d the following case:--According
to his calculations, the wrong had been committed precisely sixty-three
years, and twenty-six days, and two-thirds of a day ago. For the whole
of that long period Leaplow had been troubled with this vexatious
question, which had hung like a cloud over the otherwise unimpaired
brightness of her political landscape. It was time to get rid of it. The
sum stipulated was just twenty-five millions, to be paid in twenty-five
annual instalments, of a million each. Now, he proposed to reduce the
instalments to one-half the number, but in no way to change the sum.
That point ought to be considered as irrevocably settled. This would
diminish the debt one-half. Before the first instalment should become
due he would effect a postponement, by diminishing the instalments
again to six, referring the time to the latest periods named in the last
treaty, and always most sacredly keeping the sums precisely the same. It
would be impossible to touch the sums, which, he repeated, ought to be
considered as sacred. Before the expiration of the first seven years,
a new arrangement might reduce the instalments to two, or even to
one--always respecting the sum; and finally, at the proper moment, a
treaty could be concluded, declaring that there should be no instalment
at all, reserving the point, that if there HAD been an instalment,
Leaplow could never have consented to reduce it below one million. The
result would be that in about five-and-twenty years the country would
be fairly rid of the matter, and the national character, which it was
agreed on all hands was even now as high as it well could be, would
probably be raised many degrees higher. The negotiations had commenced
in a spirit of compromise; and our character for consistency required
that this spirit of compromise should continue to govern our conduct as
long as a single farthing remained unpaid.

This idea took wonderfully; and I do believe it would have passed by
a handsome majority, had not a new proposition been presented, by an
orator of singularly pathetic powers.

The new speaker objected to all four of the categories. He said
that each and every one of them would lead to war. Leapthrough was a
chivalrous and high-minded nation, as was apparent by the present aspect
of things. Should we presume to take up the bond, using our own funds,
it would mortally offend her pride, and she would fight us; did we
presume to take up the bond, using her funds