1832.] THE REFORM BILL. 49 evident and lamentable testimony to the truth of their heartrending condition. In fact, at that time no person living remembered greater distress in Rochdale and the surrounding towns. The sturdy, bright-eyed lad occasionally mingled with the crowd, and listened eagerly to the fiery speeches, in which the leaders of the movement denounced their oppressors, and laid bare their poverty and sufferings. The great struggle for the Reform Bill of 1832 absorbed the attention of Mr. Bright for many years before it became law. Referring to those early days in later years he said, "My first knowledge of Birmingham was of the meetings on Newhall Hill. I was not there except in spirit. I was young then, and, I suppose some people would say, foolish. If so, I was foolish in a folly that has lasted now for more than forty years. But I know that at that time such was the excitement in my father's house that we began to take in the Evening Mail, I think it was-that was an issue of the Times newspaper three days in the week. We had never dreamt of taking more than a weekly paper. Up to that time we took the Manchester Guardian, price 7d., published on Saturdays only. Well, the Evening Mail at that time had magnificent articles, which, I am told, some people connected with the Times have since regretted. I read those articles to my father and family in the evening. They were very stormy articles. They gave much information; and I date some portion of my political activity to the influence of that paper in those days. And I read there of your great meetings, and all the country read of them, and all the country was stirred to its very heart by what you did at that time. And what was done was that the greatest measure that the English Parliament has ever known was passed." On May 19th, 1832, an open-air meeting was held in front of the Wellington Hotel, Drake-street, Rochdale, approving of the course pursued by Earl Grey and his colleagues with regard to the Reform Bill, and praying His Majesty that, if the Peers mutilated the bill, he would resume the original compact between the Crown and the people. Then followed the Reform festival on the 22nd of August, 1832, and the first election of a member of Parliament for Rochdale on the 12th of December, 1832. All these incidents, with the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, the subject of Catholic Emancipation, the Revolution in France in 1830, when Charles X. sought our shores as a refugee and Louis Philippe ascended the throne of France, made a deep impression on the inquiring mind of Mr. Bright. He was often seen seeking information from older and more experienced E persons and indeed from boyhood he had received in the family the surname of "The Thinker." Besides all these incidents, from the day of his birth the "dignitaries" of the Church had seized goods from his father's premises, under warrants, for Church Rates. From the year 1811 to 1833 the warrants issued numbered twenty-one, and the value of the goods taken amounted to £109 16s. 3d. Lessons thus inculcated were not likely to be soon forgotten, and as "a desire to resist oppression is implanted in the nature of man. it was not surprising to find in later years Mr. Bright taking an active part to abolish these imposts. CHAPTER V. EARLY PUBLIC SPEECHES. The Temperance Cause in Rochdale-First Speech-"Fair View"-At Mill Bottom-Advice of the Rev. John Aldis-In the Old Theatre, Toad LaneMr. Buckingham's Prophecy-Charles Howarth-John Hill. As Mr. Bright arrived at manhood he carried himself erect, and had apparently a robust frame. His general bearing was decided, and he possessed a degree of determination which enabled him to carry out any scheme that he undertook. His whole demeanour commanded respect, and impressed the observer with the idea that his morals were of the highest order. He appeared like one who had resolved to "tread a righteous path." At this age his heart and mind leaned in the direction of a public career, as if he were determined to devote himself to the guiding of the working class upward to a better day. He honoured candour, detested false pretence, spurned the sordid and the low, was dauntless in mingling with the strife of minds, and his is "The steady arm that breaks the oppressor's blow, The hand that hastens with its prompt redress." The principles that take the deepest root are those implanted during the seasons of childhood and youth. The pupil takes early lessons from everything around him, and his character and habits are forming before he has any consciousness of his reasoning powers. When by some favouring chance a man discovers the peculiar bent of his genius, and when by a happy fate he is enabled to follow its direction, the foundation is laid for future eminence, though much subsequent exertion and continued perseverance will be requisite to raise the superstructure. It is not solely in the higher pursuits of science and literature that a predisposing and decided genius is necessary to perfection. For instance, Mozart might have made an indifferent philosopher; Sir Isaac Newton, an inferior musician; Milton a bad painter, and Raphael a second-rate poet. In 1830, Messrs. John Bright, Oliver Ormerod, Thomas Booth, and other gentlemen introduced the Temperance cause into Rochdale, and one of the first lecturers they brought forward in the Theatre in Toad Lane was the Rev. Mr. Crookshank, who was at that time known as the "Dundee Carter." Subsequently the Rev. Mr. Thistlewaite, Vicar of Bolton, and other gentlemen spoke on the subject of temperance, under the auspices of the admirers of total abstinence. These ardent pioneers of the cause, anxious to boldly advocate their principles, and at the same time test their oratorical powers, thought it advisable first to practise on a simple rustic audience. Accordingly they secured the use of a Unitarian School in a remote country district, within five minutes' walk of the foot of Rooley Moor Road, which leads over the moor into the valley of Rossendale, and known as Catley Lane Head, a short distance above Spotland Fold, near Rochdale. The room was about twelve yards long and six yards in width, so that although the place was crowded the audience was appalling neither in numbers nor in intelligence. On the way it was arranged between Mr. Bright and Mr. Oliver Ormerod, that in case of any nervous hesitancy there should be a manifestation of applause, until the speaker took heart and recovered himself. Mr. Bright, in beginning his address was very nervous, but gained confidence as he proceeded,-"Courage mounteth with occasion,"-delivered his speech with effect, and was warmly applauded. The building is now becoming a place of historical interest, though it no longer exists as a school, for it has been converted into two cottages. It still retains its own original name, "Fair View," which doubtless was applied from the expanse of pleasant scenery stretched out before it, for it overlooks the valley which gave birth to the statesman who there made his maiden speech. Having gone successfully through the initiatory exercise, the young orator ventured to address an audience near the heart of the town. The building selected was the old chapel at Lowerplace. The news became circulated that a number of unfledged speakers was going to "spout" on temperance. The edifice was crowded, long before the time of commencing the meeting, by persons who came there chiefly out of curiosity. Amongst the aspirants were John Bright and Oliver Ormerod, who both acquitted themselves creditably. Thus began the public career of two benefactors of mankind, and although both were equal in point of education and energy, nature had gifted one with a marvellous voice, clear perception, and a grasp over his subject, so that it required only the average amount of application to develop the accomplished 1832.] ATTENDING MEETINGS. 53 orator. The other, although he had gone through years of exercise at speech-making, could not fairly be called an average speaker; thus showing that the real orator, like the poet or musician, is born, and not produced by culture. Oratory, then, was not the line in which Mr. Ormerod was destined to benefit his fellow-men; yet his life was one of the most useful, for he devoted a large proportion of his time during half a century to Sunday-school labours, and to the visiting of the sick and distressed, carrying his work out in a quiet and unobtrusive way. At the close of his earthly career the friend of his early days did not forget to visit him. "You have done a great work, sir, in your life," said the dying Christian. To which Mr. Bright soothingly replied:-" You have worked as hard. My work has been of a public character, but yours has been not the less useful." During his peregrinations in the cause of temperance Mr. Bright visited Mill Bottom, and the following amusing story was heard by one of the Rochdalians who was present. "Wot's tis felly com'n here for?" said one of a crowd of old women collected together during Mr. Bright's address. "Wot's he com'n for; is he for puttin these October shops deawn, 'at he's tawkin o' that rate?" "Yes," replied a gentleman who sat in a gig, “that's his very errand; and he intends as soon as he gets into Parliament to make a law that you shall all have rum in tea." your "Eh! dus he?" exclaimed the old woman, "why then, that's th' chap for us!" Mr. Bright, attending a meeting in a country place, remarked to a friend, as soon as he arrived, that he had hurried, being afraid he should be too late, as country people often kept their clocks fast; and he added, "I have always found that when they keep their clocks too fast the people are always too slow.' The Rev. John Aldis, Baptist Minister, of Plymouth, relates an incident that occurred when Mr. John Bright had entered on his twenty-first year. The rev. gentleman, in the year 1832, was stationed at Manchester, and was invited to Rochdale to speak at a Bible Society Meeting in the Friends' Meeting House. He spent the afternoon at a tradesman's residence, at the bottom of Yorkshire Street, and shortly before the hour appointed for the meeting his friend expressed his regret that being unexpectedly busy he should not be able to attend the meeting, but added that he had invited a young Friend," who was also to speak at the meeting, to bear him company there. We will give the remainder of the story in the exact words of the Rev. John 66 |