Mr. Bright made a speech at Birmingham yesterday week, in
which he developed his political moderation, by explaining that there was one rasped in which he did not at all wish to see Englishmen following the lead of American politics,—namely, by extruding the permanent officials from office whenever there is a change of administration. He also said, not a little to our surprise, in defending Americanizing tendencies, so far as regards the ballot, that Mr. J. S. Mill was coming round again to the ballot after being long opposed to it, and thought it might be fairly tried in Ireland. This, however, appears to be a mistake. Mr. J. S. Mill writes to the Times to say that he is as much opposed to it as ever, as much in Ireland as in England, and that he had so
explained himself to a meeting of his Westminster constituents this week. We may add that his Westminster constituents received the announcement with apparently great complacency, and that we ourselves feel much more hope of living to hear Mr. Bright denounce the ballot, than fear of living to hear Mr. Mill acquiesce in that open confession of unfitness for political duty.
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