The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-15 00:00:00

OUR WIDOUIT QUEEN,

(From the Times.)
Yesterday was the third anniversary of the
death of the late Prince Consort, and it was
marked by a touching ceremonial. Her Majesty and
the younger members of the royal family visited the
beautiful mausoleum which has been erected over the
Prince's remains, and paid a fresh tribute of affec..
tion to his memory. it seems but the other day that
the Queen and the nation suffered this great be-
reavement, but in the meantime how many changes
have taken place I I❑ the Queen's own family the
Prince of Wales has passed from youth to manhood,
and now there is an heir to the throne in the second
generation. One more daughter has left her royal
mother's hue for a foreign home. Ia the affairs

of the world there has bzeri constant movement—
wars and revolutions, immecse social and commer-
cial activity—bringing ever new duties to all classes
and particularly to those who stand highest and are
nearest to the throne. Yet the lapse of time has not
yet brought a due alleviation of sorrow to the chief
sufferer. Oppressed by a great grief, her liljeety
has retired from the world, and devoted her lite to
recollections of the past. Never has a huebaed been
more justly mourned than the eminent man who
was so suddenly snatched away three years since;
but in all bereavements there is a time when the
days of mourning should be looked upon as past.
The living have their claims as well as the dead ;
and what claims can be more imperative than those
of a great nation and the society of one of the first
European capitals ? We might also speak of her
Majesty's own youthful family, whose introduction
into the social life which belongs to their station
depends on the resumption by the Court of its ordi-
nary habits. But we will confine ourselves to the
public functions which the occupant of the throne
may be expected to fulfil, and ask, in all duty and
loyalty, whether the time has not now come when
they should once more be performed in person.
l'he Queen's most loyal subjects are precisely those
who think it is not a matter of indifference whether
the Sovereign should be seen and take part in pub-
lic matters and in social interenurse. No reigning
House can afford to confirm in their views those
who suggest that the Throne is only an antiquarian
relic and Royalty itself a ceremony, who think that
the less that is seen or heard of a Oourt the better,
The great mass of the nation are, happily for the
interests of Royalty, not of tbis opinion. They
desire that the highest personage in the realm, the
hereditary chief magistrate, should even in political
affairs use an individual judgment and a discretion
apart from the counsels of any set of politicians.
The balance of the Constitution depends, in fact, on
the Sovereign being able on certain occasions to rise
superior to party suggestions and stand as the re.
presentative of the nation and the guardian of the
Executive. But for any Sovereign to be able to
fulfil this high duty when required, a proper inter.
course with the world and a knowledge which seclu-
sion soon loses are absolutely necessary. The Court
of England in recent times has always been so con-
ducted as to give the Sovereign a familiarity with
the most trustworthy opinions of the time by means
of intercourse with the ablest and most respected
persons in the land. To relinquish these means of
learning what English people think and feel on all
subjects, to dry up the sources of that Royal tact
which is the most valuable quality a constitutional
Sovereign can possess, is to abandon something of
the prerogative of the Crown. It is impossible for
a recluse to occupy the British throne without a
gradual weakening of that authority which the
Sovereign has been accustomed to exert. The re-
gulation of a household may be in the power of such
a ruler, but the real sway of an empire will be itm
possible. For the sake of the Crown as well as of
the public, we would, therefore, beseech her Ma-
jesty to return to the personal exercise of her
exalted functions. Law or usage, it is true, dis•
penses with the Royal presence, and allows every
public act to be performed by deputy. The Queen
may open Parliament by commission, and, to speak
of less important matters, she can make a Knight
of the Garter by proclamation, or hold a levee by
deputy. But these substitutions are intended for
extraordinary, and not for ordinary occasions. In
the early days of her Majesty's reign nothing
was more gratifying to the public than to learn
that there was a Royal Speech at the open-
ing or close of the session, and not a Message.
Equally beneficial was it to the interests of the Con-
stitution that with the chief enterprises of the day
the name of the Queen should be connected.
Whether it was an industrial exhibition, or a naval
review, or a new public building, it pleased the
people and strengthened the Throne when her Ma-
jesty was on the spot as the chief patroness of the
work. Such influences have a constitutional value
in a State like ours. It is also fair to say that the
society of England requires its chief hostess and its
natural leader. In every country where Royalty
exists, and moulds the manners of the wealthier
classes, there is an attraction in the presence of a
Court the failure of which becomes a public want.
It may be that in time the London season may
accustom itself to do without the Palace, but it as
not desirable that we should attain that point of
Republican simplicity. For every reason we trust
that, now that three years have elapsed and every
honour that affection and gratitude could pay to the
memory of the Prince Consort has been offered, her
Majesty will think of her subjects' claims and the

duties of her high station, and not postpone them
longer to the indulgence of an unavailing grief.

A Real Ghost Story.

(From the Caledonian Mercury.)

We commend the following to the notice of some of the
many publishers of readings for Christmas. The simple
facto transpired in a parish in Roxburghshire this present
month about midnight, between a Saturday and Sunday.
It was moonlight but cloudy, hence the night was some-
times clear and at other times nearly pitch dark—in fact,
it was such a night as witches, warlocks, and ghosts
used to delight in, and it seemed to our informant
that one of these supernatural visitants actually made
its appearance in the said parish at the time above
mentioned, and the place was the churchyard. But
to begin at the beginning of the story, as it was
narrated to us by a respectable person who lived in a cottage
hard by the scene, and who wit his wife and family also
got a fright. They had just retired to rest for the night.
There was no light in the room but the flickering light of
the dying embers of the fire in the grate, when suddenly
the door opened, and an elderly woman rushed into the
room. She was almost out of breath, and sat down almost
exhausted on the nearest seat. She nearly fainted away.
The guidfolks of the house recollected that they had for-
gotten to lock the door, and thought it must be some
human being in great distress who had run into their
house for protection. They gave her a drink to revive
her, and when she came round a little, in answer to the
question what ailed her ? sha muttered out amidst long-
drawn sighs, that "she thought the time had gaen by for
ghosts, but she had seen one the nicht.' In this way she
proceeded to tell how she had gone to pay a visit to her dear
departed husband's grave, for there was naebody like her
John. He was aye dear to her, and now that he was away
there was nane to fill his place, and she never felt happy
unless when she was beside him. Aye, his very dust was
dear to her, and she could spend whole nights beside
him yet, though he had been buried now for months.
Sho said she had often before gone and stood beside his
tombstone for hours, and no one had fashed her till
that night, when she had got sic a gliff that she thought
sho would not get over it. " Oh, me," said she, " that
awfu'-looking man. It wasna ma John. Nu, na, ma John
had nae ugly-looking, black face like you; and then the
awfu' man never spoke a word, but made sic unearthly
sounds, and pointed wi' his hands whiles up and whiles
down, that I didna ken whether he was free aboon or be•
low, and ho made a' sorts of queer manoeuvres. He put his
hands up to his heed, and looked for a' the world like
the black falla wi' his horns. It wasna ma John,
I am sure, for he wadna hoe gliffad me that
way, and then he would have spoken to me
that I could ha' kenned what he said ; but that awfu' man
wi' a' his screeching, and boohooing, and shaking o' his
head and hand didna speak in our tongue. Oh, that awfu'
man, his black heavy face is hunting me yet, and where ho
came from I c inns ken either, I am sure. lie didna come in
at the gate nor ower the wa'—he just started up before me
out o' John's grave, but he wasna ma John. I dinna ken
how I got away from that awfu-like apparition, ur how I
cam here. Where am I P So when she had finished her
story it was plain she had had a severe shock to her nerves.
The family into whose house ehe came, when they got a
light, knew her to be a respectable woman, and when she
was mere composed the goodman kindly volunteered to
accompany her home. On the way they were met by the
decent woman's son, who had been searching everywhere
for his mother ; and knowing that she frequently visited
the churchyard thought that she might possibly, late as it
was, have gone there, for she had been rather deeply affected
by the loss of her husband ; so much so, that there was no
consoling., her. and there was no' keeping) her away from
the grave when she could get away. It seems, however,
that she had got such a fright by that visit that she would
not soon seek back to a haunted churchyard. We can only
guess at a solution of the mysterious apparition. A deaf
and dumb man with bushy black beard and moustache
lodges in a dwelling overlooking the burying ground. He
may have seen the disconsolate woman there, and out of
pity for her had gone to advise her to go home ; but hie
strange appearance, want of speech, and the signs made
with his hands may have added to the poor woman's terror,
her heated imagination doing the rest.

The two Chambers of the S Dios Fcchrai Assent•
bly met three dais sgo to clew, the President of
tL e Confechritieu for 1865. M. Shaik, of Berne,
Vics-Preeident of the Fe&rai Council for 1864, was
chosen by 105 votes to 26. M. Kousel, of Lueern,
was afterwards elected Vice.Prcsiderit by SG votes
to 45.

THIRD EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, SIX O'CLOCK.

TATTERSALL'S,---This Evening,

There were very few members present, and no businees
of importance transacted.

Bank of England Return.--This Evening.

An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth
cap. 32, for the week ending on Wednesday, the 14th de;
of Dee. 1864:

ISSUE DEPARTMENT.

;,otes issued ...,...£25.001,975

.£2B, 01,075!
BA.N li. USG D

eroprictore Capi-

1 al X 14.553,000
Rest
Public Deposits (in-
cluding Exche-
quer, Savings'
Banks, Commis-
missioners of Na-
tional Debt, and

Government Debt .£11,015,1C t
Other becurities 3,634,p00
G' old Coin Sr, Bullion 13,351,0; 5
Silver Bullion

£::8; CA) 75

,EPAUTMENT.
G overnment Seen-
rities (including
Dead Weigh tAti.

nuity)
. £10,474.542
Other `.E curitie Grp
Notes ...........
Gold an.d. silver .70,63 ti
Coin ............

Dividend Ac-
counts) 7,167,719
Other Deposits 12,267,4.4
Seven Day and
other Bills

491,117

£37,793,604 1
IV

£37,708 ,6,1
MILLER, Chief Cashier.

Dec. 15, 1864.

AQUATICS.

SCULLER'S RACE FOR £4O.

A race for the above amount came off yesterday from
Putney to Barnes Railway Bridge, for £2O a side, between,
Edward May of Vauxhall, and Edward Carter of Lam-
beth, Bet Ling was 2tol on Carter. David Coombes was
Carter's umpire, and Barry Kelley showed him up ; Harry
Salter looked after May, and G. Drewitt was his pilot. Mr
Charles Newnham was referee. They were halt an hour
getting away, Carter with the station, and a level start waa
at length effected. A fine level race ensued for 200 yards,
and then May went ahead. He was too clear lengths at the
Dung Wharf, where he bored his man in shore, and then
crossed and recrossed. Nearing Crab Tree, he suddenly
stopped quite exhausted, and Carter going by won with
great ease in 25 minutes 30 seconds. Thus has the cx.
champion Kelley trained the winners of £2lO en the river
Thames in two following days.