The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-11-01

PORTLAND.
Friday Morning, November !, 1857.
Shooting tho Queen a, nalmor.l.

Shooting the Queen af Balmeral.
This has been an unlucky year for royal
families. Hardly relening house of Europe
but has suffered some fatality or escaped some
imminent danger. Maximilian shot, Carlotta
crazed and the Archduchess Maria burned,
are this years reminders to the Austrian
house that its members are mortal. The
Gar barely escaped assassination; the Prince
Imperial Of France and his mother came near
drowning. In case this last catastrophe had
happened the reign of the Bonapartes (Heav
en- grant the last of the family of !" Greats"
for the world has had too many Caesars, Alex
anders and Napoleons for its modest quota of
honest and laborious John Smiths) and of
the fashions would have become mere matters
Of history, with possible revival OF the lat
ter after two days. The last in this list of no
BILE and royal casualties is the rumor that
some graceless Fenian had shot with unhal-
lowed rifle, musket or revolver at Englands
well-salaried widow, the Queen. BUTT seems
that in regard TO this calamity, there is
mistake. The Queen wasn't shot at"
She uncovered the statue Of the late Prince
Consort at Balmoral, with appropriate rites
and without molestatlon.
Now we have not come to speak at the fu-
neral Of any OF these noble persons, but
merely to consider the probable consequences
ifthere had been Fenian, and he had had a
gun and had shot at and into the body Of
Engfand's Queen at Balmoral.. 1t win be re-
membered that the English people have re-
Gently taken "a jump forward, !" and very cor
siderable jump, too, for a people Of sedentary
habits 50 long continued as to have induced a
preternatural stiffness of the Joints. The
Reform bill Of the Derby ministry Is more
radical measure for England than the Recon
struction acts for the United States. 1t
threw the gates wide open to democracy and
doubled the number of electors for members
Of Parliament 1t is, therefore. no wonder
that we hear things from England that we
never heard before and things that we always
wondered that we did not hear. 1t seems
from the following paragraph In the New York
Times London letter that some OF the Eng
lish politicians are so tar carried away by
atheistie sentiments. and 90 Americanized as to
doubt the divine right Of the Prince of Wales
to indulge every corrupt taste and exhibit
himself in every phase Of aslninity, and. still
be King of England: t'4
was dining the other evening in company
with a sagacions and well-known member of
the political world. Some one said. IN refer
ence to the royal family" We have probably
seen the last OF such a reign as the Queens.
Nothing but her reputation for virtue and
domesticity among the poorer orders OF So
ciety saves US from troubles now, and the
Prince of Wales will find harder task be-
fore him than his mother encountered. -
III" sand the politician, "ws go on as we are
doing now firmly believe that the Prince of
Wales auiH neUer come to the throne at ah."
This seemed q startling statement but it is
borne out by all the indications OF the time
Something must depend on personal fitness in
days like these. What would You think of
the manners OF q man who made point of
entering ladies' drawing rooms with a cigar In
his mouth, and was not too particular in 9th
er habits ofhis lifes Is the offense any the
less because it is committed by O Prince p
These are not the times when the people OF
this country will put up with a revival
OF the practices of the worst rulers
The Queen ID tower of strength still--it Is
wonderful how firmly the bulk of the people
are attached to her. So they are to the mon
archy, but doubt whether such experiments
cosid be made upon their patience now as
were tried in former times with lmpunity.
The last Prince of Wales came TO the throne
safsly-if he lived now he would have been
more likely to have brought about the total
overthrow of his dynasty. But there aIe
some men, born to high stations, who are in
capable of learning any lessons either from
the events OF the past or the warnings of the
present. Eus 5idloIf sa1 Il1 sA u 10 81
This win generally be regarded as piece Of
extravagance, but surely it is all democrat
nc PcUpfo cum reasonably be expected to en-
duue II they are required to pay annually to a
good Queen more than 1t has cost US for all
our Presidents from Washington to johnson.
There has been some complaint of n certain
american widow within few weeks. But
the English are required to go into paroxysms
OF affectionate enthusiasm over a lady who Is
no more sensible and no more useful than
Mrs. Lincoln, and to increase her immense
and carefully boarded private fortune by a
yearly sum exceeding that required for the
compensation of the whole legislative depart
ment Of our government. -