New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-16
MR. BRJGHTS RESIGNATION.

body by honest anu aDie men
MR. BRIGHT'S RESIGNATION
The retirement of Mr.. John Bright NJ inc
present moment will be a relief ooth 10 his COL
leagues and himself. When Lord Beacons-
fields popularity was at its highest ana Mr.
Gladstone undertook the Midlothian cam
nairn. Mr.. Bright was one OF the few VINO
never swerved from fidelity to the Liberal
cause. When. therefore, the tide ebbed and
the Liberals returned to power, public opinion
demanded that Mr. Bright should be included
in the Cabinet. The Chancellorship OF the
Duchy of Lancaster is a position which IN
wolves few practical duties, and this MIR. Brlght
was induced unwillingly to accept. 60 long DIS
the Gladstone Ministry stood In an aggressive
attitu de to the ambitious and theatrical polcy
which had preceded it, Mr.. Brights adhesion
was of considerable assistance, but when the
Government was called upon to grapple with
the disaffection in Ireland and the Eastern
Question, he was confronted by the cherished
principles of a lifetime, and the memory OF
his own speeches, which made his position both
perplexing and painful
To realize this we have only to turn DacK 10
some of his earlier utterances and contrast them
eminent. :In his very first public speech, on
April 8, 1S43, at Durham, he struck the KEY
note of the great object OF. his life: y come
sbefore you," said he, "more particularly as
an opponent of every species OF monopoly Dut
"still more particularly Of that most infamous
aof all monopolies which Obstructs the supply
"of food to the people for the sole purpose OF
u aggrandizing a class" Passing rapidly over
the next few years of his life, we find him I'D
1947 holding the same views and asserting
them with similar vigor. When a Coercion bull
was broupb1 in bv Lord John Russell, Mr..
Rrigbt oDnosed the measure. He attacked the
laws of entail and primogeniture, and predicted
their reneal 9Perhaps,r he said, 81 shall be
q told that the laws of entail and prmogeniture
"are necessary for the maintenance OF our aris-
tOcratic institutions; but if the evils oil ireland
sspring from this source, | say perish your
aristocratic institutions rather than n whoie
Gnation should be in this terrible condition..
At the commencement of the Crlmean war
Mr.. Bright took a position which gave rise 10 q
new name, the peace at-any-p price party nc
cond,.mned the war in the strongest terms. In
the course of his speeches he spoke against the
Turks and denounced policy which had the
preservation of the sick man " for its object
In replying to Lord Palmerston he said: " 1t is
every easy for the noble lord to say am against
war under any circumstances, and that II an
u enemy were to land on our shores l should
acopsider whether it would be cheaper to take
ahim in or keep him out. am not nor dld
| q ever pretend to be a statesman, and that
| character is so tainted and so equivocal in our
day that am not sure pure and honorable
70, ~ md
were alone; if mine were a solitary voice
araised amid the din of arms and the ciamors
of a venal press, / should have the consola-
ation-which | trust will be mine to the last
moment of my existence-the priceless con-
u ISOLATION that no word Of mine has tended 10
promote the squandering of my countrys
| u treasure or the splitting Of one single drop OF
blood"
Passages such as these have been frequently
quoted against Mr.. Bright in recent debates
| His attitude in 1S47 has been contrasted with
the conduct of the Government of which he Is
y member in 1882. and with no little detrl-
ment to his consistency. 1t has been noticed,
too that during the debates on the Egyptian
crisis he has been absent. Mr.. Bright's views
ON that crisis, and his own statement OF the
reasons which led him to resign, will be found
fully and admirably stated in the cable dispatch
of our London correspondent
II is said that Mr.. Bright will retire finally
from politics 1t would certainly be difficult
for him to repeat against his late colleagues
the datribes that he hurled at Lord Palmer
ston. and honorable retirement and rest have
been abundantly earned by long and
active career. But whatever course he may
adopt, history will write him down as one OF
the most sterling and honest politicians OF his
day. while his incsive oratory and nervous
dlction will remain model of pure and manly
| eloquence.