The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-06-20
England's Quaker Statesman.
EFrom an English Magazine.l

John Bright is intensely patriotic. Not the
less so because on questions of foreign policy
he differs from the vast majority of English
men. Unquestionably his views are somewhat
narrow; but at least he is not the victim Of that
unfortunate sentiment which induces certain
persons to prefer the interests of any country
to that of their own. Perish Savoyl" was
his memorable utterance some 10 sessions ago,
when the Emperor Napoleon seemed desirous
to inherit the blessing pronounced on those
who remove their neighbor's landmark and
when the old English jealousy of France was
beginning to make the prospect of war between
the two nations dangerously imminent. Mr..
Bright's feelings expressed with considerable
bluntness evidently was that the independence
of a number of trumpery Savoyards was not a.
matter which called for the expenditure of @
single English shilling. AS to the idea that
France might grow too strong for us, that was
equally preposterous. Too strong for England,
indeed! He SHOULD like to see the nation that
would be too strong for England.
No wonder Mr.. Bright is an incomprehensi-
BILE phenomenon to foreign liberals. remem-
Der seeing him and Louis Blanc engaged in a
political discussion. The French radical learned
with amazement and sorrow that his English
confrere was in favor of shutting up public
houses during certain hours on Sundays. "Ah.
you have no liberty in England" he remarked
bitterly. Mr.. Bright rejoined with a polite
hope that the immortal principles of 'S9 might
bring the French Gin their good time) some
greater benefit than that of increased facilities
for drunkenness on Sundays.
Mr.. Bright, himself, by the way, is now q
teetotaller, and smokes much less than former
ly. In old times he and Lord Stanley (the pres
ent Lord Derby might often be seen in the
smoking-room of the House Of Commons puff
ing away, according to the elegant expression
of friend, like couple of chimneys. The two
were land are) fast friends; and strange as it
may seem, there can be little doubt that the
man who recently flung away his chances Of
| becoming tory prime minister was the apt
pupil of Mr. Bright The Quaker statesman
very early imbued him with that dislike Of
war which made him the despair of the jim
| goes.
But Mr.. Bright's most famous disciple is a.
| gentleman who was already cabinet minister
| when the former entered Parliament. The
conversion of Mr.. Gladstone from high tory
| ism to something very like radicalism is in a
| great measure the work of Mr.. Bright. The
late Lord Strangford put the fact in his own
inimitable way, but in somewhat too conversa-
| tional style to meet the exigencies of British
journalism. He pointed out that Mr.. Bright's
| strong; masterful nature had completely DOM
mated and subdued that of Mr.. Gladstone.
! He rode roughshod over him. If Mr.. Glad
| stone nau SCrupleS Mr. Bright pOOh-pOOheu
| them. He laughed him out of a too squeam-
ish reverence for the past. If Mr.. Gladstone
saw two sides to a question Mr.. Bright would
point out that one could go on looking at both
sides forever. Three courses might be open"
but only one could be taken.
Mr.. Bright attempted to use the same process
with MIR. Mill, who, however, proved to be-
made of far sterner stuff. Mr.. Bright could
gain no ascendency over him, and did not par
ticularly regret his defeat at Westminster in
1868, for he deemed the ex-member hopelessly
impracticable, and considered that his pres.
ence in Parliament had rather done mischief
to the liberal party. Mr.. Bright fairly lost his
temper over that pet device Of Mr.. Mill's-the
minority clause-which he described as "child-
ish" He is a stanch friend and serviceable
one, for in later years he has developed an ex-
traordinary amount of tact. They saw indeed
of Jacob that he is John without Johns tact.
This is not quite true; but it is certain that
John shows wonderful dexterity in steering
clear of all crotchet-mongers and hobby-horses.
When there is woman's rights division he
votes with his brother, but is hopelessly unen-
thusiastic about the subject. / have heard
one Of the tuneful sisterhood denounce him AS
"weakling" A Quaker mellowed into a
man OF the world would not be bad descrip-
tion of Mr.. Bright
Careful Of the public money, Mr.. Bright is
generous with his own. 1t is not so well re-