CHAPTER XIII

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THE NEW ERA OF REFORM.

A “Little War” in Abyssinia--King Theodore’s Arrest of Vice-Consul Cameron--The Unanswered Letter to the Queen--A Skilful but Expensive General--Sir Robert Napier’s Expedition--An Autumnal Session--Addition to the Income Tax--Parliament in 1868--A Spiritless Legislature--Fishing for a Policy--Apologetic Ministers--Mr. Bright on Repeal--The Irish Church Question--Fenian Alarms--Illness and Resignation of Lord Derby--Mr. Disraeli Prime Minister--His Quarrel with Lord Chelmsford--Lord Derby Arbitrates--The “Giant Chancellor”--Mr. Disraeli’s New Policy--Discontented Adullamites--Public Executions--Lord Mayo and Concurrent Endowment--“The Pill to Cure the Earthquake”--Mr. Gladstone Attacks the Government--The Irish Church Resolutions--Resignation or Dissolution--Mr. Disraeli’s “No Popery” Cry--Lord Chelmsford’s Bad Pun--Defeat of the Ministry--Mr. Disraeli and the Queen--“Scenes” in the House of Commons--Charges of Treason--Mr. Disraeli’s Relations with the Queen--A Parliamentary Duel between Mr. Disraeli and Mr. Bright--The Dissolution of Parliament--Mr. Ward Hunt’s Budget--Conclusion of the Abyssinian War--The General Election--Triumph of Mr. Gladstone--Resignation of the Ministry--Mr. Gladstone’s New Cabinet--The Queen’s Politeness to Mr. Bright--Illness of Prince Leopold--Attempted Assassination of the Duke of Edinburgh--The Queen’s Book--The Queen Accused of Heresy--The West-End Tradesmen and the Queen--Mr. Reardon, M.P., suggests Abdication--A Bungled Volunteer Review at Windsor--A Hot London Season--Serious Illness of the Queen--Her Tour in Switzerland--Death of the Archbishop of Canterbury--Conflict between the Queen and Mr. Disraeli as to Church Patronage--The Revolution in Spain--Rupture between Turkey and Greece--Another War-Cloud in the East 300

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