John Bright

John Bright (1811-1889), British reformer and free-trade advocate, one of the most eloquent public speakers of his time, born near Rochdale, England. A Quaker textile manufacturer, Bright was elected to Parliament in 1843, and with Richard Cobden he led the fight to repeal the Corn Laws (which imposed duties on imported grain). Bright was also active in the movement to extend the franchise, and was an outspoken opponent of colonial expansion and the Crimean War: “The Angel of Death has been abroad thoughout the land; you may almost hear the beating of his wings”, he said of the latter in 1855.