The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-04-04


John Bright. one OF the mosl distlnguls
ed Of Euglaad's public men for the las
bali century. died last week at the age o
I7s
The circumstances OF bis boyhoot
strengthened John Bright in the senti-
mepts which inspired his political career
HIS earlier years were spent At Rochdale
which was The theatre OF constant agita
ton for parliamentary reform. Collision,
between the military and the people assem-
blcd in meetings we're frequent, aud II
young Bright did not actually witness tbe
Peterloo massacre, be listened eagerly IA
oil the cureot accounts OF it.
Tue frst exercise OF bis oratorical tai
ents was in literary aud philosophical
society that had been organized at Roch
dale. He had become a local celebrity
when. ut the age Of 90. be formed an sc-
quaiutance with Richard Golden that did
much. no doubt. to direct his intellectusl
energies INTO the course they took In
1889 he took part in open air anti corn law
meetings, aud against the corn laws and
the cburch rate he subsequently delivered
series Of powerful speeches
An event that had decisive influence
upon his career was the death Of bis wife
in September. 1871, two years after his
marriage,
As 10 the Instance when the bitter expe.
riences OF his family made him an advocate
OF parliamentary reform, his personal an
gusL was transformed into political vigor,
and in this case made him the opponent
OF those whom be considered the uphold
ers OF monopoly. He and Golden pursued
the anticorn law agitation together. I'm
mense free trade meetings were held
throughout the north Of Eogland. Golden
was usually the first speaker, and dealt in
facts aud figures almost exclusively. Brigih
would follow, summing up aud embellish-
ing all that had been previously said with
an eloqusnce that always wrought his au
ditors to the highnst pitch OF enthusiasm.
In l843 he was elected to the house OF
commons as member for Durham. The
rich harvest of the following year delayed
the success Of his crusade against the corn
law, but the enthusiasm OF his followers
was not abated
Money poured in, tracts were circulated
and trained speakers visited every village
10 the country. Finally, in 1916, the I'M
port duty on corn was repealed upon the
proposition Of Sir Robert Peel, the prime
minister.
One other feature OF this part OF his ca
reer in psriment. aud Que which has Of
ten furnished his opponents with material
for taunts, was bis opposition to the bill
for the compulsory Limitation of hours OF
labor in factories His own justification
for this attitude was that, while he believ.
ed it to be better for workingmen to labor
ten hours than twelve, the proposed bill
involved the rigid and vigorous system Of
protection using the word in the same
sense, he explained, in which it had been
used by the upholders Of monopoliss.
In the next year, 1S47, be was elected
member for Manchester From AZ to '68
the year in which he first became minis
ter Of the crown, there was perhaps no
more prominent figure in English history
than John Bright These two decades
were the period OF the Palmerston and
Russell governments. Although he sup.
ported both in general way, be approv-
ed the foreign policy Of neither. From
the first be held that the Crmean war was
avoidable and protested vigorously against
the prosecution Of it.
When, little later, in consequence OF
his vigorous advocacy Of 9 vote of censure,
the Pslmerston administration appealed to
the constituencies to sustain its Chinese
policy, Bright and Golden and many o'
their associates lost their seats. VII IN
six months, however, Bright was return !
from Birmingham.
In 1860 he was associated wieh Cobden
in the negotiation Of the commercial tres
ty between France and England. Hesup-
ported the repeal Of the paper duties.
which made the penny newspaper press OF
England possible. During the American
civil war he was friend Of the north
both in and out Of parlment. 10 1865 be
took o prominent part in the agitation 10
favor OF the extension OF the elective fran
chise. which ended in the passage Of the
reform bill OF Aug. 10. 1867. He also
urged reform in Ireland and the disesiab.
Iisbment Of the Irish church. The latter
was accom- plished in 1869.
Mr.. Brieh. had now reached ,ae zenith |
of his fame. He commanded the conf
ience OF the Liberal party 10 no less de
gree than Mr.. Gladstone himself and his
name bad been linked with every gres
movement Of bis time. II was
natural. when Mr.. Gladstone
t. fara. a. ,uinfatrv Ia I