My dear Baroness,
Most honored President:
To-morrow our delegations break up, and it has not been my good fortune, during our several weeks’ séjour here in Vienna, to see you. Twice I have made the attempt—alas! in vain. You were out of town—still in the country! So I will at least send you in writing my hearty respects and greeting. You must have read with delight Berzeviczy’s utterances in our delegation, and have rejoiced, likewise, at the reply made thereto by our skillful and masterly (takt- und sattelfest) Minister of Foreign Affairs. Great ideas are realized only slowly, but a healthy seed always brings healthy fruit, even if, as often happens, it takes a long time; so it is with the idea for which you, dear Baroness, and all of us are fighting. Gutta cavat lapidem! Over and over, and ever unweariedly, we must renew the battle, and at length it will, it must, win the day; for our aim is humanitarian,—the welfare of mankind.
And an idea that has this for its only object is not to become effectual? Impossible! That is the answer that hovers on my tongue, and “impossible” will at length be the shout of all reasonable human beings! And we shall be victorious! And the victory will then really be—universal peace! And even if the present does not recognize it, posterity will remember with gratitude those who turned the first sod.
I understand that in a few days—I believe about the middle of December—you are to hold your annual meeting in Vienna. Permit me, dear Baroness, to send my sincerest respects, and to beg of you to communicate to our peace friends my warmest greetings and good wishes. May your work be blessed!
I hope, dear Baroness, that you may for a long time to come have the most abundant health and strength to share in bringing your work to completion. And for my own self I desire that you continue to grant me your favor and good will, which I so highly prize.
May the Angel of Peace be with you and your work!
Your most faithful fellow-worker and admirer
Eugen Zichy
This year the meetings of the peace workers were not held, as hitherto, in the same place, but in different towns. The Congress met from the twelfth to the sixteenth of August at Hamburg, and the interparliamentarians had their sessions a few days earlier in Brussels.