The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-24 00:00:00

THE PRINCE IMPERIAL MEMORIAL,

The motion against the Monument to Prince Louis
Napoleon in Westminster Abbey was carried in the House
of Commons twice over. First Mr. Briggs moved it as an
amendment to the formal motion that the House go into
Committee. The amendment was carried by 162 votes
against 147. Then it became a substantive resolution, and
when it was put from the chair 176 votes were given for the
substantive motion, and 116 against it. The Dean of West-
minster was present in the jlouse of Commons during the
debate. He left the House immediately after the first
division.

In commenting upon the result of Mr. Briggs'
motion, the Morning Post says :—" As a necessary
consequQnce of the resolution arrived at by the House
of Commons, there can be no doubt that the com-
mittee of the Napoleon memorial will, as speedily
as may be, relieve the Dean of Westminster from any
embarrassment which his previous generous acceptance
of the monument might occasion by withdrawing a
proposal which ought never to have become a topic of
discussion and unexpected scandal. The monument,
which was to have been placed in Henry VII. 's Chapel,
was suggested a year ago, and never met with any de-
finite opposition. The money required was subscribed
in a few days by persons of all conditions in society
and of every colour in politics. The site was arranged
for, and the sculptor, Mr. Boehm has spent ten
months in elaborating a work of art which would
have done honour to the chapel, and have commemo-
rated a name that needs neither the hand of
sculptor or engraver to ;ensure it from perishing.
At the last moment a feeling of strong prejudice has
suddenly prevailed—a feeling especially emanating
from the party which seeks to appropriate the
graveyards of the Church for Dissenters, and which,
nevertheless, is the first to refuse hospitality to
the memorial of the exiled French Prince who fell
beneath our flag, and whose 17 assegai wounds pierced
a brave breast covered by a British uniform. We think
that there are many reasons, some especially obvious,
for thinking that a painful mistake had been made.
Such as it is, it is as irrevocable as the Prince's fate.
We shall do best by not dwelling on unpleasant topics,
but in joining our voice in the universal praise, of his
blameless life and soldier-like death. Their memory
will certainly survive all these appearances of detrac-
tion. The monument which the affection of his friends
has devoted to him will yet find a fitting shrine ; and cen-
turies after they have passed away the ltgend of the
Napoleons will live, and in it the most sympathetic
tale will attach to the history of the fallen Empire,
the exiled widow, and brave young Prince, whose short
career was an example of all that is worthy and admi-
rable in chivalry."

Tt i nnounced that, with the consent of her
Majesty, the memorial to the late Prince Imperial,
which it was proposed to erect in Westminster Abbey,
is to be erected in St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

Most of the French Republican journals express
satisfaction with the result of the debate in the
House of Commons on Mr. Briggs' motion; the
Temps, for instance, remarks that although France
had been quite unconcerned, she will none the less
appreciate the feeling which has influenced the House
ot Commons and all Liberal England. M Paul de
Cassagnac, on the other hand, describes the resolution
as a scandalous injustice, condemns the Government
for lukewarmness in allowing it to be carried, and
advises the Empress Eug6ne to remove her "beloved
dead" from England.

It is stated that the Dean of Westminster has
abandoned the idea of admitting into the Abbey the
memorial which it was proposed to erect in honour of
the late Prince Imperial. On Monday evening, at a,
meeting of the committee formed to oppose the erec-
tion of the statue, held at 20, Regent-street, the fol-
lowing resolution was unanimously passed :—" That
the hearty thanks of this committee are due, and are
hereby presented, to Mr. Briggs, the mover, Mr.
Fowler, the seconder, and the 171 members who voted
for the resolution passed by the House of Commons
on Friday evening last, and this committee hopes that,
after this decisive expression of public opinion through
the representatives of the people, an early announce-
ment will be made that the proposal to erect the
statue of the late Prince Louis Napoleon in West-
minster Abbey is abandoned."