New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-19
MR.. BRIGHT.
ms RELATIONS WITH MIR GLADSTONE
AND MR. CHAMBERLAIN-PoR-
TRATTS-THE SENATE
w

TRAITS THE SENATE
,rzcusrss axsuLAR cezHrsposDEST or THE TRIBUNE
( London, April 9.
Ceuventasnalty is carried in this country 70
greet lengths: as it is IN some other countries
What was saad of Mr. Gladst0ne's euiogy on brlsnp
in the House Of Commons is an example. Inerc
.ns b,,t one opinion in the lobby, that the speech,
.h.nss elevated in tone and full Of fine things,
,vas rcA Al a whole, up to the mark. Mr.. Glad
stones friende said so quite as freely as his po-
ss1 moments Bat behold, next morning the press
,vishout distinction Of party, praises the eulogy
kvits,opt stint and without qualification. Those
,rbe dislile the Liberal ex-Prime Minister seemed
,,ore aaxios TO suppress criticism than those who
rs,,sllv, snrlassd him whatsoever he does Yet there
A. sueh sbng as history, and the truth must in the
end be told. will quote one remark. Mr..
Gladstone ssid one of his admirers, was plainly
longing an Through his speech to break out on
Home Rule. n is Home Rale and nothing else
which occupies his mind. Everything gives way
TO it; personal friendships well political in
terests and other political questions He knew
well that Bright had stood as q lion in his path.
sFelice opportnnitate norris meant-all uncon-
scously to Mr.. Gladstone himself-that it was time
he went.s
You may say that this is hard Judgment
think IL is but 10 is by ne means the judgment Of
this one man. know nothing that better shows
how alleurrossing is the question of Home Rule
than the relations between Mr.. Gladstone and
Bright since il came to the 'front.'; and also the
relations bctween Bright and those Liberals who
followed Mr.. Gladstone into the Home-Rnle camp.
4 say nothing Of tho Irish. But it was felt by the
Gladstonians in 1885 thse more than any other
dnslednfuence Bright stood between them and vic
tory. His was the most Inspiring personality OF
aIl those which were on the side Of the Union.
Ola LIBERALS hung back from the polls when they
were asked to vote against the convictions OF him
30 whom they had so long looked as leader.
His Liberalism was of far older date than Mr. Glad
stones. The purity of his motives was beyond
auesfion: neither politics nor political ambition
had any share in determining his course. He has
newer been forgiven, and when he died, albeit he
mad ceased to take an active part in this or any
other burning subject, 10 was felt by the Home
Rulers that their chances Of near triumph were
better chan before
Itisto be said also; that through Mn GladstoneS
speech there runs another note which Jared on
the House. There was something of ofioialism
about fe,-it was the Primo Minister discoursing
on enc Of his ooIleagues-amoet as If the colleague
ywere q subordinate. Again, it 10 to be said that
Mr. Gladstone was certainly unconscious Of his
ton% but other people felt it, and it added to
SShe general want Of complete content with the
speerh as tribute 10 one who, whatever he may
have been in the Cabinet or IN his Department.
was in the House Of Commons the equal Of any
one. There is g story that may throw light on
Mr. Gladstones mood. He had occasion some
wears ago to read to the House part
,of . correspondence which had passed between
himself and Brighh He read out the begin
ring Of Bright's letter 70 him, My dear MIR.
Gladstone" The letter, Ia fact began, My
raear Gladstone The Prime Minister had
inssted the Mr.
Mr.. Chamserlain said something the other day
in thu House of Commons about the thirty
gears friendship between him and Bright. There
was however. a long time when that friendship
was not thought by common friends Of both, to
be very close on either side. Ii has been limited
that Brights letters to his son, and perhaps
10 orhers thitn his son, would disclose the real
truth. FOR many years there was reason, there
were several reasons for divergence between them.
Thme were many subjects on which they held hos
tile opinions. Mr. Chamberlain is .oot-and branch
man Mr.. RrighSs conservatism went down to
the foundation of things; to those very founda-
items which the younger man would disturb;
win still il he has his own woy, and in spite
Of his temporary alliance with Toryisn, disturb.
Thea they were both members for Birmipg CHAM
and Brghts name had lent lustre to that con-
stitucncy hong before Mr.. Chamberlain had been
hssrd Of outside parochisl politics. The ambition
of the younger man but III brooked an inferior
posiiion, and his position could be nothing but
interior while the elder man lived. However,
anything like an open rupture was avoided, and,
of late years the feeling between them grew more
kindly; more kindly than shs public who heard
or read Mr. Chamberlain's speech in the House
Of Commons might suppose. Not the warmest
admirer Of the present member for Birmingham
could think that effort worthy Of him.
AFR Shaw-Lefevre publishes some "reminiscences
Of Bright in Office. 1t was he who was Secretary
TO the Board Of Trade while Bright was president
Of that Department. and was, he tells us, in daily
coutses with him. But this daily contact between
Afr. Shsw-Lefevre and Bright has not added much
to our knowledge Of the latter. It was known be
fore that the great orator took little interest In
departmental questions, but it may surprise thu
publio 70 hear that he left them almost entirely
To ar Shaw-Lefevre. story is given of 81
suteryicw between the President Of the Board Of
Trade and the Elder Brethren Of Trinity House
AR. ShawLIefevre tells us that Bright posed be
fore them as a Conservative statesman, who had
a regard for ancient institutions. 1t is desirable
20 treat the ex-acresary of public department
ana everybody else with respect but 1t is difilcui
70 conceive Bright as posing before anybody
u, far any purpose whatever There never was {
man whose bearing IN all the circumstances Oh M
was more simple and genuine than Brights. Blu
when ye find Mr.. Shaw-Lefevre gravely telin
us that Bright on ono occasion did not agree Wit
him. and on another gave him solid assistance,
a. ,ime,se turn elsewhere for illumination!
For portraits Of Bright you must go to tn
photographer There are several pnosograpn
whieh are excellent Engraved on wood in tn
English illustrated papers, they are censideraoi
less excellent Sir John Miliais painted mm' Do
The portrait is not one Of his best. run as ~
- +ecbnieal excellence, it misses the true characte
- fra man who sat for it; misses most OF all tina
massive force. that constant suggestion OF power