"Every man who has not a musket behind his ballot is a slave."

ABUSING THE CONSTITUTION.

Anarchists Deride the Coming Centennial
Celebration--Revolutionary Talk.

   Chicago, April 21.--The coming centennial celebration of the American constitution was derided up hill and down and the regular Sunday meeting of the Socialist and Anarchists in Waverly Hall this afternoon. Anarchist Lucy Parsons was tho only one of the crowd of two or three hundred who had a word to say in favor of the document. A sample of the other speeches was that by a man named Burlong.

   "This 400 of New York," he said, "who will conduct this performance know where their safety lies and they know they are safe as long as the constitution is as it is. The constitution, eh ?--well it has been called a covenant with hell. What are we to do? The platform of tho Socialistic Labor party is the only thing which shows that the living can govern themselves, and not be held down by the laws made by dead men. The constitution means a government of the people, for the few, by ghosts."

   All eyes were turned on Mrs. Parsons when she arose.

   "You talk about the Constitution being wrong," she said. "The Constitution is all right; you are the ones that are wrong. The people don't realize that they have privileges they do not take. The Constitution gives you all the rights you need if you would only demand them. Enforce the Constitution."

   "I wish to ask," she continued sarcastically, "If you don't know the constitution grants us peaceful assemblage? Don't it give us also the right to keep and bear arms? We will not be in a position to get our liberties until we enforce the constitution. Every man who him not a musket behind his ballot is a slave."

[The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Wheeling, W. Va., Monday Morning, April 22, 1889. Volume XXXVII--Number 207. Pg. 1]