mites, and the Derby-Disraeli ministry was
installed. Bright declared Lord Derby's accession to be a declaration of
war against the working classes, and roused the great towns in the demand
for reform. Bright was the popular hero of the time. As a political leader
the winter of 1866-1867 was the culminating point in his career. The Reform
Bill was carried with a clause for minority representation, and in the
autumn of 1868 Bright, with two Liberal colleagues, was again returned for
Birmingham. Mr Gladstone came into power with a programme of Irish reform
in church and land such as Bright had long urged, and he accepted the post
of president of the Board of Trade. He thus became a member of the privy
council, with the title of Right Honourable, and from this time forth was a
recognized leader of the Liberal party in parliament and in the country. He
made a great speech [v.04 p.0569] on the second reading of the Irish Church
Bill, and wrote a letter on the House of Lords, in which he said, "In
harmony with the nation they may go on for a long time, but throwing
themselves athwart its course they may meet with accidents not pleasant for
them to think of." He also spoke strongly in the same session in favour of
the bill permitting marriage with a deceased wife's sister. The next
session found him disqualified by a severe illness, which caused his
retirement from office at the end of the year, and kept him out of public
life for four years. In August 1873 Mr Gladstone reconstructed his cabinet,
and Bright returned to it as chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. But his
hair had become white, and though he spoke again with much of his former
vigour, he was now an old man. In the election in January 1874 Bright and
his colleagues were returned for Birmingham without opposition. When Mr
Gladstone resigned the leadership of his party in 1875, Bright was chairman
of the party meeting which chose Lord Hartington as his successor. He took
a less prominent part in political discussion till the Eastern Question
brought Great Britain to the verge of war with Russia, and his old energy
flamed up afresh. In the debate on the vote of credit in February 1878, he
made one of his impressive speeches, urging the government not to increase
the difficulties manufacturers had in finding employment for their
workpeople by any single word or act which could shake confidence in
business. The debate lasted five days. On the fifth day a telegram from Mr