ME BRIGHT ON AMERICA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7356, 12 September 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

ME BRIGHT ON AMERICA.

Mr Phelps, the United States Minister,, was recently entertained at- dinner ait the Buckingham Palace Hotel. Mr Cyrus Field presided. Mr Phelps, in replying to tho toast of his health, remarked that since the declaration of American independence therehad been a very great change in the feeling of the two countries. We had all come now to understand that we were of one race. We used to be cousins, but we were now brothers. The chairman next proposed the health of Mr Bright, who, in reply, having referred to the rapid growth cf the United States, said that there were more than 100,000,000 of English-speaking people who were the foremost in all the liberties which are the most valued by tho most intelligent people living in civilised countries. But he was not disposed to give up the leadership which we had in political freedom ; while there was another description of freedom in which we had. surpassed the Americans. " I believe,'' Mr Bright continued, "the time will come—l do not expect to live to see it myself, although 1 may see some advances towards it. but I believe my children and grandchildren will as certainly see it as anything before the eye now—l believe the time will come when the American nation, having, by vast sacrifices of blood and treasure,' accomplished the freedom oC men, the labour of the nieu will be as free as the bodies of the men." England and America would, he believed, to a great extent guide the future policy of the world. "My-point is that the great question of military preparations, establishments, and wars will receive, in all probability, a more complete solution by the free ■ commercial intercourse of nations than from any other teaching; that if yon allow the people of other countries frankly and openly to trade with each other they will learn the lessons of peace from the pages of their ledgers. These vast armies in Europe—you ought to thank Heaven every day that you arc not Europe—these vast armies in Europe are kept up under the pretence, and with the use of tho argument, that the people will bear the cost oil them ; they are kept up, itis said, to safeguard the peace of the nations to which they belong. There is - nothing under Heaven so adverse to peace as the I establishment and maintenance of these | great armies. Jam satisfied that if it were j possible for Kngland and France and Germany and Austria and Russia and Italy to abolish the tariffs and let, commerce flow freely, it. would be beyond the possibility of King or Queen,uf the Czar or Kaiser,or statesmen ot any rank, to bring those nations to war." Mr- Bright went on to speak of his sympathy with the Northern States j during the. Confederate war. and said that there w^re now no men in this country who would not honestly say tii.nt the war "ended as it ought to have ended: and who would not say that it was to the advantage not only of America but to the whole world that a State should not be established on a basis of human slavery. During the evening replies were read to congratulatory telegrams despatched to General Grant and the President of the United St-afcr-.