The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-30
AMore Hopeful Financial Feeling in Eu-
rope, but Apprehension Is Yet Felt.
French Cabinet Decides on Prosecuting BOu-
LANCER for Plotting Against the State,
and Proceedings May Be Begun To-Day.
THE LATE JOHN BRIGHT.

When the Right Hon. William Henry
Smith, who was the first speaker, rose to
address the House, all the members doffed
their hats. Mr.. Smith, in short speech,
described Mr.. Bright as man Of thorough
honesty of purpose and great energy of
character. If there was any defect in his
character, it was the intensity of mis- advo-
cacy of the principles that he had adopted.
Although warmly attached to the Liberal
party, he could not sacrifice his personal
convictions for any of those considerations
which have great weight with most men.
If for a time he parted from his old associ-
ates under a strong sense of duty, there
was no trace of anger or of personal ami
mostly left. His memory would live long
in the hearts of men. He would 60 down
to the grave followed by the affection and
sorrow of the country.
Mr.. Gladstone, upon arising, was received
with cheers. He said: "Mr. Bright has
been, to a very remarkable degree, happy
In the moment of his removal from among
u.s. He lived to see the triumph of almost
every great cause to which he specially de-
voted bis heart and mind. He has estab-
Gshed special claim to the admiration of
those from whom he differed through his
long political life by marked concurrence
with them upon the prominent and domi-
nant question of the hour. While he has
in that way opened the minds and hearts
of those with whom he differed to appreci-
alton of his merits, he has lost nothing by
that concord with them on the particular
subject we so much represent Though
Mr.. Bright came to be separated from the
great bulk of the Liberals on the Irish
question, on no single occasion has there
been any word of disparagement. l ac-
whole political life. fully embraced the
character of Mr.. Bright and the value
of that character to the country.
/ say this because it was at the particular
epoch of the Crimean war that came more
to understand than before the position held
by him and some of his friends, and the
hold they had upon the confidence of the
people. l was one of those who did not
agree with the particular views he took of
the Crimean contest, but felt profoundly,
nurtnred all vhsff rvts III tie temple of
popular approval, could at a moments
notice consent to part, with the whole of
the favor they enjoyed, which opponents
might think the very breath of their nOstrils.
They accepted undOubted unpOpularity, for
that war commanded the unanimous ap-
prOval of the people. 1t was at that time
Bright, we learned more. We had known
of his great mental gifts, his courage, his
consistency and his splendid eloquence.
We had not known how high was
fhe eaGsrs and what snandS
Amongst other gifts, Mr. Bright was de-
lighted to be one of the chief guardians of
the purity of the English tongue. He knew
how the character OF a nation Is associated
with its language. He was enabled as an
Englishman profoundly attached to his
country. the tongue of the people being to
him almost an object OF worship, to pre-
serve the purity of the language of Shak-
speare and Milton.
Another circumstance of his career is
better known to me than to any other man
present Everybody is aware that office
had no attraction for him; but few can be
aware what extra efforts were required to
induce him to become a servant of the
crown. In the crisis of 1868, when the fate
of the Irish Church hung in the balance, it
was my duty to propose to Mr.. Bright that
he become Minister. l never undertook
so difficult task. From IL o'clock at
night until o'clock in the morning we
steadily debated the subject. 1t was
only at the last moment that
he found it possible to set aside
the repugnance he felt at doing
=
one, even of the most ignorant class of his
cOuntrymen. appear to detract in the
slightest degree from that lofty indepen-
dence of character which have mentioned
and which never throughout his career
was held in doubt. 1t was happy lot to
unite so many attractive qualities, and if
had to dwell npOn them alone | should pre-
sent dazzling picture to the world. 1t
was happier lot to teach moral lessons by
simplicity. consistency, unfailing courage
and constancy of life, thus presenting a
combination of qualities that carried us to
higher atmosphere. His sympathies
were not strong only. but active; not SYM
pathies awaiting calls to be made upon
them, but sympathies of a man seeking OBJ
jects upon which to bestow the inevitable
advantages of elOquence and courage. In
Ireland, when support of the Irish cause
was. rare; in India, when support of the
seeing the ultimate issue of the
great struggle of 1861, stood as the
representative of an exceedingly small
country, although undoubtedly represent
ing large part of the national sentiment
in all these cases Mr.. Bright went far
outside the necessities of his calling.
Whatever touched him as a man of the
great AnglO-SaxOn race, whatever touched
him as a subject, obtained, unasked, his
sincere, earnest and enthusiastic aid. All
causes having his powerful advocacy made
"a ulStl0cb tuN2uce III the tsblIlatlOn Oh the
world and distinct progress toward tri-
umphant success. Thus it has come about
| that he is entitled to u higher eulogy than
| is due to success. Of mere success he was
| a conspicuous example. In intellect he
| might claim a most distinguished place.
| But his character lies deeper than intellect.
| deeper than eloquence, deeper than any
| thing that can be described or that can be
| seen upon the surface. The supreme eulogy
| that is his due is that he elevated political
| life to a higher point, to a loftier standard
| than it had ever reached. He has be-
| queathed TO his country character that
| cannot only be made a subject for admira-
| tion and gratitude, but-and / do not ex-
! aggerate when i say it-that can become
| an object of reverential contemplation. In
| the encomiums that come from every quar-
| ter there is not a note of dissonance. / do
not know of any statesman of my time who
| had the happiness of receiving, on removal
| from this passing world, the honor of ap-
| proval at once so enthusiastic, so universal
and so unbroken. Yet none could better
| dispense with the tributes of the moment,
| because the triumphs of his life were tri-
umphs recorded in advance of his country
| and of its people. His name is indelibly
| written in the annals of time and on the
| hearts of the great and Overspreading race
| to which he belonged. whose wide exten-
sion he reioiced to see, and whose power
and prominence he believed to be full OF