Government, and finally adopted without a single dissentient voice.

From Belgium Mr. Richard proceeded into Holland, where he received a most hearty welcome from the Dutch Peace Society, who invited him in the first place to address a Public Assembly at the Hague, presided over by Van Eck, one of the members of the Dutch Parliament, and subsequently entertained him at a banquet, both of which assemblies were largely and influentially attended. At the banquet, Herr Van Eck and Herr Bredius announced their intention to bring the question of Arbitration before the Dutch Legislature at the earliest opportunity, and on the 12th of October they redeemed their pledge by placing upon the table of the House a notice of Motion.

The discussion on this Motion took place on the 27th November, and after two days' debate and able speeches by the proposers of the resolution, Herr Van Eck and Herr Bredius, the Minister for Foreign Affairs declared on behalf of the Government a willingness to co-operate, but not to take the initiative, and therefore would not oppose the Motion, and this qualified approval no doubt resulted in a favourable division, the Resolution being carried by 35 to 30 votes.

Leaving the Hague, Mr. Richard proceeded to Berlin, where he found that the two Houses of Parliament, the Reischrath for Prussia and the Reichstag for Germany, were adjourned, but he availed himself of the presence in the capital of several eminent men, such as Dr. Lasker, Dr. Löewe, Dr. Engel, and others, and from one and all he received cordial welcome and sympathy. The state of feeling arising out of the late War with France was felt to be an obstacle for any Parliamentary action, although many, if not all, of the distinguished men who met Mr. Richard were strongly in favour of his mission, and of the policy he advocated.

From Berlin he journeyed to Dresden and Prague, where

he remained a few days, and interested many public men in the question; and thence to Vienna, where he met with many earnest friends of the cause, who shared heartily his views: Dr. Neumann, a member of the Upper House, Count Kinsky, Baron de Kübeck, member of the Chamber, Baron Hye, and these latter two, the one in the Upper, and the other in the Lower House, gave notice of their intention to introduce a Bill, or Resolution, on the subject of Arbitration.

At Buda-Pesth, the capital of Hungary, Mr. Richard interviewed the eminent statesman, Herr Francis Deak, also several members of the Hungarian Ministry, and thus both in Austria and Hungary, he received assurances that the question in some form would be submitted in their respective Parliaments, and ultimately to the Delegations, whose special functions embrace the foreign relations of the Empire.

Of all the important countries visited by Mr. Richard, few, if any, displayed so much zeal and enthusiasm, or offered him such distinguished honour; in fact, wherever he went among the famous cities of Italy, men of great eminence and influence greeted him with marked cordiality. At Venice a banquet was given in his honour, presided over by Chevalier Ruffini, and an address was presented to him by the working men of the city, resonant with powerful appeals for the overthrow of war, and hearty congratulations and good wishes.

From Venice he hurried on to Rome, in order to be present, and as he observed, in some sense to share in the great Parliamentary triumph achieved by Signor Mancini, who on the 24th November, 1873, submitted a resolution on the subject in a great and statesman-like speech, which was received with prolonged cheers, and he was followed by Signor Visconti-Venosta, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with a speech of emphatic approval, and, on Signor Biancheri, the President of the Chamber, putting the resolution to the vote, the whole Chamber of Deputies rose, as one man, to express their unanimous sanction.

Three days after this memorable scene, a great political banquet was given in Rome to Mr. Richard, attended by Senators, Deputies, Members of the University and of the Municipality, besides several distinguished foreigners. On this occasion Mr. Richard, inspired by the event of the 24th, which he had witnessed, and the distinguished company around him, delivered an oration worthy of the cause, the occasion, and of his oratorical renown.

Before leaving Rome Mr. Richard formed the acquaintance of Professors Pierrantoni and Sbarbaro, the former an eminent professor of international and constitutional law at Naples, and the latter a devoted and disinterested friend of peace residing at Modena, and whose friendship he greatly valued; and having finished his work in the capital, he visited Florence and Milan, and at the latter, he was welcomed by an enthusiastic demonstration and banquet, which was of a highly flattering nature, considering the rank and influence present, Senators, Deputies, Jurists, besides the Syndic of the City, Members of the City Council, and representatives of various public bodies, and in reference to which the Courier of Milan remarked :

“It was in fact, the first occasion for many years on which we have seen men belonging to political parties of discordant views conversing familiarly, and shaking hands in a friendly manner.'

At Turin, the last important city of Italy visited, Mr. Richard's special object was, as he writes:

"To have the gratification of forming the personal acquaintance of the illustrious Count Sclopis, the President of the Tribunal at Geneva, whose name is imperishably associated with an event which will be regarded hereafter as forming a great landmark in the history of civilisation,"

and he was rejoiced to find how entirely devoted this distinguished son of Italy was to the cause of international peace.

The last of the brilliant series of international fraternisations for the purpose of doing homage to the great principle of Arbitration, and to its distinguished advocate, Mr. Richard, took place at Paris, presided over by M. Renouard, Member

of the Institute of France, and in proposing the health of the guest of the evening, Frederic Passy delivered a remarkable speech.

This campaign of Mr. Richard, for the purpose of stirring into action the leading men in the chief countries in Europe, with the view of bringing public opinion to bear on their Governments, and thus securing the concurrence of other nations to the principle of Arbitration, was undoubtedly crowned with success far beyond his anticipations. Wherever he went during this three months' important mission, it was his good fortune to find the deepest interest kindled by the success of his efforts in the British Parliament, and soon after his return to England, at a soirée given in his honour at the Cannon Street Hotel, presided over by Mr. Mundella, M.P., and influentially attended, we find he thus refers to this remarkable tour :

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"No one could have been more surprised than he was himself to find that his feeble voice, which had been raised in the House of Commons in favour of justice, reason, and humanity, had awakened so great a feeling as had been found to be the case. Everywhere he had gone he had been received with open arms, as the friend and Apostle of Peace. He greatly rejoiced that working men in various countries were taking up this question, for, whoever else might gain by War, they at least were sure to suffer. The blood and bones of working men had covered every battlefield of Europe. Others carried off the spoils, the titles, the honours, the emoluments of War; but everywhere and always the working men came in for the main share of its sufferings- they and their families. * * * He had come back to England with the strongest conviction that there was diffused throughout society, in all parts of the Continent, an intense abhorrence of the War system, and a longing for deliverance.

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THE NEW PARLIAMENT, 1874.

In the beginning of the year 1874, a political crisis arose that during the session of 1873, on more than one occasion, threatened either a dissolution or the resignation of Ministers,

partly consequent on the persistent opposition of the Nonconformist supporters of the Government to the educational policy of Mr. Forster, and partly the result of the defeat of Mr. Gladstone's Measure for University Education and Reform in Ireland.

Suddenly, without warning from any political storm signal, and it may be said somewhat precipitately, the Prime Minister, with the sanction of the Crown, on the eve of the re-assembling of the fifth Session, dissolved Parliament and issued a stirring and remarkable address, to what was practically to the electors of the United Kingdom, for a renewal, on behalf of his Administration, of the trust and confidence of the nation.

In this crisis, Mr. Richard lost no time on behalf of the Peace Party, in the issuing of a Manifesto to the electors throughout the Kingdom, which was both retrospective and prospective, in the former, referring with pride to the successful effort of the late Government, in for ever setting at rest the complicated difficulties with the United States, and the moral support given to the International Arbitration resolution; and prospectively, the burdens and extravagance of large military establishments, and the expediency of disarmament, and of more economical modes of settling national disputes than by the sword.

In addition to this direct appeal to the electors everywhere, Mr. Richard and his friends prepared and widely circulated numerous election papers and placards containing valuable facts and statistics; and by these and other agencies endeavoured to keep before the public eye the importance of sending men to Parliament willing advocates of peace, retrenchment and reform.

At

The electoral contest was short, sharp, and decisive. Merthyr-Tydvil Mr. Richard was returned after a strong struggle at the head of the poll, and whilst many of his friends and supporters were equally fortunate, yet others whose services he greatly appreciated were unfortunate; but