MR BRIGHT ON THE PRINCESS BEATRICES DOWRY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1168, 5 August 1885, Page 3

MR BRIGHT ON THE PRINCESS BEATRICES DOWRY.

A short time ago a resolution was passed by the All Saints' Ward (Birmingham) Liberal Association.thanking Mr Labouchere for his opposition to the annuity to Princess Beatrice, and a copy of it was sent to each of the three members for Birmingham, asking them to vote against any sum of money being granted for such j purpose. Mr Bright has replied as | follows: •— " Llandudno, May 16th. Dear Sir, — I thank you for sending me the copy of the resolution on the subject of the grant to the Princess Beatrice, but I regret to have to say how much I differ from you ia iegard*

to the grant. The Princess is now the only unmarried daughter of the Queen, and I cannot believe that any considerable number of our people would wish her to be treated in a manner less generous than has been the case with her sisters, the other daughters of , the Queen. I gather from the concluding, words of your resolution that your objection to the grant is on the ground of economy, on which you will permit me to say a word. The annual grant of £6,000 is less than one farthing per family among the seven millions of families in the United Kingdom, and therefore cannot be regarded as a burden that can be felt. I am astonished that Liberals and Liberal Associations should excite themselves over matters so small as this, and should be silent on the extravagance of Government and Parliament in other matters. During the now nearly 50 years of the reign of the Queen, I believe that more than 300 millions of pounds have been wasted in excessive military and naval expenditure, and in unnecessary and unjust wars ; and against all this evil but a faint protest has been made, even by Liberals and Liberal Associations. The blunders and crimes of successive Governments are overlooked, and the attention of working men is fixed on some trifle like this grant to the Princess. If I had been in the House of Commons on Thursday last I should have voted for the grant. I would not have asked the House to cast a shadow over the mind of the Queen, and to tell her that in the later years of her reign Parliament was less generous to her family than in her earlier years. In years past I have spokon in Parliament against the magnitude of some of the grants to the Eoyal Family, but I could not condemn this present grant on any grounds. I feel that in the course I am now taking, and which I now explain to you, I am acting in accordance with the general character of my countrymen, with whom whatever has a taint of unkindness and meannes is condemned. I feel confident that you will not blame me if I differ from you in this matter, but that you will rather approve of the course I have taken. Let our people look at the millions which are wasted, at the wars which are waged, and at the blood which is shed. This were a wiser policy than to excite themselves over a grant to the youngest daughter of the Queen, whose reign historians will deem illustrious, notwithstanding the blunders and crimes of successive Administrations. Forgive this long reply to your note, and believe me sincerely yours, — John Bright."