252 POLITICAL ACTIVITY. 



Progressive party, had announced their secession from 

 the latter and declared for the formation of a new 

 party, the "National Liberal"'. I myself had on principle 

 never delivered long speeches in the House, as I re- 

 garded my political activity as only transient, and had 

 resolved not again to serve in Parliament. On the 

 other hand I had always taken an active share in the 

 party meetings and knew the leanings of most of the 

 deputies perhaps better than the parliamentary leaders. 

 It was my conviction that the great majority of the 

 Progressive party were disposed for peace with the 

 throne, and that it only required a powerful impulse 

 to give expression to this peaceful sentiment. In fact 

 my vivid description of the many-sided dangers, which 

 were connected with the refusal of the indemnity, fell 

 in the party meeting on fruitful ground , and after 

 Lasker. who at my request had put off his declaration 

 of withdrawal till after the sitting of the party, had 

 confirmed my arguments in an eloquent speech, the 

 Progressive party by a considerable majority declared 

 for the unconditional granting of the indemnity, although 

 Waldeck himself pronounced most decidedly for un- 

 flinching insistence on the point of right and the 

 refusal of the indemnity. When thereupon the granting 

 of the indemnity was also resolved by the House it- 

 self and thereby internal peace was restored in the 

 country, I retired from the political scene and hence- 

 forth devoted the leisure time, which the management 

 of my firm left me, to my scientific pursuits. 



In the three years of my parliamentary activity 



