The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rt. Hon. John Bright M.P.; Cartoons from the Collection of "Mr. Punch", by Various This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license Title: The Rt. Hon. John Bright M.P.; Cartoons from the Collection of "Mr. Punch" Author: Various Release Date: December 29, 2013 [EBook #44539] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RT. HON. JOHN BRIGHT M.P. *** Produced by Chris Curnow, Charlie Howard, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) On some devices, clicking a cartoon will display a larger version of it. cover CARTOON.—FEBRUARY 2, 1867. GLADIATORS PREPARING FOR THE ARENA. The Conservative Reform Bill was to be the principal measure of the approaching Session, and as the question had proved a fatal one to the Whig Administration in the preceding year there was every prospect of a keenly contested struggle.—1867. No. 30. [Frontispiece. S THE RT. HON. JOHN BRIGHT M.P. Cartoons from the Collection of “MR. PUNCH.” PUNCH OFFICE, 85, FLEET STREET, LONDON. 1878. LONDON: BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. The Rt. Hon. John Bright, M.P. ON of Jacob Bright, of Greenbank, Rochdale, Lancashire; born in 1811; one of the firm of John Bright and Brothers, cotton spinners and manufacturers, Rochdale; a member of the Society of Friends; joined the Anti-Corn-Law League soon after its formation in 1838, and, with Mr. Cobden, became one of its leading members, and the powerful champion of Free Trade; returned to Parliament for the city of Durham in 1843, and continued to sit as its representative till 1847, when he was elected for Manchester; opposed the war with Russia, 1854; rejected at Manchester at the General Election in 1857, consequent on the defeat of Lord Palmerston’s Government on the China question; returned for Birmingham the same year, and is still member for that constituency; the great advocate of Free Trade, Financial Reform, a wide extension of the Suffrage, a redistribution of Seats and the Ballot, of the cause of Ireland and India, of National Education, and of Peace; in the American Civil War took the Anti-Slavery side, and was the staunch supporter of the Northern States; visited Ireland in 1866; accepted a post in Mr. Gladstone’s Cabinet in 1868 as President of the Board of Trade—the state of his health prevented him from undertaking the duties of the India Office—when he was nominated a Privy Councillor; resigned office at the end of 1870; on his health becoming more satisfactory, he returned to the Gladstone Cabinet in 1873, as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, but retired with his colleagues at the beginning of the following year. Mr. Bright is one of the most eloquent and effective orators of his time, and his speeches were collected and published in 1868; the policy which he has for so many years advocated has in most points been in the end accepted by the nation. A LIST OF THE CARTOONS. YEAR. NO. Acrobats at Westminster Title 1846. The Seven-League Boots 1 1849. A Bright Idea 2 1852. “Not Quite such a Fine Child as the Last!” 3 ” Eating the Leek 4 1854. Pet of the Manchester School 5 1855. The New Coalition 6 1857. Recoil of the great Chinese Gun-Trick 7 1858. Orestes pursued by the Furies 8 ” “It will soon Boil!” 9 ” Mr. Bright offers to give Satisfaction to the Liberal Party 10 1859. A Very Greasy Pole 11 ” The Quaker and the Bauble 12 ” Who will Rouse Him? 13 ” The Real Ugly Rush 14 1860. The Reform Janus 15 ” Bright the Peace-Maker 16 ” Dissent in Earnest 17 1863. Cobden’s Logic 18 1865. Dr. Bright and his Patient 19 ” The Political “Wall-Flower” 20 1865. John Slow and John Fast 21 ” Scene from St. Stephen’s Pantomime 22 1866. The Officious Passenger 23 ” Going Down to the House 24 ” The Brummagem Frankenstein 25 ” The Popular Poll-Parrot 26 ” Dr. Dulcamara in Dublin 27 ” The Festive Season 28 1867. Rival Sweepers 29 ” Gladiators Preparing for the Arena (Frontispiece) 30 1868. Dr. Bull’s Waiting-Room 31 ” Athletics at Westminster 32 ” A Dress Rehearsal 33 ” A “Friend” at Court 34 1869. “Rejected!” 35 ” Forgetting his Place 36 1870. John Bright’s New Reform Bill—“Reform Yourselves” 37 ” The Bill of Fare 38 1872. “Off Greenwich” 39 1873. A Friend in Need 40 1875. The New Shepherd 41 The Rt. Hon. JOHN BRIGHT, M.P. CARTOONS FROM “PUNCH.” 1846-1875. CARTOON.—MARCH 7, 1846. THE SEVEN-LEAGUE BOOTS; OR, DEATH OF GIANT MONOPOLY. The labours of Messrs. Cobden and Bright procured the recognition of Free Trade principles, and, with Sir Robert Peel, extorted from a reluctant Parliament the repeal of the Corn Laws.—1846. No. 1. CARTOON.—NOVEMBER 17, 1849. A BRIGHT IDEA. THE PEACE RECRUITING SERGEANT TRYING TO ENLIST THE DUKE. Mr. Bright’s peace principles were embodied in the plan proposed this year to settle all international differences by arbitration. The scheme was not viewed with much favour.—1849. No. 2. CARTOON.—FEBRUARY 21, 1852. “NOT QUITE SUCH A FINE CHILD AS THE LAST!” Lord John Russell’s second Reform Bill was coldly received by Mr. Bright and other ardent reformers. The Ministry fell shortly after its introduction, and the measure was never discussed.—1852. No. 3. CARTOON.—NOVEMBER 13, 1852. EATING THE LEEK. Fluellen ... MR. COBDEN. Pistol ... MR. DISRAELI. Fluellen. “I pray you fall to; if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek.”-Hen. V. The Derby Ministry declared their adherence to the Free-trade Policy of Messrs. Cobden and Bright, which they had formerly resisted.—1852. No. 4. CARTOON.—APRIL 18, 1854. PET OF THE MANCHESTER SCHOOL. “He shall have a little Turk to pull to pieces—that he shall.” Messrs. Bright and Cobden incurred much odium by their persistent opposition to the Anti-Russian feeling of the nation at the outbreak of the Crimean war.—1854. No. 5. CARTOON.—OCTOBER 27, 1855. THE NEW COALITION. Messrs. Bright, Gladstone, and Disraeli were, at this time (though for different reasons) in accord in their opposition to Lord Palmerston’s Government.—1855. No. 6. CARTOON.—APRIL 11, 1857. RECOIL OF THE GREAT CHINESE GUN-TRICK. Mr. Bright was rejected at Manchester on Lord Palmerston’s appeal to the country after his defeat by Mr. Cobden on the China Question. He was shortly afterwards returned for Birmingham without opposition.—1857. No. 7. CARTOON.—JUNE 19, 1858. ORESTES PURSUED BY THE FURIES. Mr. Bright and Mr. Roebuck supported the Conservative Ministry, then threatened by a vote of censure, mainly to prevent Lord Palmerston’s return to office.—1858. No. 8. CARTOON.—NOVEMBER 6, 1858. “IT WILL SOON BOIL!” The constituencies at this time were apathetic on the Reform Question. Mr. Bright had been addressing numerous Meetings to elicit popular support.—1858. No. 9. CARTOON.—DECEMBER 18, 1858. MR. BRIGHT OFFERS TO GIVE SATISFACTION TO THE LIBERAL PARTY. Mr. Bright rejected the timid Reform proposals of the Whigs, and demanded the widest extension of the franchise.—1858. No. 10. CARTOON.—JANUARY 29, 1859. A VERY GREASY POLE. Mr. Bright had been addressing large Meetings in the manufacturing districts to agitate for an extension of the franchise to all rated householders.—1859. No. 11. CARTOON—FEBRUARY 5, 1859. THE QUAKER AND THE BAUBLE. “It is the Land which the territorial party represents in Parliament. * * * That is the theory of the Constitution: Blackstone says so. But it is a thing which is not likely to be respected much longer, and it mus’ go, even if involving the destruction of the Constitution.”—Mr. Bright, in his Penny Organ. The “Morning Star”—a journal founded to advocate the views of Mr. Bright—met with little support. After an uncertain existence of some years, it was discontinued.— 1859. No. 12. CARTOON.—MARCH 12, 1859. WHO WILL ROUSE HIM? Mr. Bright’s pertinacious demand for a Reform Bill, and the endeavours of both political parties to settle the question, failed to awaken the indifference of the constituencies.—1859. No. 13. CARTOON.—APRIL 30, 1859.