Year: 1869

Brighthas mind that inquiry should be so olimIted.
1t is not enough to ask how the poor shall be sup
ported but ask, says Mr. Bright what nobody else in
the House would ask, and lie, q Minister could
not-ask, why all this pauperism existsi Why does
it ncrease3 If the country gentlemen on both
sides of the House, and Her Ma'esty8 Ministers aud
everybody else tried to solve that question: il would
be about the most important employment men could
put their minds to, and the result would perhaps
bring out something that might change the aspect of
the country And lie went on to demand why, in q
population of 100000 crowded into these small
islands, in which land was almost monopoly, with
t1OOOOOOO taxes annually levied on people One-haf
of whom had no property why the great mass of the
working people should be left bear an undue share
of this enormous burden without deriving any means
of instruction and elevation. That" exclaimed the
unmuzzlcd orator, 9" take TO be the great problem
which will some day or other have to be solved and
in comparison with which many Of these pedClling
questions which sometimes occupy us are as nothing.
Country gentlemen of both parties in the House of
Commons may make long speeches about everything
else but that is matter Which is every day coming
near to the front. and which we shall have to con-
siGer, and have possibly to deteminep


Thore was n bombshell, thrown straight into the
camp of that great landed aristocracy which still
monopolizes the largest share of political power in
the kingdom, and which steadily shapes all legisla-
tion to the single end of perpetuating its vast
thority and binding about its land with every de-
fense against alienation, division taxation 1t is
no new doctrine in the mouth of John Bright, but it
is both new and startling in the mouth Of Cabinet
Minister, to whose entry into office one powerful sec
tion of the Liberal party consented in the vain hope
TO silence to moderate his speech on such queS-
tIons. Let us be thankful that he is not to be s-
tlp oil of al fort tio oil
classes to be chilled After ALL the Quakngs in the
Cabinet will not shake the EARTH nor even these little
islands. To keep John Bright is worth more to the
people of Great Britain than all the Cabinet services
will amount TO- and for my part hope and trust that
the old acrimony of criticism now breaking out
against him, provoked by his independent attitude
and by such fearless words as these may end in
leasing him wholly from the trammels of Office, and
give us the old freedom of speech in the House as
well as out Of the House.


Whatever annoyances Nh. Bright may find in Off
Cial life they do not TO affect his health or
spirits. He complained in jocuar way at the din
ner that penny postage made his life n burden 10
him. but it is a burden which he bears so far as his
friends can observe, with Undimnshed cheeTfulness.
He was more at ease in manner, or more spark
ling in conversation in which he eXcels scarcely less
than in oratory. He abounds in good stories, and
telling repartees and these he bestOws impartally
on all comers. His promptness in business matters
has astonished men who have official relations with
him, and the public who have concerns with the
Board of Trade story is told of one gentleman
who applied to Mr. Bright by letter for interview
Used to the ways of public Offices, he expected no
answer for some DAYS, left town for a short eXcur-
sion and returned to find that an answer had been
sent the morning the application was received ap-
pointing an interview for the afternoon. This is quite
possible in Mr.. Brights department, which he him
self described the other day as Office in which his
main duty was to give advice to people who chose to
come and ask for it. g. W. 5.