MR BRIGHT AT COURT.

Southland Times, Issue 1128, 22 March 1869, Page 2

MR BRIGHT AT COURT.

The ' Newcastle Chronicle,' referring to Mr Bright's reception by the Queen on the occasion of his acceptance ofoffice, sa y 8 . — We understand on Mr Gladstone mentioning to Her Majesty that he intended, with her permission, to offer a seat in the Cabinet to the hon. member for Birmingham, the Queen was pleased to say it would afford her the greatest satisfaction it Mr Bright should consent to serve the Crown — that she had read his speeches with great pleasure, and that she was under the greatest obligation to him for the many kind words he had spoken of her, especially for a speech he made about two years ago in a great meeting in St James' Hall. It will be remembered that Mr Ayrton, at the meeting referred to, had cast some reproach upon Her Majesty for living so long in retirement, aid neglecting what he termed " her duties to society." Mr Bright warmly vindicated Her Majesty ? and said the Queen, who had the human' tenderness to nurture in her breast a noble sorrow, was not a woman to be wanting in regard or affection to her people. When Mr Bright went to Windsor to take the oaths of office Her Majesty showed her delicate consideration for the great commoner in a very marked way. She sent Mr Helps, the* Clerk to the Privy Council, to assure Mr Bright if it was more agreeable to his feelings to omit the ceremony of kueeling or kissing hands, he was quite at liberty to do so. Mr Bright availed himself of this considerate permission, and was very kindly and cordially received by her Majesty, who took occasion iu the most marked manner to express her gratification at meeting him. It was afterwards intimated to Mr Bright that Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal of Prussia had expressed a desire that Mr Bright should be presented to her. This was done, and the Princess heartily assured Mr Bright that she greatly desired to be acquainted with him — that she heraelt and all the members of the Royul family were greatly indebted to him for the way in which he had spoken of their mother. She herself, she said, had read all his speeches, and she was very pleased to see I him. Mr Bright replied in very graceful terms, and said if Her Royal Highness would permit him he would tell her what 1 the late Mr Buchanan, the American , Minister, when last in London, said of > her to him, " that wherever Her Royal her path." lvlr Bright was very much t struck with the graceful, animated man- > ners and genial greeting he had the , honor to receive from Her Royal ' Highness, and the young ladies of ' the Court tell with curious interest ( of the meeting between Her Roval , Highness and the great Quaker courtier. r Mr Bright has already become as famous > in royal circles as his great predecessor, William Penn. On leaving Windsor, Mr ' Bright was joined by his friend, Mr T. B. " Potter, M.P., who had been to Eton on a j visit to his sons, but the hon member for ' Rochdale was literally drifted away by '. the fervor of the people to greet Mr i Bright, and shake him by the hand. In- ; deed, his hands were seized and kissed with a passionate regard, which could not but make a great impression upon him, on finding how deeply all orders of | the people rejoiced at the triumph of those great services which he had rendered them, and to see honor to him succeed to the long calumny he had braved on their behalf. As a great deal has been said and written about the Queen's personal feelings, and as some of Mr Gladstone's own intimate supporters have believed till lately that Mr Disraeli had an undue influence over her, it is most satisfactory to hear, as we have on the very best authority, that Her Majesty's private reception of her new Prime Miuister was so gracious, bo kind — even so " affectionate" was the word used — as to overwhelm him with feelings of the warmest gratitude. Nothing could have inure lightened his recent toila, or cheered him more thoroughly ia the happily few difficulties he has had to contend with.