Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-10-26
Prince Albert

Plain truths are wholesome food, especially for
monarchcal countries, and in the kingdom of Great
Britain there is no one that utters them with more
manly fearless voice, than the venerable old man,
Walter Savage Lander. Eighty-ive years have not
perceptbly impaired the vigour of his intellect, and
not in the least diminished his courage He writes,
when occasion offers, with the boldness of his own
youth. and with more than the holiness OF the new
generation of English politicians. Lately he has
Denned letter on the fall of Sebastopo, the most
important part of which we print third page,
every Lsentence of which is pungent and telling.
But the sentence which strikes hardest is aimed at
Prince Albert, who as the husband of the good little
queen. is generally spared by both politicians and
writer's for the press. Here is the allus1on to his
Royal Hghness:
there be any man. among over who fastened
drag the wheels of that artillery which now at last hath
crushed Sebasopol if there be any minister adherent
or councillor who betrayed its secrets and
nounced its resolutions to the conspirng courts abroad he
have looked little sheepish when the Emperor of the
French whom years ago he disdaned to notice
exile srOn1ed him erGney and %d in his palaces
"Sheepish' is the very word which expresses the
appearance of Prince Albert in Paris II was used
thousand times by Americans who saw the Prince as
he rode or walked with the proud and triumphant
French sovereign through the streets and palaces OF
his capital No one could look upon the tame
spiritess face of the Prince without feeling APP
preaching 10 contempt; for he showed in every look
and motion that he felt his inferiority to his wife
his manhood was extinguished in a woman's shadow.
Ii ne has schooled his native dignity to this species
of subservency, he may probably have felt no NOR
tifcation in rejecting upon his position He may
have settled down 10 the comfortable opinions of the
male adherents TO the ultra Woman's Rights doc
rines and seventeen years pupilage in the leading
strings of his wife may have destroyed all traces OF
masculine pride in his character. If so he is
" to be congratulated, but it is his matter,
he need not be condemned.
But there are charges made against Prince Albert
nv the Liberal press of serious character, and it is
10 these that Lander alludes in his severe letter.
Lord Aberdeen was his especial favourite-the same
Lord Aberdeen who put up meekly with Russian
aggressions who insisted negotiation when war
was demanded by every one else; who consented to
war with reluctant bad grace; who carried it on
in tame dull way, that gave every advantage to
the enemy, and who was at last driven from office
amid the indignant hootings of the whole people of
England. 1t was to Prince Albert that Lord Aber.
deem indebted for the honour of the Garter, for
no one else could see his title 10 decoration which
is rarely granted 10 persons not of royal blood. Nor
do we forget that year or two ago there were we'll
grounded suspicious that Prince Alberts German
Jreposessions stood between England and Russia,
and assisted in keeping up the long losing game of
diplomacy into which his country inveigled
These circumstances are remembered by the English
people and there is pretty decided and general dis.
like to Prince Albert throughout the country, the
frequent expression of which is only restrained by
the genuine affection which is felt for Victoria In
truth Prince Albert, when he gets out of his office of
father of royal children, very apt to commit blum
ders His only success in a different sphere, in
the Exhibition of 1851, and he is occasionally some
what useful and animated at the laying of corner
stones, launching of ships, and opening of public
works. But politics dangerous grounds for him
to venture upon.-EUening Bulletin.