The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-08
JOHN BRIGHT SPEAKS.
The English Statesman's Opposi-
ton to the Irish Bill.
An Immense Home Rule Demon
stration In London.
Mr.. John Bright has issued this manifest

to the electors of Central Birmingham:
GENTLExEN: Thanking you for having
elected Inc in November last, l am now most
Unexpectedly forced to again address you.
Since November single question has occu-
pied the attention of the House Of Commons
and the country. 1t relates to the
future government of Ireland, and
consists Of two bills, which were thrust
upon Parliament and the country by the
jected; the other was withdrawn. We are
not told by Mr.. Gladstone or his colleagues
how much or how little of those unfortunate
proposals will reappear in the next Parlla-
ment. We are asked to pledge ourselves to
principle which may be innocent or most
dangerous, as may be explained in future
bills
cannot give such pledge. The expert
ence of the past three months has not III
creased my confidence in the wisdom of the
Administration or in its policy respecting the
future government of Ireland. We have be-
fore us principle which Mr.. Gladstone and
his supporters do not explain. l will not
pledge myself to what do not understand
and ca mot prove. In 1872 wrote a letter to
an Irish gentleman, from which l extract
these short sentences:
ITO have two legislative assemblies in the
United Kingdom would work intolerable
mischief. No sensible man can wish for two
such assemblies who does not wish that the
kingdoms shall become two or more nations,
entirely separate from each other"
I still adhere to this opinion-if possible,
more firmly than before I do not oppose
the views of the Government on account of
England more than on account of Ireland,
No Irish Parliament can be so powerful or
just as the united imperial Parliament at
Westminster. l cannot intrust the peace
and interests of Ireland, north or south to
the Irish Parliamentary party, to whom the
Government now propose to make general
surrender. My six years experience Of them
and their language in the House of Commons
and their deeds in Ireland makes it impoSsi-
BILE for me to hand over to them the industry,
prosperity, and rights of 5,OO0,O00 of the
Queens subjects. Our countrymen in
Ireland -leastways 1000, ,000-are as loyal as
the people of Birmingham. I will be no
party to a measure thrusting them from the
generosity and juStic. of the united imperial
Parliament. l have written so that nobody
may be ignorant of my views. My vote in
the recent division has given a great grief,
but my judgment and conscience made the
other course impossible.
land. Long before any Parnellite now in
Parliament or any member of the present
Government opened his lips to expose and
condemn the wrongs Of Ireland ] spoke for
her people in the House of Commons
and Oh public platforms. 1t is because
am still friend of Ireland that refuse
to give her up to those to whom the recently
defeated bill would have subjected her. If
you re elect me shall, to the utmost of my
capacity, seek only what 1 conceive to be for
the permanent and true welfare of our
country.
Sincerely and gratefully thanking you for
your past kindness, remain
JOHN BRIGHT.
A London representative of the New York
Tribune has had an interview with Michael
Davitt. This popular leader had just re-
turned from great Home Rule demonStra-
tion in the division of West Ham in the East
End of Lon Ion, aud was full of his subje
IL verify believe" he said, ''that even Lon
don itself would go for Home Rule ad-
dressed an hour or two ago the greatest meet
ing OF English workingmen l ever witnessed.
1t was an open-air meeting composed
of from 1900 to 10000 men, of
whom there were not 500 who
were not bona fde artisans CT laborers. The
enthusiasm was simply amazing. When the
meeting was over procession of 10, 600 men,
headed by their bands, and cheering all the
way for Gladstone, Morley. Parnell and Home
Rule, accompanied Mr.. LiceSter, the working
man member of Parliament, and myself
from the place of the meeting to the railway
station, n distance Of couple Of miles. Mr..
Herbert Gladstone has just sent an enthusi,
astic telegram describing the meeting to the
Grand Old Man
"You may say from me to our American
friends that after the vast meeting last night
in ST. Jalnes's Hall, but more particularly
after the tremendous demonstration this
evening, feel convinced that Glad
stone will carry majority of the
London seats, and London is almost as much
apostion of strategy in general ele :ton as
New York is in Presidential contest. There
is no longer any question Of the fact that the
masses Of the people are with Gladstone in
his fight and when Iadd my knowledge Of
popular feeling in Wales, Scotland and the
English provinces to the testimony we have
from London itself, feel the strongest hope
that the British democracy will carry Home
Rale to victory with decisive majority"