New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08
JOHN BRIGHT.
ais ADDRESS AT BIRMINGHAM.

IrRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRDuSE.l
BIRMINGHAM, Oct. 23.-Ever since Mr. Bright
reSptered the Ministry, which he quilted on account
of illness in 1870 there has been strong desire to
know what his return to office signifed- Since AZ
became known, some ten days ago. that he would
address his constituents the desire has been stronger
than ever. Had he contented himself with writing
O letter. the letter might or might not satisfy
public curiosity, but everybody knows that speech
from Mr. Bright means frank deliverance on the
topics uppermost in his and other peoples minds.
There was something more than that Mr.. Bnghts
appearance at Birmingham is his reentry into public
life He has been silent nearly four years. and during
the greater part of that time absolutely estranged
from affairs. For many months during which he
remained member of the Cabinet his malady
made his membership merely nominal. He not only
did not speak or take part in the councils Of his
colleagues; it was forbidden him to read debate.
or have it read to him. or to converse on politics
Against his own wish. he remained member Tor
Birmingham after he had withdrawn from the Gov
ernment. The loyal constituency which in 1897
held il an honor TO be represented by the man whom
Manchester deserted. was true to him In illness
as il had been in the days of his great unpopuary
They preferred Mr. Bright invalid TO anybody
else well. SO that when they learned that his
health would at last permit him to reappear before
them their delight know no bounds, and they re-
solved to welcome him back among them by one OF
zthe most splendid political demonstrations this
scountry has witnessed.
Z. Preparations have been making for week and
more The process of reGloeting him. which became
necessary on his again accepting office proved only
q fornalty. The Tories knew 1t was useless to con-
test Brmin gham and made virtue of necessity by
yielding without a struggle. The League, whlch
two months ago muttered something about opposing
bis return, unless he gave assurances on the educa
ton policy Of the Government, were Quoted by the
knowledge that it would be useless for them to
try conclusions with Mr. Bright and by the growing
conviction that no was substantially with them on
the main question. There was, in fact, nothing to
check enthusiasm and everything to stimulate 1t.
Tho only question was how to find room for it. The
Town Hail. in which Mr.. Bright has usually spoken,
holds five thousand people, but it was rejected
rs too small and the Liberal committee took bold
step They fixed on Bineley Hall, vast structure.
used as a market and drill room, covering the whole
space bounded by four streets, and computed to
give standing room to. 10000 people Some
doubt was expressedi whether Mr.. BTights
voice would fill this immense room. l
believe Mr. Bright himself had no msgivng on
that point. His voice had been worn and delicate
before his illness but his illness had given it the
needed repose. The real question was whether he
would be equal to meeting so great multitude OF
mon. 1t was risking q good deal for first expert
mont Twice or three times last session Mr. Bright
went down to the House of Commons, meaning to
take part in the debate and he even made notes for
speech. When the moment came. he found MIN
self OF fancied himself unequal to the effort. AT
any rate he did not make it. But he is, ordinarily
one of the most resolute of men, and having deter
mined to face popular audience he perhaps found
strength in the very numbers of it. Then. TOO, it
speedily became evident that the meeting was to be
national rather than local. Applications for tickets
poured in the committee, and they had to enlarge
their plans. The hall has a level floor no seats.
no platform, galleries of any use for hear
ing. The committee built stage holding 27O
people press gallery in front for 80 reporters two
side galleries with seats for $50 at 81 % each, and
1eft the body Of the hall still capscous for 1900
few hours before the meeting tickets were selling at
100 per cent premium. though for the $1,000 standing
places no charge was made.
There were those who doubted whether these
preparations were not on too vast scale, whether
even Mr. Bright in Birmingham could attract an
audience !of 5000, every one of whom might read
every word of his speech next morning In the papers
There are skeptics everywhere. There were not
many left at Z o'clock last evening. The entrances
for tcke-holders open at hafpast SIX, and all
the galleries were filled as rapidly as people could
find their way in. The main doors were not thrown
open till7. reached my place little before that,
inst in time to note the contrast between the great
VOID area and the SAME area oyerfOwed few min
utes later by torrent of human beings. They came
in on the run The crowd outside must have been
somethng marvellous, for in ten minutes the hall
WAS 40 filled that from the galleries vacant spot
was to be seen. An orderly, keen-faced, plainly
dressed crowd-the working population of one OF
the greatest manufacturing towns In the world
Mr. Joseph Chamberlain was the first sensation a
name little known IN America, nor very widely in
nd within the last two. when the
Education contest has grown hot. In Birmingham
he has been known long for so young man. lie Is
The master-sprit of the League the body which leads
the fight for undenominational schools, and these
last few weeks he has become widely famous by bis
speeches aud, above all by an article in The Fort
ptqhay Repier which supplied Lord Salisbury with
the text of his article in The Quarterly ON the Radi-
cal Programme. Mr.. Chamberlain is believe. 81
He looks 25 is slight in figure and thin in face, and
his face has slight resemblance to William
Pitts. or the likeness Of Pitt. He was cheered
heartily as he came in and took his place
on the platform. So Mr.. Joseph l..
Wright the Chairman of the Liberal Asso-
citation, whose gigantic proportions
have caused him to be known in birmingham
as the Great Liberal Party. On the platform were
Mr.. Chiders-Mr. Bright's predecessor in Office,
whose coming to hear the man for whom he mad
made way 1 thought a graceful act; Dir. Nc
Laren NJ. p. for Edinburgh, with his wife, who Is
Mr. Bright's sister; Mr. Lyulpb Stanley; Mr. Shaw
Lefevre; "King Cole" of the South Hensington
Museum; Mr. Charles Reed, NJ p, lately back from
America; and the Mayor. wearing in his badge the
INST diamond ever cut in Birmingham. l must
leave you to imagine the scene that followed MI
Bright's entrance j have seenfew in any country
that equaled it surpassed, it never was. Yet, the
English are an undenonstrative" people. The
sea of upturned faces became forest OF hats and
900 ,yay;oo in the air the cheers were an ocean