MR LEWIS DAVIS cont'd.
His great ambition seemed to be to lift people to a higher platform of life all round. He was in favour of giving them freedom of education and a wider sphere of influence in the state, and he did everything he could to improve the condition of the toiling millions of the country. Well, then, he had very great sympathy — we saw it frequently — with the struggling poor.
There was a warm place in John Batchelor's heart for the poor all around him. He was the champion of the poor, and altogether a man of broad human sympathies - as I have said, above class. Don't listen to a word of what is said in condemnation of him by some of his opponents. He might have had some failings ; his very strength produced in him, and his earnestness produced in him, perhaps a ruggedness sometimes which bore hard upon his opponent. For I tell you this — lie was no mean opponent ; it was a difficult thing to withstand Mr Batchelor.
He was a man not only of great will and purpose, and great integrity, but a man of great courage. He would not yield to common pressure. He would not yield at all when he felt that be was right, and stood his ground in all circumstances and vicissitudes of life sternly, strongly, purely. He was a noble man ; it is an honour to us to be present to do honour to such a man. I believe he has stamped his character very largely upon Cardiff ; he has stamped it upon the county, upon the principality of Wales.
People know his name as a talisman it works wonders in the minds of those who understand and know him. I feel that I don't at all do adequately the work given me to do to-day. I cannot do justice to my subject ; it is beyond my power to give a sufficient description of the man as I understand him. He lived above common thing's altogether be was uncommon. (Applause.)
He wished to lift up people around him to the very purest platform of life, and to leave the world better than he found it in every sense of the word. I have very little more to say with regard to Mr Batchelor. The weather is unfavourable. I did not intend myself to make a long speech, but I should like to say a word with respect to his afflicted family.
I do hope that this demonstration - so hearty and pure a demonstration of esteem regard and reverence for Mr Batchelor - will be some consolation for his poor widow and children, and that not only for to-day, but for the whole of their lives, it will be a great source of comfort and strength to them. I am very glad to see so many people here to do honour to so good and great a man. They are honouring themselves by being present. (Loud applause.)
MR ALFRED THOMAS, M.P.
Mr Alfred Thomas, M.P., said : Mr Rees Jones, ladies and gentlemen,— I am proud to be here to-day, because now we can say we have two monuments in Cardiff. (Hear.) I think it is also evident we are advancing in the way of art culture. (Laughter and cheers.)
I am glad to see that this statue is erected in the only open space we have in Cardiff free to the public. (Hear.) The Improvement Act, which has done much for Cardiff, has done nothing greater than giving us open spaces which shall be free to the public. Perhaps some of the councilors who voted for the resolution by which you obtained this site did not know they were voting a site for a statue to an old town councillor, in recognition of the many, many services Mr Batchelor rendered to us, both as a councillor and also when be filled the honoured post of Mayor of Cardiff. (Cheers.)
I am glad to see that in this place you have a large piece of ground, so we will hope there are many other eminent men in Cardiff who will have monuments erected to them. But as they will have to wait until they are dead, we don't wish them to have monuments very soon. (Laughter.)
We can imitate the old Irish sergeant, who, when he was recruiting, promised those who enlisted a full share in the honours of war. He used to say, If you escape all right you will all become field marshals, but if you are killed you will be covered with glory, and read your name in the papers." (Laughter.) I can promise our eminent men, then, that if they have a statue after their death they will see it. (Laughter).
But here we have a statue erected to a man who was fully worthy of it. John Batchelor — (cheers) — upheld the banner of political freedom with a staunch heroism amidst the greatest trials. He was a man, too, who would not thank anyone for doing as be did unless that person had become convinced he was right by a process of reasoning. He would bind no one to his chariot wheels, and his only concern was to make men free. (Cheers.)
For those who saw and were associated with John Batchelor he gave another responsibility to life, for no man could be associated with him without being made nobler. His spirit of self-sacrifice was such that he was an example to men and angels in this age of self-seeking. (Loud cheers.)
I cannot but think that the poet must have had John Batchelor in his mind when he said these words
What is noble ? That which places
Truth in its enfranchised will,
Leaving steps like angel traces
That mankind may follow still.
E'en though scorn's malignant glances
Prove him poorest of his clan,
He is noble who advances
Freedom and the cause of man.
(Loud and prolonged cheers.)
