Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-05-30
Sixty-fye Years Old and Forty-seyen
Years Queen.
Chicago Journal, May p.

Queen Victoria is to-day IS years
old. She has been fortyseven years
on the British throne. With the ex-
ception of Edward Ill, and George
iii, she has reigned longer than any
other British sovereign. Queen Eliza
beth's reign lasted forty five years.
and is next to that of Queen Victoria
in length.
The accession of Victoria TO the
throne was singular event. Her
grandfather, George Ill, was crazy.
Her father, the Duke of KeAt, had
several brothers older than himself,
and there was little prospect that his
child would inherit the royal title.
But the older brothers all died with
out heirs, and his child became Queen,
succeeding her uncle, William ",
in 1887.
Queen Victoria's married life, last
ing from 1910 to 1861, was an idyl OF
royal romance and content. Her hus-
band, Prince Albert, was loved by
her with the same ardor of affection
that is felt under humble roofs and by
homely hearths, where ambition and
dreams of greatness never disturb the
sweet current of domestic life. The
woman recognized him as the dear
and devoted husband, and to the
Queen he was, throughout his lofty
and blameless life, guide, philoso
pher and friend. His death, with
half noble career unfultilled, has
been constantly incurred by the
widowed Queen, and, during all the
long years which have since passed,
she has lived in the shadow of her
own unavaillng grief.
AS the Queen of England, Victoria,
has confiued all the acts of her reign
within the strict and rather limited
line which the British constitution
draws around royal power. Though
in form a monarch, she is in fact but
little more than the regal fgurehead
of very democratic sort of govern
ment. She is irresponsible herself,
on the principle that 1.-The king can
do no wrong" She has left the at
fairs of her government to the minis
try appointed in conformity to the
popular and parliamentary majority.
She has held herself aloof from the
wars of factions, and has been I'M
partial between the high contending
forces represented by her ministry
and the ma shortly of parliament on one
hand, and the party in opposition on
the other. She has been constitu-
tional queen IN all respects, which
means a queen in name and IN Dig
nifty only. She yields far less power
than the president of any republic IN
the world.
AS woman, Victoria's character is
no less admirable than her character
as Queen. She has adored and hal
lowed the name of motherhood, and
has bound it as a crown unto her
Her children have been the objects of
her constant and anxious care. A
little too stately, possibly, TO that tilial
love which casteth out fear; a little
too rigid, at times, perhaps, as dis
ciplinarian, she has, notwithstanding,
exhibited IN her daily life greater
number of parental virtues and fewer
parental weaknesses, than are often
seen in families where the member
ship is large. their dispositions diverse,
and the difficulties of maternal duty
are great. She has an exemplary
family, considering the Maynard
tendencies of childish folly and youth
full impulse, as they are stimulated oy
the possession of exalted rank and
hmitless wealth, with the temptations
to unlicensed enjoyment to be every
where encountered.
Many heartfelt congratulations will
be to-day expressed for the model
woman. the model wife during her
wife hood, the model wife and model
Queen, who sits upon the English
throne