The Life and Speeches of the Right Honourable John Bright, M.P. (Volume 1)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. ELECTED FOR DUfiHAM. Mr. Blight's first Election Contest.?Cause of his non-success.?His Opponent, Lord Dungannon.?Mr. Bright the Popular Candidate.? Lord Dungannon unseated.?Second Election in July, 1843.?A singular Conservative Candidate.?Mr. Slight's Election Addresses. ?Scene at the Hustings.?Election Pleasantries.?Return of Mr. Bright.?A Free-Trade Triumph.?Rejoicings.?Great Meeting in London. The able and vigorous part which Mr. Bright took in the Anti- Corn Law agitation naturally led to the conclusion amongst his friends that he must have a seat in Parliament. By the year 1842 it began to be apparent that he would be a power in public life. ' He is earnest, argumentative, eloquent, ' said one who spoke with prophetic instinct, ' clear in statement, apt in illustration, fluent in words, abundant in resources. Mr. John Bright is in talent a second Peel; he was born in the same atmosphere. Let his career be observed?he has entered upon it.' Men should generally distrust prophecies, but there was plenty of ground for this one. Mr. Bright had already impressed both his friends and his foes with a sense of his power. If Mr. Cobden might be described as the Paul, Mr. Brignt was certainly the Apollos, of the League. The opportunity of contesting a seat in the Legislature came sooner than was anticipated. In March, 1843, Captain Fitz- roy, member for the city of Durham, resigned his seat in consequence of having accepted the appointment of Governor of New Zealand. An address from Lord Dungannon, in the Protectionist and Conservative interest, immediately appeared. It seemed as though his lordship would enjoy a walk-over, but only on the very day of the nomination an address to the electors from Mr. Bright was published. It was written in plain and forcible lang..