Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-02-07

The London Punch has no great regard foI
nnk or digni,ies. The restless uneasy vanity
of Lonl Brougham, the obstinacy Of the Duke
of Wellington the political tact Of Sir Robert
Peel have furnished abundant food for the satir.
ical humour OF Punch. Prince ALDER, is one Of
his f%avorite victims nor docs her Majesty e.
cape. One OF the most significant indications
which the present time affords of the declining
influence and prestige OF tn. aristocrscy in
England, is exhibited by the wsnton freedom
with which this journal of fun holds up to
ndicule aud in burlesque the..most important
personagcs of that order. Punch. in one Of
his late numbers, has the following hit al the
Duke OF Wellington on;
The Old Duke.-The national admiration
for the old duke has led the public To have
almost as many portraits of him 80 Of Field
Marshal Prince Albert. When . people a.
dores a man, a set OF astute publishers natu-
rally so TO work TO reproduce the beloved
image, and all Mr.. Moons shop would not
contain the Wellington portrait gallery. We
have had him in all shapes-The Duke before
Salamanca: The Duke accommodating before
Victoria; The Duke after ditto; The Duke
shaving before Cuidad Rodrigo, &c, &C.,
from that noble portrait Of Lawrence, where
he Is represented holding the sword Of Eng
land lit was in 1918, and he could WELD II
them down to the last Dagueueotype OF the
neat, white haired, old gentleman, whom we
have all seen rolling upon his horse in the
Park and Pallmsll-a wonder to eli bystand-
ers that he did not topple over.
At last they have got him in sixpcnny
picture ne sPaper at Church. Church IL q
very good place for him-whsther artists
could not be better employed there than in
making pictures OF that venerable hooked
nose, is neither here nor there.
But. let IL be conceded that he 10 getting
old, as has been the lot Of military commsn-
ders before him. Tears Of dotage, we know
flowed from MsHborough's eyes" There
can be no manner of doubt that Alexander
the Great, or Napolean, IL they had lived long
enough, would have grown old too. The
Dukes horse, which he rode waterloo, grew
old, and was turned out to grass to pass q
comfortable senility, and died, greatly honored
and lamcnted, long ago. Why keep the mas
ter ia harness forever. Recomend him quiet
and a sunshinny paddock at Sinthheldsaye.
Ii is nonsense to say That because he won
the Great Waterloo Stakes in 1878 he il able
To run with other horses now-it 10 not fair
that others should slacken their pace out OF
regard TO him. We want TO move on. Here
- the old gentleman, because he couldn't go
the pace IN the snti-com law coach, has stop
ped the carriage, sent back the horses on their
launches, upset the coachman, and vet the
whole team in disorder.
u may be perceived that we are writing
with the utmost gentleness. Great and strong
ourselves, we reverence the brave who lived
before US. We are not going TO bully the old
duke; but we assert that his time for going TO
grass has arrived. The Times says he is The
leader OF the aristocracy. Let him 20 and
lead the ducks. lie il CT for that; but not any
longer for governing us.
Suppose that statue OF his, which Is turned
with It's horses tail TO the Exchange, should
be removed by his sdorers in the City. and
placed, iof greater honor. let us say, In the
middle arch OF the Tcmple-bar. IL would
look very well there, and the noble image
would be sheltered from the rain; bat the
street would b. ~incommoded, the omnibussrs
would not like IL: the people going TO business
would curse that aquiline .nosed barrier which
intcfposcd between their livelihood aud them
the moral is obvious. Punch means thai
the old Duke should no longer block up the
great ~throughiare OF ciyili1ation-that he
should BE- quietly aud respectfully climated.
For the future, let Us have him and admire
HMM history.