery of
it would cost him 30s. They
had the expense of an auctioneer from London, because no local auctioneer
would lower himself to perform the task of selling goods which were suffered
to be seized for conscience sake, or, rather, the Chief Constable had not
asked any local auctioneer to so degrade himself. At a local auction the goods
could have been sold more cheaply, viz, for
2s in the £, but they were
glad no local auctioneer could be found, even though to obtain
4s
9d from him
30s had been spent. This
would show it was not a question of pocket, and they did not keep their
conscience in their pocket. He was proud to be one of the first to be
summoned, but there were plenty more waiting to stand in the same position.
Some 40 persons had already intimated their readiness to be summoned.
The Rev.
Dr. Usher expressed the
sympathy of those present with the four martyrs, and added that he himself
expected to be in the next batch, and they should go on till the victory was
won. In conclusion, he asked those present, for the sake of the ladies, to
leave the yard with less of a rush than they came in.
The Doxology and a verse of “All hail the power of Jesu’s name,” and a verse
of the National Anthem concluded the proceedings; while outside the cheering
was renewed as the furniture was displayed on a cart decorated with flags and
evergreens, and bearing an inscription. “This the furniture of gentlemen who
refused for conscience sake to pay the Priest’s rate.” The cart was drawn in
triumph to the owner’s residences, and a sale of memorial cards adorned with
coffins, to represent the burial of the Education Act was proceeded with among
the crowd. The proceedings, though noisy, were orderly; and the Chief
Constable is to be congratulated on his excellent arrangements.
Immediately following this article was another, featuring many of the same cast of characters, describing a meeting “on the Common in the evening,” and then another, describing an “evening meeting at the Great Hall” that followed. These were rallies that were meant to remind attendees of what was at stake and to encourage them to keep up the struggle to the bitter end, but the reports do not otherwise shed much light on how the campaign was progressing.
One thing I thought was noteworthy was a slideshow that included scenes from that afternoon’s distraint auction:
The room was then darkened for local views of passive resistance taken by Mr
Lankester and Mr Jenkins, to be exhibited and explained by
Dr. Usher.
The views commenced with portraits of passive resisters, commencing with
Alderman Finch, who was introduced as the first Nonconformist Mayor. Then came
portraits of the Chief Constable, the Town Clerk, and Alderman Stone, the
latter two being loudly boohed. A series of views were next shown taken
outside the rate collector’s office (a group of resisters refusing to pay
rates), outside the Town Hall (after the hearing of the summonses), outside
the residences of the several defendants (at the distraining of the goods),
and lastly, a series of snapshots taken of the sale that afternoon, and of the
meeting on the Common. A portrait of Mr Hedges, with an injunction to vote for
him at the next election concluded the series.
Clifford then spoke, saying among other things:
He asked them to regard this as one of the services a town could render an
Empire. They were assisting a national work. Nothing was so characteristic of
the movement as its spontaneity. It was springing up not only in large towns,
but in little hamlets. He quoted cases of resisters upwards of 70 and 80 years
of age, of resisters in poor as well as affluent circumstances. A nation was
judged by its ideals, and we were at a turning point in national history.…
The Evening News of Portsmouth reported in its issue:
[T]he Passive Resistance movement seems to be spreading like a prairie fire.
Over sixty persons will shortly be proceeded against in the Sheffield
Police-court. Ninety-nine resisters have now appeared before the Magistrates
at Bath; a huge furniture van has been driven round Edgbaston, Birmingham, by
the bailiffs and police, who carried off drawing-room suites, clocks, and
other articles of furniture in great quantity. No part payment is accepted in
the city of Mr. Chamberlain, but relentless thoroughness has been thus far the
order of the day on the part of Overseers and Magistrates. It is remarkable
how the well-to-do people are joining the movement. In Bath some of the best
known public men are Passive Resisters. Mr. Ansell, of Birmingham has been a
leader among the “Unionists”; Mr. Percy Rawson, the Liberal candidate for the
Stamford division, is among those whose goods have been seized; while Mr. W.B.
Bembridge, a Magistrate of Ripley, Derbyshire, has resigned his position on
the Commission of the Peace because he cannot conscientiously apply the
penalties of the law to Passive Resisters. Some of the Resisters are looking
to Portsmouth
J.P.’s to
take sides with them and become Resisters too, but it is hoped they, like the
Lord Mayor of Sheffield, will not resign unless called upon by the proper
authority to do so. But they should refuse to sign summonses of distraint upon
others.
The article goes on to say that Clifford and others had met with “Liberal leaders” and had gotten their promise “that should they come into power at the next election the repeal or amendment of the Education Act should be their first business.” The Liberals would come to power in and hold the reins of government . Any guesses as to whether they’ll keep their promise?
This, and the resistance slide show that ended pointedly with “[a] portrait of Mr Hedges, with an injunction to vote for him at the next election” show that then, as now, politicians are quick to swoop in on a grassroots activist campaign and coopt it for the purposes of furthering their careers.
Following that article was this one:
Some Lively Scenes
At a Passive Resistance Sale.
Auctioneer Goes with a Revolver.
Lively scenes were witnessed on at a sale of goods of sixteen Wimbledon Passive Resisters in
Plough-road, Battersea, and the auctioneer, fearing an attack from the crowd,
armed himself with a revolver.
Over 2,000 persons besieged the closed saleroom, and the large staff of police
could not prevent a rush being made for the auctioneer, Mr. Thomas Spearing,
who is an elderly man of slight build.
Mr. Spearing was severely handled before he could reach the saleroom, and two
Pressmen who found themselves mixed up in the crowd were arrested.
When the auctioneer reached the saleroom the attitude of the crowd became more
threatening. Mr. Spearing, therefore, before admitting the public, and,
beginning the sale, took up a loaded revolver.
The police, however, anxious to prevent anything in the nature of a riot,
persuaded him to put the revolver away, and after some difficulty they
succeeded.
At first only about a dozen persons were admitted to the saleroom, but the
crowd clamoured for admission, and protested that the auction was not public,
and therefore illegal. Four times the auctioneer postponed the sale, but at
last, at the request of one of the overseers, he proceeded, amid laughter and
hooting, a portion of the crowd gaining admission.
With the exception of a perambulator and a baby’s chair, for which the late
owner had no further use, all the lots were bought in by Mr. Robert Hunter, on
behalf of the Resisters.
Courteous Magistrates.
At Nailsworth (Gloucestershire) Police-court, on
, two Baptist ministers, of Stroud
and Minchinhampton, and five other Passive Resisters were summoned. The court
was crowded, and several Nonconformist ministers were present. The Bench
decided to allow all the defendants to pay part of the rate, and to allow a
fortnight to pay the balance. The defendants had made their protest, said the
Chairman of the Bench, and now he hoped the remainder of the money would be
paid. If not, it must be recovered in the usual way. Defendants thanked the
Magistrates for their courtesy.
Distress Warrants Granted
There were several cases before the county Magistrates at Kidderminster on
in which Nonconformists were
summoned for refusing to pay their poor rates. In each case they objected to
pay because of the education rate forming part of the amount demanded.
The Magistrates declined to hear any objections except as to the validity of
the rate. The defendants admitted its validity. In each case an order for
distress was granted.
The Berwickshire News and General Advertiser quoted from the Edinburgh Evening Dispatch in its issue:
In an English newspaper devoted to this resistance movement accounts are given
of the rowdyism of the mob and the vehement protests of the clerical
resisters. In one case “several townsfolk were ready with a sack to capture
the auctioneer with,” and this functionary has invariably to be protected by
strong bodies of police from being subjected to bodily violence.
Below this was an article about eight Passive Resisters being charged at Berwick Police Court, and applications for distress being granted. In that case, the overseers were willing to accept partial payment.
The edition of the same paper gives an account of a trial that gives a feel for some of the jousting between resisters and officials, the former trying to turn their trials into opportunities to demonstrate against injustice, the latter trying to reduce this inconvenience:
Spittal Passive Resisters Summoned.
A Minister and Town Councillor Proceeded Against.
A Scene in Court.
At Berwick Police Court, on ,
Rev. Archibald Alexander,
Minister of St. Paul’s English
Presbyterian Church, Spittal, was summoned for non-payment of poor rate in
full, the sum of 1s
7d being left due.
On being charged, defendant said— I am summoned here to show cause why I have
refused to pay. Am I at liberty to show cause?
The Clerk— Do you acknowledge the summons?
Defendant— I believe I am here to answer the Magistrates.
The Mayor— You must answer the Clerk’s question. That is your first duty.
Defendant— I decline to answer that question.
Robert Lambert, rate collector, Tweedmouth, was accordingly called to prove
the rate. The amount required from Mr Alexander was £1
1s
10d of which £1
0s
3d had been paid,
leaving 1s
7d for which defendant
had been summoned.
The Clerk— The rate was one which was legally made and allowed by the
Magistrates. Do you wish to ask any question from witness?
Defendant— I have no desire to ask any question from witness.
The Mayor— Have you anything to say about the legal aspect of this?
Defendant— It is an outrage that I should be called upon to pay to support
schools which are sectarian and which are to detach our young people from the
religion of their fathers, and make them indifferent and even opposed to that
religion. I protest against this outrage before this Court.
The Bench decided that the usual order for payment should be made.
Three other cases were decided in a similar way. Another article on the same page gives a little more detail about how the property seizures were carried out:
Berwick Passive Resisters’ Goods Seized.
On , the distress warrants issued
is the case of Berwick Passive Resisters — 8 persons including 3
ministers — were carried into effect. Mr George Moor, Assistant Overseer,
accompanied by Police-Sergt.
Wm. Moor, drove round to the
houses of the 8 defendants, and seized goods to the amount required, the
proceedings passed off quietly. In all cases payment of the rate, less the
disputed portion, with expenses up to the issue of the warrants, was tendered
and accepted, the balance being distrained for. The articles taken were of
small value. They will sold by public auction next week.
The articles that have been seized include biscuit-boxes, and boxes of cigars,
and one case a picture. Three of the Resisters brought the articles down to
the Police-station themselves.
As has been said the portion of the rate not in dispute was tendered along
with expenses up to date,
1d in the £ being
deducted as the amount at present levied for educational purposes, and this
was accepted. Some article in the household was then accepted to realise the
amount disputed and the expenses to be yet incurred. In the majority of cases
the articles seized were small. It is alleged that the Overseers are having
difficulty in securing the services of an auctioneer to dispose of the goods.
The next example comes from the North Devon Journal:
Passive Resistance at Barnstaple.
Eight Persons Before the Magistrates.
Great Demonstrations.
Barnstaple is the first town in Devonshire to furnish passive resistance
cases, eight summonses having been heard before the Borough Bench on
. The day was marked by two great
demonstrations under the auspices of the Barnstaple Citizens’ League. At
a prayer meeting in the Congregation
Schoolroom was conducted by the
Rev. F.J. Kirby,
(President of the League), and shortly before
, the hour at which
the Borough Bench sat, the passive resisters and friends marched to the
Guildhall in procession singing “Onward, Christian soldiers.” There was a
crowded attendance at the Guildhall, sympathisers with the passive resisters
appearing to predominate; and the proceedings were very lively from start to
finish.
In these cases, the overseers were not willing to accept partial payment, which increased the amount of antagonism between the resisters and the authorities. The individual cases proceeded on a now-familiar track, with the resisters trying to plead the injustice of the rates, the mayor trying to rubber stamp distraint orders as quickly as possible, and impatient crowds siding with the resisters giving cheers, boos, and other peanut gallery calls. Here is one example
When Mrs. Martha Blackwell, of Alexandra-road, the first lady to be proceeded
against in Barnstaple, entered the box, she received a tremendous
ovation. — When the cheering had subsided, Mr. Ffinch [the mayor] said to the
Head Constable (Mr. B. Eddy): Take some of them into custody. We shall know
how to deal with them.
That didn’t seem to deter anyone, as “renewed cheering” greeted the following defendant.
Some of those summoned were only willing to pay the offensive portion of the rate when ordered by the court to do so; others were unwilling to do so even then, and would only relinquish the money involuntarily via distraint.
The defendants also raised a number of procedural points about their cases that had nothing to do with their conscientious objection, which suggests to me that they had adopted the strategy of trying to clog the courts and make each case take as long as possible to resolve.
After the proceedings, the resisters held a rally in the marketplace. Rev. F.J. Kirby announced that the overseers had decided, after all of that courtroom fuss had annoyed the Mayor, that they would accept partial payments after all, so the resisters won that particular skirmish.
The speeches were rousing rally cries urging the crowd to resist what was painted as an Anglican/Papist conspiracy to wipe out nonconformity by indoctrinating children. The rally ended with the singing of the national anthem.
There was a second demonstration in the evening at the Music Hall: “a crowded and enthusiastic attendance [with s]everal hundreds of persons [who] were unable to gain admission” and the Salvation Army Band playing “Onward, Christian Soldiers” as they marched in “followed by a large contingent of young people.”
The Rev. H.J. Crouch spoke first, and, among other things, explained that he had been one of the token nonconformists on the Walton-on-Thames School Board but realized that he had no influence and was disgusted that the board was grilling prospective teachers about what religious denomination they belonged to during the hiring process. He said he resigned from the board in disgust and resolved to join the passive resistance movement.
The Rev. G.F. Owen exemplified the increasing rhetorical temperature when he concluded his speech this way:
He was not born to have a saddle upon his back, and he would not be sat upon
by the despotism of kings or Parliaments either. He was free, and every bone
in his body should be broken, and every drop of blood shed, before he paid a
penny to help the priest to degrade the children and lock them up in the
darkness of heathenism and superstition for generations to come. (Cheers.)
F.J. Kirby spoke next and gave some more detail about how the authorities were proceeding against the resisters:
Up to he was unaware that any
proceedings were to be taken against any of those who had been made known as
active members of Barnstaple and District Citizen’s League. To his great
surprise on , on opening the
North Devon Journal — that paper cherished by North
Devon people next to their Bible — he read that summonses had been issued
against eight citizens who had decided not to pay the Education rate. Not more
than ten minutes afterwards a ring came to his door and a gentleman in blue
presented himself. “Well,” said Mr. Kirby, “I believe he was more afraid than
I was.” (Laughter and applause.) He was most courteous, as had been all the
authorities, with one or two exceptions. All had been as kind as they could be
under the circumstances. When they knew that they had to appear before the
magistrates that day they had at once in their minds the determination to make
some means of voicing their convictions before the public of Barnstaple. They
soon got together speakers and sympathisers, and were able to put upon the
bills the names of those who spoke and at that meeting. But that meeting did not require
eloquent speakers. It was itself eloquence.
Kirby also issued a plea to the Wesleyans and Brethren to show solidarity with them by refusing to take Education Act funds for their own schools, something they had apparently thus far been unwilling to do.
A Councillor Hopper spoke next, advocating that resisters insist on stating the conscientious grounds for their stand in court, and replying to one of the magistrates’ suggestion (or threat) that the authorities strike nonconformists from the voter rolls if they refuse to pay their full rates.
Finally, an article in the Dover Express and East Kent News covered a meeting of a passive resistance group:
Passive Resistance at Dover
Nonconformists’ League Describes Its Policy and Aims.
On a public meeting under the auspices of the Dover Citizens’ League, an association for the promotion of “passive resistance” against the Education Rate, was held at Salem Chapel. There was an enthusiastic gathering of Nonconformists, the chair being taken by Mr. John Scott (the President of the Dover Free Church Council), who was supported on the platform by Mr. W. Bradley, the Rev. W. Holyoak, the Rev. W.H. Parr, G. Clark, etc.
Scott put the struggle in the context of other civil disobedience struggles that nonconformists had to go through over the ages, just to be allowed to hold their own services for instance, and said that it was the duty of modern nonconformists to stand up like their predecessors had and to refuse to submit to an unjust law. The other speakers addressed various arguments concerning the Act and the tactic of tax resistance. Finally:
Mr. Lewis explained at the conclusion of the meeting that the Dover Citizens’ League consisted of members who agreed not to pay the Education Rate, and also Associates who approved of the policy of passive resistance not being ratepayers, or for other reason, would not offer passive resistance. The subscription was not less than 6d. per quarter, paid in advance.
That takes us through the end of in what I’ve collected (certainly only a sample) of the newspaper coverage of the opening year of this tax resistance movement.
