New-York tribune., 1881-12-12
MIR. BRIGHT'S BIRTHDAY
now RocHDALE CELEBRATED IT.

:. - .. h. celebrated at all. 1t rs no secret that
he ,,opld have preferred the day should pass "l'r
ont public notice of any kind. MI. bll9h' % noU
"a man as age is reciOned in this country
srbe snlendor of his intellectual powers Is Ho'
,1;mned There is no indication that his forty years
81 nnblic service have impaired his strength But
1o has twice been seriously i'll. and the illness IN
10th cases was OF the kind which leaves mark. lie
10 d,sposed TO avoid unnecessary exeIt0n. lie
wrote TO President Hayes two years ago, III answer
In the Presidents invitation to visit the Uhlleu
States that voyage and travel had not Only ios'
their chain but were become burdensome even 10
the thought--an expression very characteristic Vi
its author He dared not" undergo the welcoue
which he we'll knew awaited him in America icars
before he had said the same thing, ana tne same
feeling of reluctance to face great puDic uehon-
tration was strong within HIM wheh IL was hiS'
nroposed to make his seventieh birthday the occa-
sion of a formal congratnlation. by much urgency
he was at last induced to consent. lie could not
hold ont against the friendly pressure put on nm
NV the people among whom he was born and with
whom he has lived ever since. Almost tho ilrst
words of ms speech in reply to the address presented
him show why he accepted the tribute offered him.
He valued he SAID, the good opinion and the ap
nroyal of his townsmen more than the good opinion
and the approval of any equal plumber OF his cOuh-
trymen.
1t was q Rochdale festival. Birmingham the
great constituency which Mr. Bright has repre-
eented in Parliament for all but quarter of CEN
tury. had TO content itself with sending deputa-
t;on 70 him with an address. The address was
nresented prlyately at Mr.. Brgbts residence.
Everything that happened in public bore the hoch-
dale stamp and was done under the authority ana
sanction of some body of Rochdale people, Inc
town took holiday, put on its best clothes' huhg
its streets with Gags, and made ready to turn out
its whole population to wish their great townsman
many happy returns of the day. Unhapply, tie
weather interfered with this programme Ihe
wind and the rain beat upon the town. During
great part of the day the storm swept through
streets and over common and grounds with vlo-
lence which put veto to ANYTHING Ike puonc
gathering in the open air.
The workinginen and women had to meet III the
mill instead of the grounds about Mr. Brights
house. There were some 1,5OO OF them I'D all
children included. 1t was not the hrst time Jhey
had assembled to DO honor, or to do justice 10
their employer When Mr.. Brights political oppo-
pents sought to discredit him by charge OF treat
ing his workpeople harshy, the workpeople held
meeting to deny and dcnouncc this calumny Ihat
was some fifteen years ago. What passed YESTERDAY
betveen employer and employed shows state of
mutual good feeling honorable alike to both
Bright Brothers & Co. are firm of more than sew
eaty years standing The business was founded IN
1909 by the father of the present partners. Speak
ing i'm 1897 Mr. Bright observed that, "wlth one
single exception. and that not of long Duration
there has been through these ifty-seven years an
uninterrupted harmony and confidence between my
family connected with the business and those who
have assisted us and been employed in IT," That Is
a remarkable declaration.
What occurred Yesterday showed that the same
friendly relations have continued down to this day.
ka4u+ Mr. Rri AM
of the large factories he was perhaps the most
striking incident among many that were Strk-
ing The senior operative, Mr. james TweedaIe'
uresirlcd Ap address was presented, signed, says
one account by specially selected representatives
of the spinning, weaving finishing carpet and SILK
departments: an enumeration which gives sOmo
idea of the multfariouS business carried on by the
firm The greater part of Mr.. Brights reply was
devoted to public questions hut the part which is
personal is on such occasion, OF the most pecu-
liar interest to all MI Brgts friends and admirers
to all Americans in other words. "Onr chair
man." he said has been on this sod Ia Lancashire
phrase) very nearly as long himself. We are
very old acquaintances, and with the members OF
his family-some of whom think most OF whom
have passed away-I was also well acquainted"
Forty or fifty years ago there was nc person work
ing on these premises whom he did not know per
sonally Then caIne the call to public life with It's
toll, its dsappontments its compensations.
Among the things it caused him to regret was that
when in latter years he walked about the factories,
nearly everybody he saw was a stranger to him.
al don't know where they live, whereas used to
know everybody | know your chairman; al
ways see him at the lodge, and his countcnance is
one | am glad to look upon, because for all those
years | have had as much reason to respect him as
he TO respect me-"
single sentence like that is worth whole vol
ume of what passes these days for biography
The John Bright of public life, the tribune OF tho
people the Incompatible orator, the Teiorner and
statesman we all know. Some Of US know hin
personally meet him from time TO time in tho
ordinary intercourse of society know him gifted
with powers of conversation hardly less admirable
than his oratory: know something of the beauty,
the loving kindliness of his characters perhaps may
claim him as friend. But to those who
know him in London this glimpse of the head of the
great Rochdale frni standing face 10 face with his
workpeope. is novel and delightful, and shall
venture to add affecting. Forty years Of publie
service have shown him devoted to the cause OF
reforms by which the artisan class has benefited I'M
mensely, bui by which the middle classes have bene-
fitted as much or perhaps more. it has been the
fashion to speak of Mr. Bright as the champion of
the interests Of his order and so ho has been.
Mr.. Morley's mastery Life of Golden has shown us
afresh how inseparably connected were the inter
ests of middle class and working class; 30 that
what elevated the one elevated the other. Yester-
days proceedings, addresses, Speeches and such
sentences those am quoting prove also that of
Mr. Bright at least ii may be said that he not only
regarded their interests connected, but that in
sympathy aud feeling he is with the men of the
class below his own. What Mr.. Lowell said of
President Garfield / rust he allowed to quote as
true also of Mr.. Bright. The word that comes back
TO cur lips about him is always this: He is so
human
What Mr.. Bright said Of himself and his fellow
cIizens at the evening meeting has the same stamp