The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-11-19
Queen Victoria.


A remarkable event was Yesterday ac-
com plished. The grea: and glorious reign
of Queen Elizabeth-surpassed i'm its dura-
tion only by those of King Henry ILL.,. King
Edward III. and King George III.---has now
been itself outdone by the forty-four years
and 12S days during which her gracious
Majesty Queen Victoria---whom Heaven
long preserve--has happily and prosperously
ruled this British Empire. So interesting
point of chronology in the annals OF our
monarchy calls for some loyal notice. Few
have been the sOvereigns in our own or any
dynasty, aud fewer still the Queens, whose
hands have held scepter for SO extended q
period Nor can it for moment be doubted
That the suspicious reign, which to-day be-
comes eldest save three in the records of the
Island Realm. has immeasurably surpassed
in prosperity, progress and achievements of
civil, social ard intellectual gain not only
the renowned and fruitful sway Of Queen
Bess, but those of all our other precedent
Kings and Queens. Thucydides observes
that men always consider the war in which
they themselves take part as the most i'm
pOrtant ever waged and the more recent
years of every fiourishing nation naturally
seem. and would be, indeed, most fraught
with fresh developments There have never
theessarsen marked epochs in the stOryofhu.
mants, when all things appeared combining
To produce q specially memorable era, con-
densins, as it were, the gifts and glores of
previous times and introducing new births
If civilization. One of these epOchs is felt
by universal present consent, and will stand
adjudged, We think. by the voice OF pOsteri-
ty, to be the glorious and gracious reign
which to-day transcends the Elizabethan
limit. Poets and writers to come will as
suredly speak of the Victorian era as one
not less plainly sanding forth than the
Attic or the Augustan. Long may it -four
,ll. H. 1t. II 4l~2k ~<~rk
noble sovereign lady, whose name it will
forever wear, exchanges her earthly for a
heavenly kingdom. But already the epoch
is complete enough to form for present and
future historians an age conspicuous, splen-
did and successful: during which, in the
van of the wide worlds march, England has
achieved an advancement throwing into
| shade even the rich and wonderful DAYS Of
| our Maiden Queen. There are those, indeed
who believe that during this past half CEN
| tury Great Britain has touched the zenith Of
her fortunes; but such respondent prophets
have not taken into account the magnificent
requests of power. pride and unity, which q
reign like Queen Victoria's will devolve.
Foremost among the golden profits of this
| epoch we would place-in As much sincere
| ity as loyaltythe life the virtues and the
personal influence of our sovereign. In q
| time of shock and change and reckless
| theory. she has concentrated round her
| illustriOus person proofs, perfect and visible,
of the advantages of the firm set monarchy
which car concllatc a bOundless private
freedom with public order. authority and
reverence. She has in her forty five blame
less and noble years of rule blended Queen
and mother in her relations to her people,
making her home the model OF their
homes. Sagaciously comprehending and
exercising the large and lofty power which
constitutional reforms still reserve for a
prudent monarch she has governed in the
best sense as well as ''reigned," so that there
is no citizen of the State who has done it
nearly SO much true and constant service as
its head and mistress. This is true OF
affairs upon the Imperial side of the story
of the reign; it is true of affairs in
civil, military. political and parliamentary
matters; but deepest and strongest of all is
the delicate sway which Her Majesty has
welded in the realm of morality and
humanity. By a process finer than history
can well follow, she has become the friend
and CONSIDER of all sad hearts; the watcher
and rewarder of all heroic deeds; the ever
thoughtful companion of her subjects in all
their national joys and sorrows and the
mouthpiece for them at home and abroad
whenever some great word of compassion, OF
courage. or of friendliness had to be spoken
No better example of this could be desired
than the tender truth with which the queer