Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-08
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THE BRITISH SCANDAL.
Criticism Of Her August
Majesty Queen Victoria.

LONDON Correspondence of the New York Times.
1t is a pity that ali people viii not con-
/ tent themselves with attacking the officers
Of the government. Though the maxim
"The King can do no wrong'-lies at the
basis of constitutional monarchial govern
ment, there are English writer's and artists
SO lost to all sense of loyalty as to satirize
and caricafure the Queen. The middle and
lower classes revel in scandalous and alb
surd stories about Her Majesty and John
Brown. Newsboys grin with delight as
they sell insulting earicatures. If these
were pictures intended to ridieule the En-
peror Of the French, the Queen Of Spain,
the King of Prussia, or the Pope Of Rome,
nobody would complain; but ones own Soy
ereign ought to be sacred. The worst ofen-
der appears to be a weekly illustrated paper
called the Tommyh0Ck. The comfort is
that these ribald assaults upon the throne
are snre to bring down upon their authors
thunderbolts Of indignation. One of these
has just fallen from Tory journal, Of SO
remarkable character, that ] must send
You at least a specimen. / do not believe
that any born American can ever fully re-
alize the sentiment of British loyalty, and
he cannot, therefore, appreciate, as it de-
serves, such an euiogy of Queen Victoria
as the following-still it is well to know,
as far as We can, how people can think and
feel on such subjects. To Judge a mans
actions you must enter into his feelings.
The time has arrived, says the Sunday
Tunes, when the chiyalry aud loyalty of
the English people must assert themselves"
We approach delicate subject which ii
is hardly possible any longer to evade,
with reluctance which il would be affec-
tafion TO conceal, and which it would be
utterly impossible TO express. Great
Britain has enjoyed, for thirty years. an
unexampled career of prosperity. That
prosperity has been more moral than ma
terial in its character. II has been attained
under the auspices of a Sovereign whose
virtues, il is hardly too much to say, have
initiated new era ia the civilization of
the world. Her own history has been one
of radiant peacefulness, sweet simplicity,
almost divine gentleness, dutifulness and
purity. The majesty of her crown has
never been sullied by an unworthy or un-
seemly personal act. Her life has been SO
grandly and 50 graciously righteous as to
be a law and pattern of life to all her peo-
pie. She has entranced her generation by
the unobtTusiye perfections Of her charac-
ter. When great grief fell upon her she
proved that she was only human by her
sensitiveness TO the blow. The widow
overcame the Queen. She retired into a
venerable obscnrity. The nation lavished
upon her sympathy most pious and most
sincere. And the nation longed with an
almost impatient longing to bring her back
to the free and sacred fellowship with itself
it had SO long and SO gracefully enjoyed.
Sometimes the appeal to her conscience was
almost severe in its tone but always was it
the fruit Of a holy admiration and an affec-
tionate homage.
And then, when England wondered at the
persistency Of her retirement, with a conf
dence in the integrity Of her own nature
which was ample excuse for the unusual
csndor of her confessions, she told with
tears to all the listening world her love and
her regret. At this moment-this, which
might work e mystery Of awe in even saw
age breasts-comes forth the Red Indian of
the Press, to faunt before the public eve a
monstrous imputation-a damnable cal
umny. The libel is its own eternal censure.
BefdtatiOn would but repeat the insult
The heart Of England does not shrek out
disgust or surprise; it is tranquil in. SUBJ
lime contempt"
i have taken the q hope not too great
liberty to oondense, by the omission of a
few less important sentences, this double
loaded leader, which calls upon the chiv-
airy and loyalty of England to assert
themselves in the tranquility of
sublime contempt. The whole matter.
TO my crude and republican notions
seems absurd as possible, but the absurd.
ity is in the silly gossip of the English
people, who seem TO consider II a scrt of
luxury to scandalize the Queen they are
ready to run their necks off to see. and
whose presence makes them supremeIv
happy. They remind one Of the benighted
Pagans we read about who adore their de-
ities and then cuff and kick them at the
slightest disappointment
The popular romance of John Brown is
q product Of sensation Literature, historic
myth, and an Infusion of envy, malice and
ali uncharitableness. There is a popular
belief in royal favorites. In the story
books they often belong to the humblest
cases. John Brown attends the Queen
Everywhere he has been painted holding
Eer Msjesty's pony by Sir Edward Land
seer, and exhibited in the Royal Academy.
he ir allowed TO smoke in the royal pres
ence sach is the popular scandal, while the
Prince of Wales is forbidden that gratifca-
ton. The truth probably is that Brown,
who was a favorite servant of the late
Prince Consort, is valued by the Queen in
much as would be favorite
dog or horse, and the scandal about it is |
simply ridiculous and hardly worthy so
active an emotion as contempt.