New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-08
a tribune OF THE PEOPLE.

The life of John Bright IS, more than
that of any other man Of his time, the
histo. of the English people during
the most important fifty years Of the
nineteenth century. Some Of his giant
colleagues-for he had as contempt
raries perhaps the most gifted group Of
statesmen ever seen at once in Great
Britain or any other country in the
world-surpassed him in certain par
ticulars. Disraen as a diplomat Palm
erston as a politician, Gladstone as
fnancier, Forster as an educational re-
form,.. But not one nor all OF these
together rivalled the Incompatible
Tribune Of the People as an exponent
of popular ideals, aspirations, achieve
ments and progress. No merely per-
sonal history Of him can, therefore, be
adequate. His definitive biographer
must be the historian Of the English
or of the British and lrish-peopie.
Nevertheless, every sincere exposition
of any phase of his career is to be well
coined, and Mr. Treveyan's fine VOL
ume deals with many phases OF
career that was at once as simple ana
as complex as humanity itself.
The average American probably re-
members Bright as a Quaker states
man who served long in Parliament
but had little TO do with Cabinet Office
of course a n-cOmbatant, one OF the
foremost Free Traders, a friend OF
America in the Civil War, and great
orator. All of these characterizauohs
are substantially correct, but all OF
them put together fall far short OF
forming even an outline sketch of
figure which for many years was sec
ond TO no other in the public life Oh
England He was conspicuous free
Trader: but he was more. Above VII
liers and even Golden himself, he was
the nrotagonist Of the anti-cOrn laws
movement. Yet his unfailing sanity
saved him from many Of the follies ana
Inconsistencies of Golden. We cannot
imagine Bright seeking &c impose free
trade upon the world by force; or de-
ton of it in the near future was as GER
tain as the rising of the sun; or sym
pathizing with the Southern Conted-
.racv in 1861 because it was free trade
while the North was protectionist. lie
had a long Parliamentary career out
was in the Cabinet little; but he prob
ably. on the whole. influenced legisla-
ton on important matters Of domestic
welfare more than any other one man
at Westminster.
He was a friend Of America during
the Civil War. We shall not err IN
saving that he was the greatest and
best friend America had in the whole
United kingdom, or in all Europe. NO
other man did anything like what ne
did 10 sway the minds, the hearts ana
the consciences Of the British people to
the side of the North and the Union.
This was when Palmerston and Derby
were hot champions Of the ConIeu-
eracv. and when Gladstone, as MI.
Trevelyan justly says, went even
further than they in hostility TO the
Federal government. His champion
shin Of the North, for the sake Of a
free continent and therefore freedom
throughout the world, inspired him TO
some Of his noblest oratory Thus, adj
dressing the trade unions Of London, in
March, 1868:
Privilege thinks IT has a great interest
in this contest. and every morning WIN
biata1t voice II curses the American
Renublic Privilege has shuddered at
lS.hst might happen to old Europe II TINS
grand experiment should succeed. but
YOU the wOrkers-you, struggling up
wards toward the light with SLOW anu
r9irful stems. you have no cause 10 look
with jealousy upon country whlCh'
amongst all the great nauons OF tHe
giobe is that one where labor has met
with the highest honor, and where u
has reaped its greatest reward: -.
There may be men-rlch men-lh TINS CiIS
Of London who will buy in the slaVehOld..
ers loan. and who, for the chanCe %
more gain than honest dealing VIII al
ford them. Will help a conspiracy whose
fundamental institution. whose corner
stone. is declared 10 be felony and IN
famous by the statutes OF their country.
] speak not 10 these men, Ieaye tht ein
10 their conscience in that hour when
comes 10 all OF US. when conscience
speaks and the soul Is no longer deaI 70
her voice | speak rather 70 you. the
representatives OF the feelings ana the
interests OF the millions VINO cannot
hear nay voice. 1 wish you 10 be true
10 yourselves. Dynasties may fail. aTis-
tOcracies may perish privilege VIII van
ish into the. dim past; but you; your your
children and your children chlldIen
will remain, and from you the Engllsh
people will be continued to succeeding
Generations ! have faith In you.
Impartial history will tell that When
YOUR statesmen were hostile or colby
neutral. when many Of your rlcn men
were corrupt when your press was main
lv written 10 betray, the fate or con-
tiuent and its vast population being IN
peril. you chung TO freedom with an I'M
faltering trust that God in HIS Infinite
mercy will yet make II the heritage or
all His children.
Bright was a non-combatant. His
afiliation with the Society Of Friends
made him that. Yet he recognized the
fact that there might be greater evils
than war When Golden pointed out
10 him that the North might at any
moment end the war by letting the
South withdraw from the Union, Bright
answered that there must be no such
surrender. but that the war ought to
go on and must go on until the Union
was restored and slavery was abol-
ished II want no end Of the war" he
wrote to Villiers, land no compromise,
and no reunion. till the Negro is made
free beyond all chance Of failure"
That from the man Of whom a stupid
tibelIer once said that II an invading