Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-21
JOHN BRIGHT.
a Glance at the Career of the Great
Statesman.

Mr.. John Bright, who has found 1t impos-
sible at this time to reconcile his position in
the Cabluet with his conscience, has been
one OF the sturdiest figures in English pub
lie life for over forty years. He was born
at Roehdale on November 16, 1911, and is
now well advanced in his seventy.frst wear
| Taking his stand with Golden in the oroani-
cation Of the Antt-Corn Law Associations
Of 1888, he entered Parliament in 1S43, and
labored incessantly until the corn laws were
repealed in 1S49. AS q member of the So
cie'y OF Friends, he has always opposed IN
| the past-ss he opposes at present-War
ornaments and foreign campaigns.
10 consequence Of this policy he lost his
seat in the House of Commons In 1867. but
was subsequently, returned for Birmingham.
| In December, 1868, when Mr.. Gladstone
first became Premier, he was made Presi-
dent OF the Board Of Trade, but two wears
later was forced to retire from office bv rea-
son OF ill-health. In August, 1873, he again
entered the Ministry, this time accepting
the sine cure office of Chancellor OF the
DuchY OF Lancaster, post chiefly valua-
able Except so far as the holder Of 1t draws
SO 600 year for doing nothing) as confer
ring a scat in the Cabinet. He retired with
Mr.. Gladstone In February, 1874, and when
the latter returned to power in April, 1880,
Mr.. Bright was again made Chancellor of
the Duchy OF Lancaster. with seat in the
Cabinet.
The Parliamentary tie formed in August,
1857, has never since been broken, and the
names of Birmingham and of Bright are
inseparable. 1t has been as member for
Birmingham that Mr.. Bright has been best
known to the present generation, and It is
under his patronage, If not his inspiration.
that the capital Of the Midlands has grsdu-
ally attained the distinct political character
by which 1t is now known. To ascribe the
rf,rVa l., IL,
ty five years that have passed since his cleo
tion he has taken leading part. would be
to write the political history Of England for
that period. Among the issues with which
he has been most prominently associated
during the last quarter of a century, are
those relating to America, Ireland, and Par
lisme4tary liz 9hHy ref reform; It may Le said
man is responsible for the bills of
1866 and 1867 that man is Mr.. Bright
MIR. Gladstone did the work and mastered
the details, but the force of Mr.. Bright was
behind him. So, too, in the matter of the
Irish measures of 1869 and 1870 Mr.. Bright
is to be reckoned as at least half RESPONSE
BILE for them. AS to this country, his atti-
tude during the war for the Union, when he
stood for some time almost alone among
eminent E0glishmen, is well remembered
both here and across the Atlantic When
President Lincoln died his goldheaded cane
was given by the family to DIR. Smith, ia
vorite American prescher, and he at his
death bequeathed this to Mr.. Bright, Gas a
token of the esteem which the late Presi-
dent left for him." President HAYES sent
him warm invitation to visit the United
States, but Mr.. Bright dared not face the
strain and the excitement at his time of life,
and wisely declined.
The story of Mr.. Bright's forty wears OF
political life shows, as was recently re-
marked by the London Times IN review of
a biography Of the Quaker orator, "among
other things, that eloquence is still a power
in England, greater power perhaps than II
has ever been before. 1t shows that English
Democrats have at bottom a fund of
common sense which keeps them within
the limits of the practical and the possible:
that they trust their leaders, and that their
leaders do not desert them. It shows, more
over, that man may in his youth and mid
die age be the bugbear and the bvword of
the upper classes and come in the end to be
regarded not only as good citizen, but as
a man for whose views there has, after all.
been generally much to be said -