New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08
out impatienoo, bu. with evident liking and fro


saddening mark upon him. He seemed, IL anything
ger man than when he last spoke, aud even
younger. HIS hair is no longer white, but gray and
abundant. Tbeface is 80 well filed up that some Of
it's strong lines deepout they used to be- had half
disappeared. The eye was clear. the whole expres-
sion of sufficient health of good spirits and easy
living. Though he rose to make great trial OF
himself, think never saw less anxious look on
his face. 1t was always a countenanoe Of strength
rather than sweetness. capable of expressing anger.
but with so much play Of feature AZ to
pass readily from passion to humor when
say anger / mean that religious wrath when
man sometimes does we'll to feel ana 10
express, and without which there never was great
reformer or orator. or general who did much hghtins
Humor, however, is one of Mr. Brights character
istics and weapons 1t is likewise often the flash at
the lannon's mouth which lights the path OF inc
coming shot He stood not whit loss stout than Oh
i old and you are forced to remark bow nuoh den'y
there NAV be in short bulky frame, with ne'tner
souareness nor grace of outline. robust ana mas
tye kind of body i'll at athletics. but NJ support
and servant to the brain above ana 10 Inc WIZ
tbe unswerying will and high courage which
belong 20 the man and which nave mau'
bis career helpful to England and to the world.
The storm swept over the hall again While the
speaker stood facing his audience and 1t lasted til
be grew Mainly impatient. To stand there and not
| be able to make a word heard was "a trial to bis
nerves and his friends presently 80 FAR subdued
their passionate enthusiasm TO be able to perceive
that, and to remember that they had come to hear
and not to be heard. Meantime the orator had put
his hat on the table and the notes OF his speech on
his hat-fuller notes than usual-and a decanter of
sherry and another OF water stood handy. 1t used
to be port instead Of sherry for his throat AS the
noise died away the vexed look passed like shadow
from bis face There moment Of perfect silence,
broken neither by the people nor BY him; then he
began.
The first words came cautiously, tho voice was
pitched clear and low, the sentence formed itself
with marked slowness he trying both his voice
and his self-control. The memory OF what had
passed since he stood before bis constituents was
mastering him. In few sentences filled with emo
ton ne referred 10 his Illness to the forbearance OF
his friends in waiting for his recovery, and to the
circumstances of his present position. 1t was well
done but Mr. Bright had once before gone through
similar experience, and made similar acknowl-
| edement. If you will refer to his speech in Biz
mngham in 1861 you will find perhaps the most
perfect expression in the English language OF the
gratitude which it BELTS man In such circumstances
to feel He can hardly express it twice equally Well
That the feeling was genuine and as deep now as
then is beyond doubt. Then he began at once his
review of the political situation.
We are all asking ourselves I" Is he the same John
| Bright ~ Has his illness weakened hts powers '
Has he still future before him, or is he only the
monument of an incompatible pasti will confess
that for my part doubted for the first % minutes.
There were signs of hesitation and doubt. his own
| part of himself such as never saw before The
most alarming symptom was that be repeatedly put
his hand to his forehead, if collecting his ideas or
steadying himself by mechanical effort. There
were gns that his external compOsure effort
of the WILL and not natural. The elaboration of
| his utterance was extreme. 1t was many minutes
before he seemed quite of himself or quite at
ease. This period of suspense certainly did not ex-
coed the limit have mentioned. l might say that
it had passed when the first jest at the expense OF
the conservative editors came-the editors who, he
was told spoke in kindly terms of the Ballot when
they won an election but when they lost al election
turned and cursed it. AS his way is the jet became
| fiery and was then lost in the oarnestness with
which he added: "Whether we win elections or
whether we lose them. am for the Ballot"
| Then. in rapid succession and with unerring
felicity of touch, the shafts aimed at the edu-
cation policy OF tho Govsrni1ent-the crucial point
of the address, politically. which should like
to say much if did not want to say more on the
short passage referring to the United States 1t was
that passage which dispelled the last doubt of the
|
and his old moods of mind. rejoice to say it was
also the one most heartily oheered II was graft
fying as il was, to me, must own, unexpected. for
| Mr. }rights feeling toward America had changed in
| measure. or seemed to have changed. before his
illness Mr.. Summers speech against that foolish
and wicked treaty Of Reverdy Johnson bad angered
him. Not even Mr. Bright could bear to have the
whole truth told about his own country. Had
| he been in public life during the Indirect Claims
| period don't know what be might not have said.
But last light he came back TO his old ground, and
indicated with his old energy the justice of the
cause of the Union and the rghtfulness of Engands
submission to arbitration. The old feeling and the
old power Of expression came back together be-
leye half forgot my delight an American in
hearing once more the cause of my own country
| upheld in England by England's foremost states
man in the delight OF seeing that statesman himself
again. Here it was that all uncertainty vanished
that the lucid and irresistible eloquence of other
DAYS was again heard and the force of the one great
orator of England was proved in moment to be not
weakened. the flow of his speech not checked the
fire of it not Quenched nor cooled.
Icount everything else second to that. II he had
spoken doubtfully about education should have re-
GREETED it, for that question his place Is In the
front. But the main thing England-the Birming
ham League possibly excepted-wanted to know
| was that Mr.. Bright was once more capable OF tax
ing his former place, and doing what work wss want
ing to be done. If his speech last night was not thu
greatest be ever delivered it ranks among the best
Putting illness aside and remembering only that M
has not spoken for nearly four years. 1t s matter
of wonder that mere dsuse and want OF practice
should have left few marks of imperfection on
such an address. The last half was stronger thar
the first more easily delivered, richer in variety o.
statement and STYLE and enlyened by sallies of wit
by anecdote, and by every charm that belongs t'
the best manner of the illustrious speaker.
The arrangements for teegraphing the speed