Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-28

when Mr. Bright's
JoEN BRIGHT. s,armino .vn,n.
oms appeared Tuesday, were present at his
ieath-bed.
The death of Mr.. Bright leaves vacancy
IN the parliamentary representation for the
central division of Birmingham Mr. Bright
was last returned as Liberal Unionist, I'M
opposed. The district, which was created in
1885, when Birmingham was split up into
seven single-membered divisions. has never
been polled on the home rule question.
John Bright was born near Rochdale, Lanca-
shire, England Nov. Is, 1911 About 1910 he be-
came personal and political friend of Rich
ard Golden, and gained distinction as an or
ator Of the Anti-C Corn Law league, In advocacy
Of which he addressed many public meetings
He was elected member Of parliament for
the city OF Durham in 1S43, and was re-
turned fof MANCHESTER in 1Si7 Golden and
Bright became the principal leaders of the
Manchester school, or party, which was not
identified with either of the great political
parties but advocated pacific foreign pol
ICY und electola reform. Mr. Bright was
defeated in the election If 1887 because he
had opposed the Crinean war but he was
elected the same year by the Liberal voters of
Birmingham, which city he continued to rep
resent for many years. During the great civil
war i'll the United States he expressed his
sympathy for the Union cause in several
eloquent speeches After the reform bill of
Russell and Gladstone had been rejected by
tho house Of commons in 1886 Mr.. Bright ad-
vocared the Cause Of electoral reform by We
hement speeches at immense public meet
ings in London, Manchester, Birmingham
and other placos
in 1867 the friends If reform triumphed
end procured the passage OF bin granting
the right Of suffrage 70 every householder in
a borough. Mi. Bright entered the cabinet
formed by MIR. Gladstone in 1855 an president
Of the board OF trade, and resigned the office
on account OF ill-health in May, 1871. When
Gladstone returned to power in 1880 Mr..
Bright became chancellor VI the duchy of
Lancaster, but resigned in 1882 when the
government began war in Egypt.
No English statesman bad ever been a bet
ter friend to Ireland than Mr.. Bright, but,
believing that Parnells agitation had for its
ultimate and almost inevitable object the
complete secession of Ireland from the Brit
ish empire, he broke politically with his
friend Gladstone on that issue and was a
strong Liberal Unionist, and one OF the
most powerful opponents of Gladstones home
rule policy.
A writer about year ago published the
following with reference TO the career of the
idol Of Birmingham:
What Lancashire thinks to-day England
thinks tomorrow"
This remarkable tribute to the strong com.
mon sense OF the Lancashire lads" and Man.
Y a
the assembled merchants in the Manchester
exchange. which for IA century inspired the
progress of the English people. It need not be
told how Bright, with Golden, created cham
pioned, and concluded in triumph the crusade
against the corn laws that starved the poor
nor how he stood almost alone in his grandeur
of principle and eloQuence as the professor
against the popular Crimean war, nor how he
led the battle of reform that was won in 1857
He was the pride of his native lancashire
Manchester honored itself by electiug him
to parliament; his voice was the clarion
call that could rouse the country 70
action or 500 he it by exquisite MEL
ody. Yet Manchester rejected John
Bright in At OF bad temper in 1857, since
when Birmingham has priced the distinction
OF calling him her NJ. P. And, Lane ashirs-
like, Bright paid unfaithful Manchester back
by keeping out OF her way for nine long years
II was only when the great wave of agitation
for reform arose in 1850 that he relented for
the good OF the cause and agreed to make
speech. That memorable scene ia never to be
obliteratcd. More than 100000 had held open
air meetings that afternoon. AT night the
Free Trade hall held 1000 or 1900 more than
its seating capacity-5,0Oo-and when Brirht's
noble figure was seen the pent-up enthusiasm
OF those nine cold years burst out in torrents
OF cheering, found a vent in the singing over
and over again Of Aud Lang Syne," while
hard-visaged men were moved to tears.
Mr.. Bright was never known as a great
administrator, az q great legislator, or as q
great master of parliamentary detail He
was not even considered debater of the
first order. He was a man, however, Just as
indispensable to the legislation which has
been accomplished during his career as q
minister who conducts bin through parlia-
nent- As an orator he acquired an equal re-
nown in the house Of commons and on popu-
lar platforms. Such was the power and
fervor of his eloquence that it has always
constituted force with which responsible
statesmen have been compelled to reckon
Mr.. Bright was married in 1889 to Eliza
beth Priestman, Of Newcastle His wife
died in 1s41, and he was afterward married,
in 1s49, to Margaret Leatham, daughter of
a banker Of Wakefield He leaves four sons
and three daughters.
The flags Of both the Liberal and Tory
clubs were flying at half-mast yesterday in
honor of the memory Of John Bright, each
party claiming the dead statesman az its own.
Every evening newspaper, even The Star,
prints a leader eulogizing the famous Biz
mingham commoner, and the Home Rulers,
one and all, have forgotten Mr.. Bright's
Unionists sentiments, often strongly eI-
pressed in their admiration of the sterling
qualities of the man.
The Daily News says: "Ws doubt whether
any other Englishman ever shot the arrow
of eloqueaee higher. We could have wished
that he had to the end abidsd with his own
people, but we do not blame him for any
part of his great career The civilized world
laments his death"
The Times says: "The impression MIR.
Bright left on the history Of his time was
produced more by bis moral than intellectual
qualities. He was, in our Judgment, often
wrong, and sometimes unjust to those with
whom he differed, but his manly independ-
ence and strong sense Of conscientious obliga-
ton will not soon be forgotten"
DUBLIN, March 2S-United Ireland in its
obituary notice of John Bright says: "Ire-
land forgets all her grievances against him
1T the open grave and remembers only his
priceless services of old days The real John
Bright died three years ago."
Fear for Gladstone's Health.
LONDON, March 2a--Mr. Gladstone has
gone to Scotland against the strong protest
Of his doctor, Sir Andrew Clark, and Of
many friends. They dread the effect of the
probable exposure and risk of taking cold,
followed by temporary loss Of voice, if moth
ing worse Rut NO y,rotacte S,ould kaat, him