Peace and Prosperity in 1864--Birth of an Heir to the Prince of Wales--Mr. Gladstone's Budget--Mr. Stansfeld and Mazzini--The Government and the London Conference on the Danish Question--Mr. Gladstone on Parliamentary Reform--Resignation of Mr. Lowe--Lord Westbury on Convocation--Garibaldi's Visit to England--The Shakespeare Tercentenary--"Essays and Reviews" again--The Colenso Controversy--Mr. Disraeli and the Angels--The Fenians in Dublin--Origin of the Belfast Riots--The Ashantee War--The Maori War--Waitara Block and its consequences--Suppression of the Rebellion--Final Defeat of the Taepings--Bombardment of Simonasaki--The Cyclone at Calcutta--Its Ravages. 343 CHAPTER XXIII. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). The Schleswig-Holstein Question--The Nationalities of Denmark--The Connection between Schleswig and Denmark--The Declaration of 1846--Incorporation of Schleswig with Denmark--The Rebellion and its Suppression--The Protocol of London--Defects of the Arrangement--Danification of the Duchies--A Common Constitution decreed and revoked--The King's Proclamation--Schleswig incorporated in Denmark--Federal Execution voted--Russell's high-handed Diplomacy--Death of Frederick VII.--The Augustenburg Candidate--Austria and Prussia override the Diet--Russell's abortive Conference--The Austrian and Prussian Troops advance--Collapse of the Danes--Russell proposes an Armistice--Russell and M. Bille--France declines to interfere--Possibilities of Swedish and Russian Intervention--The Cabinet divided--An Armistice--A futile Conference--The War resumed--Fate of Denmark is sealed--To whom do the Spoils belong?--Summary of Events in Mexico and North America--Southern Filibusters in Canada--Their Acquittal at Montreal--Excitement in America--The Sentence reversed 353 CHAPTER XXIV. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). The National Prosperity in 1865--Debate on the Malt Tax--Remission of Fire Insurance Duty--Mr. Gladstone's Budget--The Army and Navy Estimates--Academic Discussions of large Questions--Mr. Lowe on Reform--The Union Changeability Bill--The New Law Courts Bill--Debate on University Tests--The Catholic Oaths Bill--Other Ecclesiastical Discussions--The Edmunds Scandal--Mr. Ward Hunt's Motion--Lord Westbury resigns--The General Election--The Rinderpest--The Fenian Conspiracy--Stephens the Head-Centre--His Arrest and Escape from Richmond Gaol--The Special Commission--Obituary of the Year--Lord Palmerston and Mr. Cobden 363 CHAPTER XXV. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).