50 PERILS. — I.M.MIGRATIOX. 



may despiye the present advocates of social democracy, 

 and make light of their sayings and doings; but 

 there is no man Avho knows what is really going on in 

 England but will admit that there ^vill have to be a 

 serious reckoning with them at no distant day." There 

 is but one Gladstone, and he is an old man. A wa-iter in 

 The British Quarterly^ says: "The retirement of Mr. 

 Gladstone will be the breaking up of the great deep in 

 English politics.'" And social and political disturbances 

 in Great Britain mean increased emigration. 



The progress of civilization is in the direction of popu- 

 lar government. All kings and their armies cannot 

 reverse the wheels of human progress. I think it was 

 Victor Hugo, who, Avith prophetic ear, heard a European 

 of some coming generation say: "Why, we once had 

 kings over here ! " All the races of Europe will one day 

 enjoy the civil liberty which now seems the peculiar birth- 

 right of the Anglo-Saxon. De Tocqueville, whom Mr. 

 Gladstone calls the Edmund Burke of his generation, 

 said he regarded the progress of democratic principles in 

 government as a providential fact, the result of a divine 

 decree. Matthew Arnold, after his last visit to America, 

 speaking of the republican form of government, said : " It 

 is the only eventual form of government for all people." 

 Great revolutions, then, are to take place in Europe, 

 why not within the next twenty-five years — some of 

 them? And judging the future by the past, they w'ill 

 not be peaceful. The giant is blind and grinding in his 

 prison house, howbeit his locks are growing, and we 

 know not how soon he may bow himself between the 

 pillars of despotism. 



Besides the great political revolutions which may rea- 

 sonably be expected within a generation, men are fear- 

 ing the tremendous conflict of arms which General Yon 

 Moltke has seen for years pending "like the sword of 

 Damocles," and which he and many others regard ai^ 

 inevitable. Silent, but profound influences are at work 



1 April, 1883. 



