John Bright

The NBC University of the Air, a public service of the National Broadcasting Company, and its affiliated independent stations, presents another chapter in historical series, We Came This Way. Tonight's story, John Bright. John Bright, for the most part, has been forgotten.

It seems to be one of our human failings to bury the names of men who have done our race the most good in a deep and dark well. John Wright, dead less than 50 years, is the twixt in between the depths and top of that well.

And yet, what he did in his lifetime affects the lives of practically everyone in the English-speaking world. He was an Englishman who loved England, but who loved his fellow man even more. What he would tell you tonight is the story of one man's fight against the rulers of a nation but for that nation's people.

Remember, it's the story of a man. The man called John Bright, who was we open the chapter, is sitting before an open fireplace with his friend Richard Cobden. The year is 1839. Richard, who have you back from America?

Tell me, what you'd like, this American? And I'm no longer Englishmen, but Americans. For even the language is different. I'd say that in 100 years would be hard put to understand them. Did you see any Indians?

Phew, that of the warring tribes. John, those Americans are huing a new land out of a wilderness, a new empire. They're fighters and they're free men and they'll progress beyond our wildest dreams. It'll take them a million years to get where we are.

I'd say less than a hundred. Carbon, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were well on your way to an asylum. They're progressive and we are studgy. They've got vision and we've got the corn laws.