The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-02

/ passed. Ine government, adopting
neutral attitude, carefully skirted al
| dangerous subjects. while the opposi
ton, acting under Fraide's suggestion
assisted rather than hindered the pro
| gramme of postponement For the mo-
ment the eagerly anticipated reassem
| bling threatened dismal failure, and II
was with q universal movement OF
, WEAKNESS and relief that at last the
house rose to dine.
But there are no possibilities so elias
tic as those of politics. At half past Z
the house rose in spirit of boredom
and disappointment, and at 8 O'Clock
the Hobbies, the dining room, the entire
space of the vast building, was stirred
into activity by the arrival of a single
telegraphic message.
The new development for which
Fraide had waited came indeed, but ii
came with a force he had little antici-
pated. With a thrill Of awe and con-
sternation men heard and repeated the
astounding news that, while personal
ly exercising his authority on behalf of
British traders, Sir William Brice-
Field, consul general at Meshed, had
been fired at by Russian officer and
instantly killed.
The interval Immediately following
the receipt Of this news was too con-
fused for detailed remembrance. Two
ideas made themselves slowly felt-a
deep horror that such an event could
obtrude itself upon our high civiliza-
ton and strong personal dismay that
so honored, distinguished and esteem
ed a representative as Sir William
Brice-Field could have been allowed to
meet death in SO terrible q manner
1t was in the consciousness Of this
feeling, the consciousness that in his
own person he might voice not only
the feelings of his party, but those of
the whole country, that Loder rose an
hour later to make his long delayed
attack.
He stood silent for a moment, as he
had done on an earlier occasion, but
this time his motive was different
Reused beyond any feeling Of self con-
sciousness, he waited as by right for
the full attention OF the house; then
quietly, but with self possessed firm
ness, he moved the motion for adjourn
ment.
Like match to a train OF powder
the words set fame to the excitement
that had smoldered for weeks, and in
an atmosphere of stirring activity, a
scene of such tense and vital concen-
tration as the house has rarely wit
messed. he found inspiration for his
great achievement
To give Loder's speech in mere words
would be little short of futile. The
gift of oratory is too Elusive, too much
matter Of eye and voice and inGivid-
uality. to allow of cold reproduction.
To those who heard him speak on that
night Of April Is the speech will re-
quire no recalling, and to those who
did not hear him there would be no
substitute in bare reproduction
In the moment of action it mattered
nothing to him that his previous prepa-
rations were to great extent rendered
useless by this news that had come
with such paralyzing effect In the
sweeping consciousness of his own
ability he found added joy in the free
dom 1t opened up. He ceased to con-
slider that by fate he was a Conserva-
tive. bound by traditional convention
alities. In that great moment be knew
himself sufficiently man TO exercise
whatever individuality instinct prompt |
ed He forgot the didactic methods By
which he had proposed to show knowI |
edge Of bis subject, both as past and |
future factor in European politics. |