Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-08-30

REPAIRS OF ROYALTY. OuueF ILLS ACdAiAG
the New York Times has an amusing notices of de-
bate in the British House of Commons. vote Of
f2500 was obtained for repairing certain royal mon
uments in Westminster Abby, (those OF Edward
the Confessor Edward l., Philippa and Eleanor Of
Castile) and Sir William Wordsworth cabinet min
ster asked for $1,000 to repair the statue of Charles
l., at Charing Cross, London. A few years since
there would have been not the slightest difficulty IN
granting the money, simply on the ground that
Charles had been King, and that royalty, alive or
in efigy must be kept in decent repair, especially
as the Church of England to this day keeps the an
niversary of Charles execution as "a day OF solemn
and national fast and humiliation" and has distinct
form Of service in its prayerbook in honor OF the
Saint and Martyr, his late Sacred Majesty King
Charles, of blessed memory"
1t will be seen, however, (and we let the N. York
Times tell the tale that blind loyalty to regal hon
ors is fast declining in Great Britain:
Sir VIM. Molesworth adapting himself to Repub-
lican feeling which is making way in the public mind
of England took good care not to say word in favor
of the Saint and Martyr He simply asked for the
money to prevent of the finest statues in London
from falling to pieces. He had got Westmaeott, the
sculptor, to examine the statue and Ghe report
adds
" That gentleman reported that it was in very
bad state He stated that the horse fractured in
knees laughter that the bride, sword, and bit
were no more-[" Hear" and laughterl-that the
tail was also detective the weather having penetrat
ed it. TRoa1s of laughterl In short, he GSir W.
Molesworth found that the statue could not be COM
petely restored for less than the sum now asked for
it was evidently in very dilapidated state; and I'M
less the Committee willing to see one OF the
finest statues in the metropolis fall to pieces they
should agree to the vote.
Here is a decline of hero-worship! Laughter at
the fractured knees of the blessed Saint and Martyrs
horse laughter at the loss of the brdle sword and
bit; and roars of laughter at the dapidation Of
the chargers respectable tail. Nor was this all. Mr.
Wise who is member for Stafford, has been High
Sheriff, and boasts that he is descended from one
William Wise or Gwiss, who was living man IN
oft fha
this Mr. Wise is reported to have said that in his
opinion,
"The repairs might wait. [Laughter.] Their as
sociations in connection with CHARLES were not OF
q character which should make them especially
ous to restore his statue. Hear, hear] He was
more celebrated for his entertainments on public
rights and the violation of national liberties than for
anything else. [Hear, Hear] He admitted that as
a work of art the statue was valuable; 1t was one OF
LIE SGURs best"
The idea of declaring, in Parliament, that the
" Saint and Martyr, of blessed memory" was ty-
rant of disreputable character and conduct! Thirty
years ago. the legislator who dared to hint at
such thing, would have been shouted down by the
"loyal" monarch men. In 1854, the enunciation of
the truth is received with applause Docs this in
dictate nothing? In England in very truth, it is felt
in high places that Majesty, deprived OF its eXter
nails, s-a jest!
But Wise the truth teller-descendant Of the Nor
man Conquest Gwiss-was not left without reply.
Up rose Disraeli to the rescue. What said he? De-
tend the " DlcSSeO Saint ana martyr, or QenOunce
the unregal audacity of John Ashford Wise? Not he.
The report says that
Mr., Disraeli was surprised that the honorable
gentleman, shallow, as might be his constitutional
preudces, did not support the vote lover of the
fine arts. When the statue was lost, it univer
sally regretted that so fine a model of equestrian
statuary should have disappeared and he really
thought that after this chef d@ugre of Lie Soecr had
been regained, it would i'll become the House of
Commons to refuse a vote which was in fact neceS-
SarV to keep it in existence"
Not one word in defence of headlcss Charles. mol
The great Tory leader, the man who, of all Others
might have been expected to have indicated the
character of perfidious and unfortunate Charles
merely says, here is fine statue don't let perish
for want of REPAIRS The 81, 600 were voted BY
and by, no doubt this same Parliament will grant
money for a statue of Oliver Cromwell, the great
English ruler of the seventeenth century. Feeble
Lord John Russell, when Premier, would not hear
of Cromwell having statue among other English
worthless, in the New House of Parliament. Before
long, as his Lordship tolLoaos public opinion, may
find him asking the Commons to pay some compli-
mcnt to the great Republican who was all but King
after Charles execution.
in connection with this subject, the following views
of the Manchester (England) Examiner and Times,
indicating the lettering condition of European mon
archy deprived, it is of traditiouary prestige
full of interest:
"The present state of Spain forcibly illustrates
the dangers that monarchy, Throughout continental
Europe has to contend with. 1t is curious to re-
mark everywhere the same general conditions deyel
oping themselves, in different FORMS with reference
to the totally relations, compared with past
times between the ruling families and the peoples of
the various states of Europe The great monarches
of Germany feeble in all the elements that con-
sttute the real strength of dynasties, while France
may be said to have lost altogether the traditional
sentiments which the old hereditary principle of
regality repose Italy is held down by militia
~ force, and the King of Two Sicies regns only
by virtue OF systematic prescription of all public
and private rights, that is rapidly paving the way
for the final downfall of the Neopolitan branch of
The Bourbons. Look where we may, the present
position of all the old European monarches indicates
anything but stability for financially as well as po-
ltcay, the very means on which they most rely for
security will ultimately crush them. What is to be
The upshot of the state of things that everywhere,
more or less, may be regarded as fraught with the
seeds OF future revolutions, it would be hazardous
predict; but there is not single state of any mag
nitude, in continental Europe, that does not show
signs of the all-pervading tendency towards
great political crisis.
ANTI-MAsoNIc KNOW NoTHING1sM. With very
ew isolated exceptions, the Democratic press of
his State, and throughout the Union generally has
AIKEN decided ground against the Know-Nothing