BRADLAUGH ON GLADSTONE AND BRIGHT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3166, 22 August 1881, Page 4

BRADLAUGH ON GLADSTONE AND BRIGHT.

The following is a portion of a speech recently delivered by Mr Bradlaugh at a large meeting held in St. James' Hall, London : —Mr Chairman, I am very proud indeed to be able now to give my Voice in connection with this resolution, for no man ought more heartily to support thanks to the two men named in it than myself. It is something that one of England's grandest statesmen—it is something tbat a man at the cloße of a long career, burdened with heavy business of btate, harrassed on every Bide —it is something that he should have thrust upon him a quarrel not of his own seeking, a struggle not of his own planning, a battle not of his making ; and that lie should not have hesitated, but should have taken up the gauntlet thrown down on behalf of real liberty, although it must havo wrung a pang from himself, with bis

opinion? oF religkr ... ■*_ it. (Applause.) If I t'csl ptiin in this struggle it is because I know how the wr.-K-V: 1 . enemies of this man —who ennnofc grapple with him —(applause) —enemies who can only crawl in the gutter by the path lie trends—(c:i;>. jT 'Fvav.y.") — use me anrl my opinions to sting and wound him ; and if I feel doubt and pain in what is to come it is because I know how much his frame, tried by sickness, bowed with tho weight of work borne upon it, must feci each additional struggle—each additional test; and if I ask you here to thank William Ewart Grindstone —(cheers) —T ask it that your voice going from a free and open meeting—(hear, hear) —speaking with your own voluntary thought, should take to England's statesman standing now at the helm with storm of misery, with storm of discontent', with storm of disaffection, witli otorm of ingratitude, with storm ■ " •■n*rched- >- ness aggravated by naltry obstruction „rouii„ him—shall take to him at least a cheering English hearty word of thanks to rrako his pai-.h the easier. (Loud applause, •._ midst of which three hearty cheers were Kiven.) And to the other such poor coin of gratitude as words can give, I pay now, as T have paid on every occasion when I have met masses of the Kmdish people face to face. I thank John Bright. (Cheers.) I ask you to thank John "Bright—(continued cheers) —not that bespoke for liberty—that we had the right to expect from him, for his whole life has been on the side of liberty — not that, he spoke for one man assailed by n-inv. for it lias been his habit to stand by the weaker cause ; but I ask you to join with me in grateful thanks for him that lie had the manhood, when all mocked my word, to vouch my word as though it were his own.