Chapter XXIX: THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (continued)

More Coercion for Ireland--The Scottish Reform Bill--The Church
Rates Bill--Mr. Disraeli succeeds Lord Derby--Reunion of the
Liberals--The Irish Reform Bill--Mr. Gladstone's Irish Church
Resolutions--Maynooth Grant and the _Regium Donum_--The Suspensory
Bill--Lord Stanley's Foreign Policy--General Election--Mr.
Gladstone's Ministry--Martin _v._ Mackonochie--Obituary of
the Year--Lord Brougham, Archbishop Longley, and Others--The
Abyssinian War--Rise of Theodore--The unanswered Letter--Theodore's
Retaliation--Mr. Rassam's Mission--His Interview with Theodore--The
King's Charges against Cameron--Dr. Beke's Letter--Rassam's
Arrest--Mr. Flad's Journey--The Captives' Treatment--Merewether's
Advice--Lord Stanley's Ultimatum--Constitution of Sir R. Napier's
Expedition--Friendliness of the Natives--Attitude of the
Chiefs--Proceedings of Theodore--Massacre of Prisoners--Advance
on Magdala--Destruction of Theodore's Army--Negotiations with
Theodore--Release of the Prisoners--A Present of Cows--Bombardment
of Magdala--Suicide of Theodore--The Return March--The "Mountains of
Rasselas"--Sketch of Continental Affairs 464

CHAPTER XXX.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

England in 1869--The Irish Church Difficulty--Mr. Gladstone unfolds
his Scheme--Debate on the Second Reading--A Bumper Majority--The
Bill passes through the House of Commons--Lord Redesdale and
the Coronation Oath--The Opposition in the Lords--Dr. Magee's
Speech--Amendments in Committee--Concurrent Endowment--Danger
of a Collision between the Houses--The Queen and Archbishop
Tait--Conference between Lord Cairns and Lord Granville--Their
Compromise--Its Terms accepted by Mr. Gladstone--The Bill becomes
Law 493

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

Mr Lowe's Budget--The Surplus disappears--Mr. Lowe creates a
Surplus and proposes Remissions of Taxes--Cost of the Abyssinian
Expedition--Sir Stafford Northcote's Explanation--The Endowed
Schools' Bill--Speech of Mr. Forster--The Commissioners--Religious
Tests at the Universities--Sir John Coleridge's Bill--Sir Roundell
Palmer's Speech--The Bill passes through the Commons--It is
rejected by the Lords--The Mayor of Cork--The O'Sullivan Disability
Bill--Mr O'Sullivan resigns--The Bill dropped--Life Peerages--Lord
Malmesbury's Speech--Fenianism in Ireland--Deaths of Lord Derby and
Lord Gough--European Affairs: the Emperor prophesies Peace--The
General Election--The _Senatus Consultum_--Official Candidates--The
Revolution in Spain--Wanted a King--General Grant the President of
the United States--The _Alabama_ Convention rejected 507

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

Law-making in 1870--The Queen's Speech--The Irish Land
Problem--Diversities of Opinions--The Agrarian Agitation--Mr.
Gladstone's Land Bill introduced--Its Five Parts--Grievances of
the Irish Tenant--Free Contract--The Ulster Custom--Compensation
for Eviction--The Landlord's Safeguards--The Irish Labourer--Mr
Gladstone's Peroration--Direct and Indirect Opposition--The
Second Reading carried--Agrarian Outrages--Mr. Fortescue's
Coercion Bill--Mr. Disraeli's Amendment to the Land Bill--A Clever
Speech--Mr. Lowe's Reply--Progress of the Debate--The Bill becomes
Law 518

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

The Elementary Education Bill--Mr. Forster's Speech--Mr. Dixon's
Amendment--Mr. Forster's Reply--Mr. Winterbotham's Speech and
the Churchmen--Partial Concessions--Changes in the Bill--It
becomes Law--Outrage in Greece--Seizure of Tourists by Greek
Brigands--Murder of the Prisoners--Army and Navy Estimates--The
Budget--Disaster in the Eastern Seas--Obituary of the Year 529