The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-20 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tins DAY.—Morning, ih. 10m.—Afternoon, 7h. 30m.
To-Monitow.-Morning, 7h. 55m.—Afternoon, Bh. 27m.

--I, •a
att

LONDON, FRIDAY, JAN. 20, 1865.

Mr. SCHOLEFIELD and Mr. BRIGHT have been dis-
playing their eloquence to their constituents. The
former gentleman spoke first. In some respects he
had the advantage of his more daring and dashing
colleague, for he had the magnanimity to award
justice to his political opponents, and also the dis-
cernment to recognise a very probable contingency
that may arise, and to declare that he would not
commit himself by any rash pledges. " If there
shotdd arise a necessity for taking Parliamentary
action on the question of recognising the Southern
States," he said, " that he would reserve his discre-
tion." This was very wise, and it was straightfor-
ward of the hon. member to avow it. He also ap-
prehended the present attitude of America to
betok en some awkwardness, and said that he did
not wish to " abate one jot of what was necessary
for the security of the country." Certainly such
remarks are a step in advance of the Manchester
School, and accord but ill with its primary prin-
ciples. Mr. BRIGHT'S speech was not very different
to his ordinary discourses. We meet with the same
invincible repugnance to the higher classes of the
land, the same vehemence concerning the rights of
the people, and the same cynical opinion of all in
authority. It has so often been lamented that he
should mar the effect of his great abilities, and
throw away the resources of his distinguished elo-
quence in these
meaningless diatribes, that to repeat
the
remark
again seems preposterous. But one thing
above all others must strike the mind of those who
a.tt entively study t
should Mr. BRIGHT and discourse and that is, why
his friends.n so persistently
support the present Ministry l
every difficulty,
when they entertain, or profess to entertain, such an
opinion of their errors and shortcomings
it consistent with their avowal of
th
ft;llacies which mark the pathway
olte;rauttli:wanid
s
"'ancient
statesmen." Whatever doubts and uncertainties
these same dignitaries may entertain
resPecthlg the
conflicting events of political life, of one thing they
may feel convinced, and that is the support of m;
BRIGHT, should they be placed in a perilous position.
Of course, on the subject of Denmark, the hon.
member for Birmingham launched out into his usua
strain, and dealt out his fiery invectives against
those who would propose any policy contrary to his
wishes. Besides rejoicing that England suffered
that unfortunate kingdom to be crushed, Mr.
BRIGHT would deduce from that fact the sequence
that in all other such dilemmas we shall pursue the
-ame course, and, taking care of ouraelves, heed

not what mischance affects others. A more selfish
or sectarian policy could not be enunciated ; it is a
disgrace to those who propose it, and it would be a
lasting shame to all who carried out its proposals
and adopted its tenets. Why, in the =me of com-
mon sense, should Mr. BRIGHT say, that any Go-
vernment that " plunged us into a war for the sake
of the integrity of Denmark, would deserve the
execration of the people." It is by such incon-
siderate remarks as these that he loses the
respect of his hearers, and lowers himself from a
politician pronouncing an opinion on public affairs
to the position of a demagogue who blusters and
disclaims without regard to cause or consequence.
In support of his peculiar mania he will do or
say anything wild, extravagant, and violent—
truth, honour, and justice all cast to the winds ;
the principles which have been reverenced among us
from time immemorial he styles "ghastly phantoms,"
and read by his light the policy of England must
henceforth be, take care of number one. It may
do very well to attempt this clap-trap oratory at a
public meeting, and to debate before a particular
assembly, but the sense and sentiment of the English
nation are alike enraged against such selfish and
sordid motives as Mr. BRIGHT would impute to us ;
and so long as the best feelings of human nature are
extant among us, so long will such a creed be styled
dastardly and degrading. It is only to be regretted
that Earl RUSSELL did not act up to the measure of
the opinion he professed on that occasion at Greenock,
from which Mr. BRIGHT has quoted a passage from
his speech. Such language was worthy of one who
represented the character and bore the name of a
family possessing an historical interest in the land,
and associated with the most stirring inci-
dents in civil and religious liberty. So with
Lord PALMERSTON, had he acted up to the
professions he made on many occasions, whence the
member for Birmingham can extract " a cartload
of international rubbish," he might not be in office
now, but he would leave behind him a better
reputation as a statesman and a minister of
the great country over whose destinies he has
the high honour to preside. Mr. BRIGHT
thinks that a part of the millennium cf
the Manchester school has already blessed this
favoured land, and that henceforth there will be no
more wars, or rumours of wars, among us for the
sake of helping foreign nations in distress and de-
fending the rights of injured nationalities. Time
alone can prove how far this may or may not be
correct, but meanwhile is it a desirable position for
a public speaker to take before an assembly of his
countrymen to declare that our strength shall never
be put forth in the cause of our weaker brethren
among the communities of the earth, our wealth
shall not be squandered to lighten their poverty,
and our arms of might shall never carry de-
struction to their foes and make them rejoice that
they have such a friend. In fact, we are to become
rich and strong, and see our trade increase, our
manufactures flourish, and our people prosperous,
but we are to say " let us eat and drink for to-
morrow
we die." When Mr. BRIGHT gets upon
the subject of " Reform " he becomes indeed " pro-
digious," the torrents of his eloquence burst their
bounds, the zeal of his imagination burns
with intense vehemence, and the long re-
strained indignation of his patriotism is launched
against all offenders. The only drawback to all this
overflowing eagerness and excitement is that no-
thing comes of it. During the shades of autumn
and the gloom of winter we find the member for
Birmingham on the alert to spy out the nakedness
of the land in political quarters ; but where has fled
this discernment when spring and summer unfold
the bud and blossom into the flower of Parliamen-
tary existence. All this is hushed and tranquil, and
uo sound disturbs the serenity of the scene. Now,
if the Ministers of the House of Lords and the
House of Commons are so faulty, why does not
one who boasts of being the tribune of the people
and the orator of the million rise up in his place in
Parliament and tell them of the error of th.eir ways.
Some sound truths and some solid sense are mixed
up with the leaven of Mr. BRIGHT'S discourse, but
why should he use his powers for party ends when
great public and political questions hang on the
issues of such topics as those he ventilates. The
rights of the people, and the claims of the unrepre-
sented would come before us with a greater force
and speak for themselves, in their own grand signifi-
cance, without the clap-trap of casting ridicule upon
the opponents of Mr. BRIGHT'S particular views,
and the balderdash of throwing stones at
the upper ranks of society. Such sub-
terfuges are mean and senseless, and
the good taste and high principle of an enlightened
community revolts against them. It is because he
aims at effect rather than studies cause that Mi.
BRIGHT has never identified himself with anything
lasting in the politics of the day. It was the cool
judgment and sober sense of Mr. COBDEN that made
the Anti Corn-law League a " great ;fact," and
not the vehement vituperation of his friend. Mr.
BRIGHT could never have consulted with an Em-
peror about a Treaty of Commerce. His thoughts
would have been far away from facts and figures,
comparing the advantage of a Republic to the con-
ditions of an Empire, and speculating upon the
progress France must make before she attained the
measure of completeness enjoyed by those who
dwelt where " Mighty Missouri rolls down to the
Sea." Mr. BRIGHT is indignant with Lord PAL-
MERSTON for not having offered him a seat in his
Government, and it was a very foolish thing for
the noble lord to have omitted to do so, for there
is no more effectual way of silencing' an awkward
spokesman, not that the denouncer of all things
public and political in Birmingham is dangerous in
the House. Within those honoured walls he is
either mute or speaks with bated breath, and it
seems strange that those who so vehemently cheer
their member in the Town Hall cannot or will not
compare his silence at St. Stephen's with his volu-
bility in the provinces. Mr. BRIGHT boasts that he
made speeches in many places which gained th e
applause of thousands on the question of
Reform, but where has fled his zeal and earnestness
since then ? There is no doubt that his exertions
were in a great measure the cause of the over-
throw of the Reform Bill of Lord DERBY'S
Government, but what have the people gained
by that ? Six years have passed, and the fire
of Mr. BRIGHT'S eloquence has been abated, and
the torrent of his invectives stopped, while the
Government he was instrumental in placing in office
have shirked the question, and he has stood by and
supported them. The people of this country admire
eloquence, and respect devotion to a great political
question, but there is one thing that they'reßveßrelGnHcTe
still more, and that is consistency. Mr.
may raise the plaudits of the unthinking auditors
of a great assembly, but he will never influence the
defitinies of
extravagantthe country
fashion.
and gain the respect of its
thinking community, while he goes on in such a
wild and
If Lord PALMERSTON
be so much to blame,
of want of confidence why did he not propose a vote
Why does
years while he has been mr.
mu7Gnhis administration all these
pro-
fane assemblage as the
circumstances comb'
present Cabinet ? All these
ithlSsoN CroemßSatainnint SsllupchpoaTter
incongruous
so sedulously sought after ' uie to mar the effect
of Mr. BRIGHT ; and while inentiltheluiauaBtumnal,:ic
eh effusions
etas may