Bright, John

a distinguished English orator and statesman., в. 1811. He was a partner in the firm of "John Bright & Brothers," cotton spinners and manufacturers at Rochdale, and entered public life by taking part in the reform agitation of 1831-2. In 1839, he distinguished himself politically by becoming one of the earliest members of the Anti - Corn - Law League, which grew out of an a ociation formed in 1838 to obtain the repeal of the Corn Laws. He was the representative of the city of Durham from 1843 until 1847, when he was returned for Manchester. During the interval between his election for Manchester and the acce ion of the first Derby Ministry to power, B.'s activity in Parliament and on the platform was varied and continuous. In the House of Commons he proposed to apply the remedy of free trade inl dence. It is in the Oriental style, being copied from the Kremlin at Moscow. It now belongs to the corporation of the town by purchase from the royal family. B. has little or no commerce, being exclusively dependent upon the patronage of its wealthy visitors and temporary residents. Pop . (1895), 115,402. land to the state of things which produced the Irish famine. He appealed unsucce fully for the dispatch of a royal commi ion to investigate the condition of India; and in 1849 he was appointed one of the members of the celebrated special committee of the House of Commons on official salaries. In the legislature, and in the provinces, especially at Manchester, he co-operated with Mr. Cobden in the movement which the latter sought to create in favor of financial reform, mainly with a view to the reduction of the naval and military establishments of the kingdom. In 1851, he voted with 60 m. S.W. of Springfield. Brighton, in California, a post-township of Sacramento co., on the American River, 5 m. E. of Sacramento. Bright'on, in Illinois, a post-village of Macoupin co., those who attempted to censure Lord Palmers ton in the Bright'on, in Indiana, a post-office of La Grange co. Don Pacifico affair, and in 1852 he took a prominent part Bright'on, in Iowa , a post-village and township of in the welcome given to Ko uth by the advanced libe- Washington co., 40 m. S.S.W. of Iowa City. rals of Lancashire. On the formation of the first Derby ministry, B. aided in that temporary reorganization of the Anti-Corn-Law League, which the acceptance of free trade by the new government afterwards rendered unnece ary. With the acce ion of Lord Aberdeen's ministry to power began the discu ion of the Eastern question, his share in which alienated from B. many of his former supporters. He denounced the policy of the Ru ian war with the characteristic energy of what his opponents styled his peace -at- any -price principles; but his protests against it were stopped by an attack of illne that compelled him to forego all public action and retire to Italy to recover his health. The news of the defeat of the Palmers ton cabinet on the Canton question reached B. while in Italy, in March, 1857. Although he had nece arily taken no personal part in the debate or division which produced Lord Palmers ton's appeal to the -A township of Ca co. Bright'on, in Maine, a post-township of Somerset co., 45 m. N. of August a, Bright'on, in Ma achusetts, a post-township of Middle sex county, 4 miles W. from Boston; annexed to Bos ton in 1874. Bright'on, in Maryland , a P. O. of Montgomery co. Brighton, in Michigan , a post-village and township of Livings ton county, on Ore Creek, 43 m. S.E. of Lansing. Bright'on, in Mi ouri, a post-village of Polk co., 24 m. N. of Springfield. Brighton, in New York, a post-village and township of Monroe co., 3 m. S. of Rochester. A township of Franklin co. Bright'on, in Ohio, a village of Cuyahoga co., 4 m. S.W. of Cleveland. City. Bright'on, in Pennsylvania, a township of Beaver co., on the Ohio River. Bright'on, or Old Bright'on, in Pennsylvania , & prosperous borough of Beaver co., on Beaver River, near its confluence with the Ohio, 29 m. N.W. of Pittsburg. Manf. Cotton, paper, and flour; po e es an active trade. -A village of Mercer co. Brighton, in South Carolina, a post-office of Hampton county. Bright'on, in Vermont, a township of E ex co., 60 m. N.E. of Montpelier. country, yet he expre ed his entire approval of the vote -A village of Clarke co., 35 m. W. by S. of Columbus. of censure which had been proposed and carried on the -A post-township of Lorain co., 30 m. S.E. of Sandusky motion of Mr. Cobden. At the ensuing general election, B. (at this time very unpopular) was rejected at Manchester by a large majority, but was afterwards returned for Birmingham, a seat which he has since constantly retained. From that time forward, B.'s name was mainly identified with a scheme for the reform of the electoral representation, by a wide extension of the suffrage, and a more equal distribution of the seats with reference to population, and alterations in the law of entail. He was an uncompromising advocate of the Union during the Civil War, and afterward distinguished himself by his strenuous support of Mr. Gladstone's Reform Act, which, after keen opposition, was pa ed in 1868. After the general election in November of the same year, Mr. Gladstone and the advanced liberal party acceded to power, when B. became a member of the Cabinet as President of the Board of Trade, with the rank of a Privy Councillor.--He was one of the triumvirate of great orators then adorning the British Senate, viz., Glad stone, Disraeli, Bright. He was the leader of the liberal party till 1871, when owing to ill health, withdrew from active affairs until 1880, when he came in office under Gladstone. He differed with Gladstone upon his Egyptian and Irish policy, in consequence of the former, he resigned from the Ministry in 1882, he retained his seat in Parliament, but did not actively participate in political affairs, chiefly however from continued ill health. D. March 27, 1889. Bright'en, ( brit'n ,) v. a. To make bright or brighter; to increase the lustre of; to make to shine; as, his looks brightened. "Salutes the Spring, as her celestial eyes Adorn the world, and brighten up the skies."-Dryden. -To make illustrious; to add lustre or distinction to. "How ble ings brighten as they take their flight!"-Young. -To make gay or cheerful; to relieve by throwing light upon gloom; as, brightening prospects. -To become acute or witty. "How the wit brightens ! how the style refines! " -Pope . v. i. To grow bright or more bright; to clear up; as, the sky brightens. "And, all his prospects brightening to the last, His heaven commences ere the world be past." - Goldsmith. Bright-harne ed, ( brit'har -nest,) a. Decked with glittering armor. (Poetical.) color. Bright-hued, ( brit'hud ,) a. With a bright tint or Brightly, adv. Splendidly; with lustre; as, how brightly the stars shine. "Safely I slept, till brightly dawning shone The moon, conspicuous on her golden throne." - Pope.