Page:Eminent English liberals in and out of Parliament.djvu/140

 and one body of countrymen,—the human race. I know of but one patriotism, that of the ancient Roman,—"Ubi bona ibi patria." Instead of a blessing, it is often a misfortune, to have been born in a particular locality or country.

Mr. Richard first entered Parliament for Merthyr in 1868 under the most honorable circumstances. Nearly the whole of the available suffrages were recorded for him, the Hon. Mr. Bruce (now Lord Aberdare) and Mr. Fothergill dividing the second votes between them. The Welsh landlords never received so sharp a lesson. They retaliated by evicting some two hundred of Mr. Richard's supporters. He shortly impeached the transgressors in one of the boldest speeches that had been heard at St. Stephen's for a very long time, and his fearless exposure of the delinquents had not a little to do with the passing of the Ballot Act.

In 1873 occurred perhaps the greatest triumph of his life. He proposed an address to her Majesty, praying that she would instruct the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs "to enter into communication with foreign powers with a view to the establishment of a general and permanent system of international arbitration." Mr. Gladstone opposed the motion; but the Government was beaten by a majority of ten in a house of nearly two hundred members. Addresses of congratulation poured in on Mr. Richard from all parts of the world,—one from Italy being headed by Gen. Gari-