The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-10-08
G >LUMBIA. S. @.
Sunday Morning. OctoberI8 1871.
Queen Victoria.


the publication of ''Vivian Grey" or
''Lothair," or by introducing reform
bill when he was at the head Of Con-
servative Ministry. This has been done
by late speech, in which he said that
the Queen has become "morally md
physically inoapacitated" for the per-
formance of her public duties. The
term "morally" is, of course, not to be
understood in its popular sense, as ro.
fecting in any way upon the personal
character or private virtues Of the Queen.
who is confessedly above reproaoh or
suspicion in all the relations of social
and domestic life, but upon her fitness
for the official duties of sovereign.
The subject of the Queens. health had
been already much discussed in the pub
lilo journals, but no public expression
had been made by any one occupying
the conspicuous position held by Mr..
Disraeli, or welding anything compare
bic to his vast influence upon the public
mind. and the effect has been startling,
it we may credit the telegraphic ac-
counts. The excitement recalls the me-
mory OF that which prevailed in 1888.
on occasion of the first serious attack of
the mental malady OF King George the
Third, when Fox-who occupied the po-
sition now held by Disraeli, though be-
longing to the opposite party startled.
Parliament by the memorable deolara-
tion that "His Royal HigLness, the
Prince Of Wales, has as clear, as express
right to exercise the power of sove!
reignty, during the continuance of the
illness and incapacity with which it has
pleased God to atflict his Majesty. as in
the case OF his Majesty's having under
gone natural demise." Wheroupon
Pitt. then occupying the place now as;d
by Gladstone the position OF parties
being reversed slapped his thigh, and
said to the member a;tting next to him !:
"I'll un aOhig the gentleman for the rest
of his life." Whether Mr.. Gladstone
will undertake to IN tory Mr.. Disraeli,
or whether he would gain advantage by
doing 90, if he could. we are unable to
say. There is an element in the present
case which hopes to give the matter a
very different turn from that which it
took either 10 1888. or in 1910, when the
Kings malndy became permanent. This
element is the republican faction, led
by Bradlaugh and Benls, which avo owedly
hopes to revolutonize the British Go
n{ nd - ~
archy on the termination of Queen Vic
toria's reign. American newspapers
have had much to say about this faction,
but we have no idea that it is more than
faction, or that the people of England
are going to try the experiment. of re-
public, with the melancholy spectacle OF
mis- government in the United States be-
fore their eyes. If they do, they vii!
deserve the punishment inflicted upon
the ancient Israelites. when, unsatisfied
with their Judges" +" they camored for
king. The New York Euening Post
deriving its information from sources
not stated gives, in the following arti-
Gle, more minute account than we have
seen elsewhere, OF the nature of the
""moral" inoapacity to which Mr.. Disra-
eli is supposed to have allnded:
"QUEEN V1o"oRIA's HALnUc1NAr1oN.
Whatever may be the truth in regard to
the report that Queen Victoria Intends
to abdicate the throne of England, it in
known that she has been laboring for
some years past under at least one phase
OF mental in6rmity. She has firm
conviction that Prince Albert is always
present with her, and that she can hold
communion with him. Her private
rooms are arranged as they were when
he was alive. His chair is placed oppo.
site to her own in the library, aud the
books Which he delighted to read to her
are arranged lovingly. in order, upon
the tnbls. In some Of her moods, she
will converse with him for an hour toRe.
ther, conducting her own share OF the
conversation aloud aud with the vigor
and interests OF old times. He had
taught her, by his example, the success
OF his business enterprises-espeo