The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1889-04-17
JOHN BRIGHT.

Gladstone IN the commons uio ho'
overstate the fact, when they saia
he was the foremost English orator
of this century.
John Bright was descendant on
both sides from a long line of Non
conformist and Quaker ancestry
Hence he was through life the stern
and stubborn antagonist of oppres-
sion in every form. His efforts
mainly caused the dls-establishment
of the Irish Episcopal Church.
His greatness first exhibited itself
in the Anti Corn-Law League. lie
was scarcely second to Golden him.
self. In 1871, Golden visited John
Bright at his home where his wife
lay in the coffin, and Mr.. Bright IN
the deepest distress. Over the coffin
of his dead wife, he pledged Mr.
Golden his whole strength to aid IN
the repeal of the corn laws. The
utterance of Golden that reused MIR.
Bright is memorable. Pointing to
the dead wife of Mr.. Bright, he
said: There are thousands OF
homes in England at this moment,
where wives, mothers, and children
are dying of hunger. Now, VIII n
the first paroxysm Of your grief is
past, | would advise you to come
with me and we will never rest until
the Corn Laws are repealed"
He was true to principle. When
a member of the cabinet under
Glandstone's administration as a
Lord of the Exchegner, and on the
most intimate terms with Gladstone,
vet he promptly resigned office when
Mr.. Gladstone opened the Egyptian
war by firing on the forts at Alex
andria. Office to him could not
swerye him from his duty to oppose
Mr.. Gladstone's policy Of a war on
Egypt: DO You think" said MIR.
Bright, Il am going to be aparty to
an act like the bombardment OF
Alexandria? lie it were just. if it
were necessary, | should hate to be
responsible for it. II is not just, it
Is not necessary"
so. too, he broke with his life
long friend, Mr.. Gladstone on the
Irish Home Rule Policy. Mr..
Bright was willing to 60 all lengths
for the alienation of Irish Catholics.
But he was not willing to put the
island under Irish Catholic DONNA
ton by which the Protestants should
be trodden under foot. Ii was al
this point of Mr.. Gladstone's Irish
Policy that be halted. He was not
willing that the Pope at Rome
should be essentially the autocrat Of
all Ireland.
During the recent civil war, SIR
Bright was always on the side Of
the Union and against the Confed.
eracy. His memorable utterance in
the House of Commons has been 81
often misquoted, that we produce il
here correctly:
The leaders Of this revolt propose
this monstrous thing that over q
territory forty times a. large a,
England the blight and curse Of
slavery shall be forever perpetuated
! cannot believe. for ms part, that
such fate will befall that fair land
stricken though il now is with the
rayages Of war. | cannot believe
that civilization in its Journey with
the sun will sink into endless night
in orler 10 g'atify the ambition Of
the leaders vi this revolt. who seek
to
"wsds through slaughter 70 thFoss
All SHUT the gstss d mercy Oh mAHkiBd 20
! have another and far brighter
vision before my gaze. II NAV bt
but yisios. but | will cherish it.
see one vast confederation stretch.
ing from the frozen North IN un.
broken line to the glowing South
and from the wild pillows Of the
Atlantic 10 the caImer waters of the
Pacific mainland | zee one people
and one Language. and one law, and
one faith, and all over that wide
continent the home Of freedom and
refuge for the oppressed Of every
race and Of every cline
He heed and died a simrls frm