The great empire is bed by the English ou querors by a kond waary two hundred toomad men, of whom about neilit me Espen I aditive, there are sixty thousand CVillara, who hold important ces under Government, who are English. The spectacle of so vast a country governed by a power five thousand miles distant is one of the marvels I of history. It surpasses anything known in the old Roman word, and so long as the rule of the English is beneficent, developing civilization, it seems to be a Providential event that India has fallen into the hands of Christians and European descendants, remote indeed, but direct, from kindred original Engligh 6olo nies, races. The foreign empire of Great Britain is without a precedent in history. Her possessions are in all quarters of the world, on which the sun never sets. They exceed in area sixty times the parent state. They embrace one-third of the surface of the earth, with a population of one quarter of all the peoples who live under the sun. Great Britain, too, has thirty-eight colonies, with nearly twelve millions of people, who speak the English language, and most of these colonies are self-governed under a chief executive ruler, appointed by the Crown. Though this empire, in a political sense, is more nominal than real, yet, in a moral point of view, it extends its influence. wherever civilization has sought to penetrate. The British Isles, not known to civilization till the time of Cæsar, now control, by their wealth and intelligence, a larger empire than that of the Romans in the highest period of their power. Lord Palmerston resigned the premiership in 1858, and was succeeded by Lord Derby, having for a colleague Mr. Disraeli, who had reached the great position of Chancellor of AFFAIR OF THE "TRENT." 437 A. D. the Exchequer, and leader of his party in the House of Ch.31 Commons. The Reform Bill which the new Government introduced was not satisfactory. "It gave the franchise to a 1837 number of different classes, without resting it on a broad and to comprehensive basis." So the duration of this Ministry was 1880. short, and Lord Palmerston returned to power, with Lord John of Russell as Foreign Secretary, Mr. Gladstone as Chancellor Palof the Exchequer, and Lord Granville as President of the ston to Council, June, 1859. Return mer power. The most important step taken by the new Government was Comto sign a Commercial Treaty with France, based on the princi-mercial treaty ples of Free Trade, for which Mr. Cobden had prepared the with way. The next important movement of the Government was to France propose a new Reform Bill, with a franchise of ten pounds in counties and six pounds in boroughs, and a redistribution of seats. But as the Premier took but little interest in this measure, the bill was withdrawn. The next thing of political importance which took place was the affair of the Trent, which came near embroiling England and the United States in a war, the melancholy consequences of which no intellect can fathom. Ameri In 1861 civil war broke out in America, between the slave Civil States and the States which were opposed to slavery. For war in some unaccountable reason, the sympathies of the English ca. were with the South rather than with the North. The concealed or open dislike of the North was increased when the Southern envoys were taken from a British ship, in mid-ocean, 'Trent' by a United States man-of-war. This was such a flagrant affair. violation of the law of nations that the Northern States surrendered their prisoners, and thus avoided a casus belli The United States, engaged in a life and death struggle to secure national unity, were in no condition to quarrel with the mightiest naval power of the world, although the moral support which the leading classes of England gave to the South had excited feelings of universal indignation at the North, and would have made a war popular, however disastrous. Nor 438 A. D. can THE COTTON FAMINE. Ch.31 would the English have shrunk from a contest with a nation that opposed its commercial policy, for the doctrines of 1837 Protection had been engrafted into the minds of American to statesmen, by such men as Alexander Hamilton, Henry Clay, 1880. and Daniel Webster. The commercial policies of the United Ameri- States and Great Britain have been, the last generation, com- diametrically opposite. National jealousy was not so fruitful a source of alienation as a difference on this vital point. But England and America, bound together by kindred institutions, language, literature, and religion, cannot afford to fight. The true policy of both America and England is that of peace, and to secure which the efforts of the wisest statesmen in both countries seem now to be directed. mercial policy. Cotton In December of this year, Prince Albert died, after a short illness, at Windsor, at the age of forty-two, and the grief of the nation was universal and sincere, for he had won the respect and love of all classes. A great distress followed the American war, since the famine supply of cotton was cut off; but it was supplied by cotton from India, though of inferior quality. This intensified the ill-feeling towards the United States, and an English ship was allowed to be fitted out to prey on American commerce, although it sailed under the flag of the seceding States. The American Minister vainly protested, and public indignation in the United States was intense. This ship, called the Alabama, did immense injury to American commerce, and, after the war, the English nation consented to make reparation. Death Pal mer ston. Lord Palmerston-a favourite of both Liberals and Conserof Lord vatives-died in 1865. He was opposed to organic reform, and the great questions which had long agitated the nation were allowed to slumber. Representative reform was therefore delayed until a new election returned a solid Liberal majority. Earl Russell became Premier, and Mr. Gladstone became the leader of the House of Commons. From that day he became the foremost man of the Liberal party. The Bill which he Exten fran raeli. introduced in March, 1866, gave the franchise to householders Ch.31 in counties of the value of fourteen pounds, and half that A. D. sum in boroughs. It was not, however, satisfactory to 1837 the extreme Liberals. It had not the support of Bright to and the Radicals, who joined the Opposition to defeat the 1880. Ministry, which was compelled to resign, and Lord Derby sion of became the head of the Government, assisted by Mr. the Disraeli, the foremost statesman among the Conservatives, chise. whose political success had been as steady as it was Disremarkable. He first attracted political notice by his vehement and bitter attacks on Sir Robert Peel for his repeal of the Corn Laws, and he continued to receive the support of the Conservatives, who chiefly represented the old Tory interests and those of the landed aristocracy, until he reigned over them as a sort of dictator. He could not have risen to such great power, and maintained it, if he were not a man of extraordinary abilities. He proposed resolutions in the year 1867, which were the basis of a new Reform Bill, with considerable exten- Dission of suffrage. His principle of representation was founded raeli on rating rather than rental. He proposed to extend the form franchise to all householders in boroughs paying rates, and, in counties, to all occupiers of property rated at fifteen pounds a year. He extended the franchise to all men of certain education, or who had saved a sum of money. This Bill, really more liberal than any heretofore offered by the opposing party, was bitterly objected to by Mr. Gladstone, but, after sundry alterations, finally passed. Soon after, Lord Derby resigned the Premiership, from ill health, and was Resigsucceeded by Mr. Disraeli. Other issues arose soon after. nation An appeal was made to the nation, and the result of the new Derby election was a decided victory won by the Liberals, and Mr. Gladstone became Prime Minister in 1868, before the Session of Parliament opened. His chief colleagues were Lord Hatherley, Mr. Lowe, Mr. GladBruce, Lord Granville, Mr. Bright, and Mr. Childers. The Minis new Ministry continued in power for five years, and entered try. Re Bill. of the Minis try. Stone 440 Mr. stone. DISESTABLISHMENT OF IRISII CHURCH. Ch.31 zealously into every branch of reform. It was a period of A. D. great excitement, from the warlike attitude of Continental 1837 Europe, and it required dexterous management to keep the to nation from entangling difficulties. Fortunately a master 1880. pilot guided the helm of Government, whose abilities were only equalled by force of character and unblemished virtues. He was not personally so popular as Palmerston, nor so adroit as Disraeli in managing men. He was stern, austere, and lofty, like Burke, whom in genius and elevation of sentiment Glad- he resembled more than any statesman in England for one But his patriotic intentions, and exceeding ability in financial questions, were universally conceded. His mind was versatile, his knowledge amazing, and his eloquence, at times, almost transcendent. It is one signal proof of the excellence of the English Constitution that only the ablest men-those who have the confidence of the nation for wisdom as well as genius-can rise to supreme power. No Royal favourite, no popular demagogue, stands any chance with a man of experience and Parliamentary ability. Parliament accepts as leaders only men of superior merits, and it is the leaders of Parliament who rule the empire. Dis establish hundred years. The first great measure of the Gladstone Government was the introduction of a Bill for the Disestablishment of the Irish ment of Church. By this Bill, which passed only after a fierce oppoChurch sition, the Irish Church was no longer supported by the State. Irish Her bishops were deprived of seats in the House of Lords, her clergy retained a life interest, but the main endowments of the Church were diverted to other objects for the good of Ireland; and seven millions, it was estimated, would be available for such uses as Parliament determined, which were neither ecclesiastical nor educational. But the Church was wiser in her generation than Parliament itself, for, during the five months between the introduction of the Bill and its final passage, the curates of the Church had increased from five hundred to nine hundred, so that Ireland really gained but little over three millions, after Maynooth and the Presbyterian |