The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-26 00:00:00

Our %own Cortypttnt.

INVe deem it right to state That we do not at ill times
Adentify oursAlima with our Correspondent's opinions.]

'Death has laid its hand heavily upon the ranks of
nur eminent men since the setting in of those bitter
'winds from the north-east which seem inseparable
from an English spring. Mr. Charles Reacle, the
/lovelist, was swiftly followed to the grave by Mr,
Henry J. Byron, the dramatist, who was twenty years
younger than the author of "Hard Cash" and
t‘ Never Too Late to Mend.' To those who remem-
bered the pleasure which Mr. Byron had given to
untold multitudes by the representation of one only
out of his many pieces—" Our Boys," which had such
an unprecedented run at the Vaudeville—it was
painful to know that for two years he had been the
victim of a wasting and insidious disease. The man
who had long been accustomed to mingle in many a
gay scene of London life, practically shut himself up
in his pleasant suburban home at Clapham-park, and
became a recluse awaiting for at least twelve months
the summons which his medical attendant knew to be
inevitable.

But, socially speaking, a greater than either of
these fell before the cutting blasts of the east wind.
Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, fifth Duke of
Buccleuch, seventh Duke of Queensberry, Knight of
the Garter, Privy Councillor, Lord-Lieutenant of the
counties of Edinburgh and Roxburgh, Captain
General of the Queen's Body Guard .“ Scotland,
Colonel of the Edinburgh Militia, and Military Aide-
de-Camp to her Majesty; was socially and politically
the most considerable personage north of the Tweed.
The election to each Parliament of the sixteen
Scottish representative peers was in his hands. The
proportion of these was sometimes fifteen Conserva-
tives to one Liberal, but the former always largely
preponderated. The duke's London residence was
Montagu House, Whitehall, and his country seats
were Boughton House, Kettering; Richmond, Surrey;
Ditton Park, Slough; Beaulieu, Hants; Dalkeith
Palace, Midlothian; Drumlanrig Castle and Langholm
Lodge, Dumfriesshire; and Bowhill, Selkirk. It was
at the last-mentioned that his grace's long life came
to an end.

The Duke of Buccleuch held the title for the long
term of 65 years, having succeeded to it when
George 111. was King. He owned 460,000 acres of
land in several English and Scottish counties, and his
income is set down at £240,000 a year. He was
spare in person, and by a life of moderation set an
example to those in humbler stations which we do
not always see in the higher ranks of society. No
one would imagine from his quiet 'manner that he
was possessed of such vast wealth and great authority.
Added to his other offices was that of High: Steward
of Westminster, and it was only a few months ago
that he presided at the opening of the new Town-
hall for that city. He then recited a quaint
and singular ce of his career. He
said that he had witnessed the highest pinnacle
of popularity, and on the other hand had been
the victim of the vengeance of the multitude to
such an extent that he still bore the marks
of this unsolicited attention. Two-and-twenty
years ago the duke was not particularly popular
in the ranks of the metropolitan ratepayers. He
opposed the construction of the Thames Embank-
ment on the ground that it would interfere with his
proprietary rights as the owner of Montagu House.
But this would not do. The people of London proved
too strong for even the "bold Buccleuch," and the
result is seen to-day in tht magnificent boulevard
which runs alongside the river from Blackfriars to
Westminster.

The Queen's letter to her people, thanking them for
the sympathy manifested for the Royal Family at the
intelligence of the death of the Duke of Albany, con+
tamed a remarkable passage, every word of which
was read with interest by all classes of her subjects.
It was that in which her Majesty declared that,
notwithstanding the sorrows which had fallen upon
her in recent years, she would continue to labour on
for the sake of her children and the good of the
country she loves so well. This has taken the special
attention of the foreign press, which sees in it an ef-
fectual disposal of the rumour that, the Sovereign,
broken by the trials of her mature years, and wearied
with the cares of State in a reign protracted to nearly
half a century, would seek an opportunity of retiring
into that privacy which she so much enjoys. We
have now the Queen's own word for it that she has
not the slightest intention of abdicating. Therefore,
two years hence there will be preparations all over the
kingdom for the celebration cf her Majesty's jubilee.
The events of the past month have shown that
Royalty, like every other class, is subject to the opera-
tion of two unalterable laws—death and marriage.
The Duke of Albany died on the 28th March, and on
the 30th instant will be celebrated at Darmstadt the
wedding of the Queen's granddaughter, Princess Vi-
ctoria of Hesse, to Prince Louis of Battenberg. In
less than a month the Queen will have been present
at the funeral of her youngest son, amid the gloomy
trappings of woe in St. George's Chapel, Windsor,
and at the bridal feast of the eldest child of that
beloved daughter who was called to her rest after
a brief illness contracted by her devotion
to her children when stricken with a dan-
gerous illness. An indefinite postponement of
the Darmstadt wedding would have done no good to
any one, least of all to the dead; and the Queen is
generally commended not only for directing that the
marriage should proceed, but for also paying her
promised visit to her son-in-law, as a means of en-
deavouring, by change of air and scene, to wean her
mind from the contemplation of her most recent
sorrow.

Primrose Day in London is known as the 19th of
April, the anniversary of Lord Beaconsfield's death.
The 26th is remembered as the day of the late
Premier's funeral. No one who had the privilege of
being 'in the little church at Hughenden on tint
day can ever forget the scene. The flower-laden
coffin, the illustrious gathering of public
men, the wail of the peacocks in the manor
grounds, the crowd •at the grave-side, the
marks of respectful sympathy shown to the
memory of the departed earl, and the sombre atmos-
pheric conditions of the day—all these will have a
long place in many a memory. Mr. Gladstone is now
within twelve months of the age of his distinguished
predecessor when he was culled to his rest. The
bitter winds of the Easter Recess have not given the
Prime Minister those opportunities of seeking the
fresh country air of Surrey which it was hoped the
middle of April would bring. Besides, Mr. Gladstone
requires a longer rest than he can now take.
The reeess has been marked by that political
activity which has of late years been so character_
istic of public life in this country. Many would bare
thought that after 'nine weeks' of talk in the House
of Commons, those engaged in it would seize the
occasion to enjoy the utmost quietude which the
most remote rural retreat can afford. But we have
had the Home Secretary at Derby and Leeds, with
Mr. Forster and Mr. Goschen ; Lord Randolph
Churchill at Birmingham, Lord Salisbury at Man-
chester, Sir Stafford 'Northeote in Edinburgh—all, it
Will be seen, busy centres of population. The
political platform has indeed become a more general
institution with -the extension of cheap telegraphy
and the development of the Press. The speeches of
members which were formerly confined to their own
constituencies are now disseminated by the news
agencies throughout the length and breadth of the
land.

The House of Commons has-now a straight run of
six weeks before it between this and the Whitsuntide
:vacation, and in that time a great deal may be done
if that historic a,sserably sets itself really to work. it
is, a mistake to describe the present' Parliament as
moribund. It will not be four years old until
the 29th instant, so that it should have at
least two years more of life in it. The
last Parliament was more than six years
old when it was dissolved, and had witnessed seven
sessions. The present is but the fifth session of the
existing House of Commons. Looking at the leading
part which Lord Palmerston and Lord Beaconsfield
played in our modern political history, it is singular
to note that the last Parliament in which each was
Prime Minister lasted more than six years, and
practically expired from effluxion of time. It may also
be added that in the last of Lord Palmerston's Par,
liaments Mr. Gladstone was Chancellor of the Exche-
quer, and introduced seven successive budgets in 2.0
many sessions.

The late husband, who removed his boots in the
hall, thinking to steal upstairs without waking his
wife, and found that she was watching him from tho
a4mit,o4 it vfq.s a I?potleas attempt@