IgQ Tin: TRKATV OF WASHINGTON. 



this matiiT sliown that even a (piestlon aflectlng, or 

 sii})})usc'(l to alU'c't, national honor, may Lc scttk^cl l)y 

 arbitration ; and if we liave not cirected the establish- 

 ment of international arbitration as the nniversal 

 su))stitnte for war, we have co-operated to })i-()vc l>y 

 onr example that the largest i)ossible (piestions be- 

 tween contendinfjr (lovernnicnts arc snsee])tible of 

 being settled by i)eaceful arbitration. As Lord Kip- 

 on truly says, in 'so doing, we have taken a great 

 step in the direction of the dearest of all earthly 

 blessings, the blessing of peace. 



Let us hope that other nations may follow in our 

 footsteps. Great Britain, to her honor be it said, has 

 been true in this respect to the engagements she en- 

 tered into at the Conferences of Paris. If we of the 

 British race are more capable of reasoning in the 

 midst of passion than others, then ours be the glory. 

 Li all this, the sacrifices of feeling have been on 

 the side of Great Britain. We owe the acknowledg- 

 ment to her, in all sincerity. Standing, as "we now 

 do, side by side, with every cloutl of oflense removed 

 from between us, — two peoples, as Mr. Gladstone has 

 Avell said, on whom the seal of brotherhood lias been 

 stamped by the hand of the Almighty himself, — we 

 may proudly point in unison to the homage we have 

 both rendered to the cause of peace and humanity 

 in the hall of arbitration at Geneva. 



