The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-27

are governed now-I say nothing of the lit
eral word of the New Testiment-l cannot
see how the state of affairs In America, with
regard to the United States government.
coald have been different from what it is at
this moment If the thirty three or thirty
four States of the American Union can
break off whenever they like. can see
nothing but disaster and confusion through
out the whole of that continent
In this connection the subjoined letter is
OF interest:
RocHDALE, March 21, 1864.
Dear Sr-Your letter of 10th February has
reached Inc. conveying to me copy of the resO-
lutions passed by the Denver Council of the
Union League of America. May 1 ask you to
convey my warm thanks to the gentlemen who,
from under the shadow OF the Rocky mount
aims" have expressed their satisfaction at the
course have taken in connection with your
great struggle for freedom and national integri-
~. From the first have regarded your great
conflict as one In which all living men, and all
generations of men yet to live, have a deep in
terest, for have felt that the failure Of your
free institutions, and of your government, would
tend to perpetuate all that is evil in the govern
ments of Europe, and TO shut out the hope OF
freedom to mankind. The English people will
rejoice when your war is over, with slavery
swept from your continent, and the integrity OF
your great country Is restored. Our governing
thy with you, but the great body of the nation
has been sound, and wishes to live in perpetual
amity with their cOuntrymen on your continent.
thank You for your kind letter, and heartily
than all the gentlemen associated with you in
the resolutions you have sent to me. Weare sep
arated by mountainsand by ocean. but we think
the same thoughts for the freedom of men. L
JOHN BRIGHT.
Simeon Whiteley, Esq, Denver Col, U. s. A.
After the close of our war; Mr. Bright re-
turned to his labOrs on behalf of extend
ing the franchise; he spoke at meeting after
meeting, and had the satisfaction of seeing
the minority in favor of this reform grow
steadily, until even the Conservative party
hv,n L.. -. ,.zl
spects, was beyond what the Liberals had
first proposed In December 1858, Mr.. Bright
became President of the Board of Trade
under Mr.. Gladstone, and proved to be less
OF firebrand in Office than his opponents
bad predicted. In 1870 i'll health compelled
him to resign his post, although for few
years after he followed the work of Par
Lament more or less actively In August,
1878 Mr. Bright was appointed Chancellor
OF the Duchy of Lancaster. which post
he held until the defeat of the Gladstone
party in the following year. Mr.. Bright
again became Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster in 1880, when Gladstone returned
to power, but resigned in 1882, when the
government began war IN Egypt. Mr..
Bright felt that he could not conscientious
ly continue in office and cOuntenance blood
shed. John Bright was married in Novem-
Der, 1889, to Elizabeth Priestman, the eldest
daughter of Jonathan Priestman, of New
castle. His wife died in 1S41, and he was
married again in. 1S49 to Margaret +.
Leatham, daughter of q banker of Wake
field. There have been four sons and three
daughters from this marriage.
The separation of John Bright from the
bulk of the Liberal party on the Irish
question is the only incident in his career
which really dimmed its splendor. Almost
from his entrance into the House of Com
mons he made himself tho outspoken and
uncompromising champion of Irish wrongs.
He boldly justified, or at all events excused,
Irish turbulence and disorder, in view of
the cruel and oppressive character of the
land laws, and the existence of an alien
church establishment at a time when the
Irish Catholics had in the House of Com
mons few or no other defenders. He was
one of Mr.. GladstOne's most vigorous and
|, Anglican Church in 1872, and he was equally
stanch in assisting in the passage of the
land acts Of 1870 and 1881. But fur
ther than this he was not prepared
to 20. With the Irish national idea he
never appears to have had much sympathy,
and when the franchise bill of 1884 brought
into the House .eighty-six Irish members
many of them fanatical and unmannerly,
and some rather ostentatiously Indifferent
to Mr.. Bright's claims on Irish gratitude,
he became completely alienated from the
Irish, and proved one of the most powerful
.snd event truculent opponents of Mr.. Glad
stone sscheme OfhOme rule. His irritability
ment of his old friends excited sometimes
led him into utterances of such inconsis-
tency as to give color to the charge that he
had changed his earlier political opinions;
but the general disposition of Englishmen
has been to remember only the great serv-
ice he had rendered to the Liberal cause in
the days of his vigor. and to set down his
latter-day alterations to age and ill health.
William Robertson, in his book upon the
Life and Times of John Bright" says of
Bright's personal appearances: He may be
described as robust of frame, five feet nine
inches in height. broad -chested, and of grace
full department.. His face is broad and full,
and decidedly Saxon; his forehead high,
expansive and prominent, bordered with
venerable locks, silvered by time. Dark
and heavy brOws overhang his keen eyes,
which are of tender blue. full of sweet
gravity and wonderfully intellectual.
which can flash fire or melt into tears and
captivate all who come within the sphere
of their influence. When animated during
a speech, his cOmely Saxon features bright
en- into unmistakable beauty. The whole
has an expression of fine intellectual dig
nifty, candor, serenity and lofty, gentleman
ly repose. For the last thirty years or
more his oratory has been so popular that
when he has given his promise to address
meeting in any town. the number of per-
sons applying for admission tickets has ex-
ceeded by thousands that which the build
ing could accommodate; and so valuable
are his speeches considered that at these
meetings about sixty reporters are present,
who record every sentence"