Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-12-01

assembly, after
listening with beating hearts throughout
the delivery Of an elaborate period, burst
forth at the close in round after round
of the heartiest applause.
At this time he was one of the terrors
of the English aristocracy, and had fire.
quent cause to complain Of the manner
In which he was treated by the news
papers devoted to tho interests of the
ruling class. He was assailed constantly
by The Times and other influential jour
mails, and the worst Of 1t was that, while
protesting to report his speeches ver-
batim, they had habit of distorting i'm
portant passages in.such way as to make
him say something very different from
what he had actually said. The speech
to which refer was unsupported In one
Of these papers, and the drift Of the quo
tationI have given was entirely changed
by substituting working classes" for
"nation," and thereby making it appear
that Mr.. Bright advocated not tho gov
ernment of the nation by the nation, but
the government Of the nation by tho
working classes alone, which is a very
different thing. OF course great change
has been wrought in English public
opinion, as regards John Bright and the
measures he promoted, since that time,
and the fear which his name once in
spired In conservative circles has given
way toa feeling of unqualified confidence
and admiration.
Mr.. Bright's speeches in parliament
always attracted crowded gathering
to the house Of commons. When
ever it was known that he was to
speak every seat was quickly taken.
Peers focked into their special gallery
from the gilded upper house, the ladies'
cage was crammed, and royal princes
reserved by the speaker for their accom-.
His experience Of official life was very
slight, and though he was member Of
three governments, formed at different
times by Mr.. Gladstone. he bore the yoke
Of Office always unwillingly and had
positive dislike for the worry and respon-
sibility which 1t involved. His name
will not be remembered for efficient ad-
ministration in any department of tho
state, nor did he at any time take an active
part In what may be termed the me-
chanical part Of legislation. He will be
remembered not for measures carried
through parliament by himself, but for
the measures which he compelled success
sive ministries to adopt and pass, such as
Of the franchise, the reform of tho
law Of land tenure and the establish
ment Of religious equality in Ire
land. 1t is common saying in
London that no English politician
can be q success unless he is caricatured.
Mr.. Bright has no cause to complain of
neglect by his contemporaries on this
score, for at one time he was the most
Caricatured man in England. For soma
unexplained reason Punch always repre-
sented him wearing au eye glass, which
was pure invention of the artist, for
Mr.. Bright has never affected that in
strument of doubtful utility. met him
one evening at dinner. at the house of q
friend, when Mr.. Tenniel, the cartoonist
of Punch, was of the party. Somebody
referred to the libelous eye glass, and
challenged Mr.. Tenniel for an explana-
ton. He said Ira was not responsible;
that ii had been in use before his time,
and that he continued to use it only out
OF respect for the traditions of the office.
This was considered very ingenious de-
Tense, and the whole company was
amused by it, especially Mr.. Bright HIM
self: But he undertook to give his own
explanation, and he remarked that he
was sure the original artist meant to pay
him decided compliment, for as he had
found nothing in the regular cast of his
features which would lend itself TO exag-
geration he had invented the eye glass to
perform the same function which a
crooked nose might discharge in the case
of another. -.
Socially Mr.. Bright was one Of the
most popular men in London. His
handsome face was welcome wherever he
chose TO 60, and his quiet, refined man
ners, added to the good taste and good
sense OF everything he said, won the
hearts Of all who came in contact with