BELGIUM. 



BENEDICT, DAVID. 



91 



imposition, in the event of this being impossi- 

 ble, <>f IH-W taxes as far as possible conforma- 

 l.li- 1<> oxistin:,' customs and forms, such taxes 

 the expenses of administration 

 .-\iciir t.. which tho native Government 

 wa> ('omul to apply them. At the sitting of 

 tin- i:itii. tin- Portuguese delegate adhered to 

 s.-rvjition of Belgium, Spain, Holland, 

 ninl Swit/cH.'iml, as to any proposal impairing 

 its in. :IM-, of defense. On the clause author- 

 izing the invader to seize the Government 

 fuinls, anus, and provisions, a question was 

 raised as to the meaning of funds, and, on the 

 stion of General Voigts Rhetz, it was 

 agreed that all property belonging to individ- 

 uals or corporations, though in the public treas- 

 ury, should be respected. As to the seizure 

 of railway plant and private armories, it was 

 resolved that railway material, telegraphs, 

 arms, and vessels not belonging to the state, 

 should be restored, and compensation given 

 on the conclusion of peace. It was likewise 

 agreed that public buildings, real property, for- 

 ests, and lands belonging to the state, should 

 be guarded from permanent injury, and that 

 ecclesiastical, corporate, and charitable prop- 

 erty, as also that, of artistic or scientific insti- 

 tutions, should be treated as private property. 

 On the proposal of General Voigts Rhetz, it 

 was agreed that civil contracts concluded dur- 

 ing the occupation should remain valid on its 

 termination, and that the Governments should 

 lend their assistance to securing justic6 by the 

 competent tribunals for those having rights 

 dating from the occupation. There were strong 

 protests against this last decision, as designed 

 to legitimatize bargains between the invader 

 and natives ; in other words, acts of treason. 



The new session of the Belgian Chambers 

 was opened on November 10th. The Senate by 

 48 against one vote elected the Prince de Ligne 

 President, and De Tornaco and D'Anethan 

 Vice-Presidents. In the Chamber of Deputies, 

 Thibaut was elected President, and Tack and 

 Schollaert Vice-Presidents. While the Cath- 

 olic party retained control of both Chambers, 

 the differences between the Old Liberals and 

 Young Liberals became wider than ever. The 

 questions which widened the breach already 

 existing were chiefly the immediate reform of 

 the primary instruction and the extension of 

 the suffrage. The Association Liberate of 

 Ghent split on these questions as those of Brus- 

 sels, Li6ge, Mons, and Verviers, had done be- 

 fore. 



Brussels is being rapidly transformed into one 

 of the finest and healthiest capitals of Europe. 

 The new boulevard, which traverses the city in 

 about the same way as the Boulevard de 

 Sevastopol de Paris, was nearly completed 

 during the year 1874. The principal building 

 on it, the New Exchange, was opened on De- 

 cember 27, 1878. Another fine building on the 

 new boulevard, the new Central Market, was 

 opened on September, 1874, by an exhibition 

 of productions of Belgian industrial art. The 



King and the entire royal family took an active 

 part in the opening exercises. The exhibition 

 was quite successful and attracted a large num- 

 ber of visitors to Brussels, The transept of 

 the building was decorated with specimens of 

 Belgian carpet-manufacture, remarkable for 

 good design and warmth of color. The whole 

 breadth of the end of the building north of tho 

 transept was occupied by an immense artificial 

 stalactite grotto. Belgian skill in this respect 

 has evidently been stimulated by the many re- 

 markable caves, such as those of Rochefort, 

 to be found in the country. The making of 

 these grottoes for ornamental purposes is now 

 carried on on a large scale at Brussels. In 

 the building were to be found specimens of 

 Belgian coach-making and architectural work 

 of all kinds in stone, marble, and iron. Belgian 

 wood-carving was represented by a magnificent 

 church pulpit, terminating in a spire, and by 

 minor work. All varieties of musical instru- 

 ments, collections of garden furniture and 

 flower-stands, arms, highly-finished locksmiths' 

 work for iron safes, mosaic- work, stationery 

 and book-binding, and saddlery, testified to 

 the comprehensiveness of Belgian art-indus- 

 try. The famed Belgian lace-manufacture was 

 worthily represented. The bronze objects, of 

 which there was a large collection, were not 

 inferior to the best manufactured elsewhere ; 

 and the exhibition of glass of all kinds and of 

 marble chimney-pieces was worthy the repu- 

 tation enjoyed by Belgium in these branches 

 of manufactures. 



In point of municipal organization, Brussels, 

 alone among the large capitals in Europe, re- 

 sembles London. The town itself comprises 

 only one-half of the inhabitants of what, in 

 administrative language, is called the Brussels 

 agglomeration. The suburbs, some of them 

 very large and important, have their own muni- 

 cipal administrations, totally independent of 

 that of Brussels. As such a state of things 

 creates many inconveniences, the burgomaster 

 of Brussels invited the burgomasters of the 

 suburban communes to a conference, and pro- 

 posed to them, as the annexation of their com- 

 munes to Brussels is impossible, to form with 

 Brussels a municipal federation so as to secure 

 a better and more expeditious execution of all 

 affairs of common interest. The proposal has 

 been favorably received. A new Protestant 

 church, erected for the sole use of the Eng- 

 lish and American communities, 1 was opened 

 in 1874. The total cost of the building is about 

 6,000. 



BENEDICT, Rev. DAVID, D. D., an eminent 

 Baptist clergyman, historian, and author, born 

 in Norwalk, Conn., October 10, 1779 ; died at 

 Pawtucket, R. I., December 5, 1874. He had 

 learned the shoemaker's trade, and entered into 

 business in Stratford, Conn., when he became 

 interested in religion, and, having united with 

 the Baptist Church in that place, he prepared 

 for college, entered the junior class of Brown 

 University in 1804, and graduated with high 



