The morning call., 1893-05-29
UNSOUND OF MIND.
Rumors Regarding Queen
Victoria.
HOSTILE To HOME RULE.
Her Majesty Said to Be as Bitter as
Any Belfast Rlan-The Birth
day Honors.
HOSTILE To HOME RULE.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

NEW YORK, May 2S-Harold Frederic
cables the following TO the Times:
From what source it came it is impossi-
bic 20 make sure, but there is an anecdote
about Queen Victoria going the rounds of
the political dinner-tabies in the West End
which seems to belong TO the history of
current events It ascribes 20 her the re-
mark that she almost felt disposed TO sig
naiZe the entrance to her seveuty-fifth
year by abdieating, just to show how deep
ly she felt that after that age people had
no business to attempt political leadership
and carry on the greatest affairs OF state.
Whether the Queen said this or anything
like it or not is quite illustrative of the ex-
isting situation at court. Rumor has been
exceptionally busy during the past ten
days with stories OF royal Intervention in
politics. eliminating in detailed account
of an alteration between the Queen and
Gladstone, al the close of which the latter
is pictured as tearing up his rejected honor
list and quitting the royal presence in ii
towering rage.
There hardly needed to-day's solemn
denials to show the absurdity of this tale,
but that something untoward has hap
pened it is becoming impossible TO doubt.
Monday brings the politicians back from
the holidays 1t will be easier to get at The
truth of the matter. The bitterness with
which the Queen has espoused the ultra
orange view of home rule has long been
understood, but so long as il was nothing
more than Dious personal feeling nobody
cared button. The suggestion now that
she has even been taking sides to avert
~. l. Il 4
any great surprise or resentment
Unhappiiy. though. il has been kept
constantly in the public memory that her
grandfather was George III, and when
ever she shows signs of deviating from
The strict chalk line OF constitutional i'm
partiality there is always immediate sus-
pIcion that her mind is becoming affected
The English papers do not put il thus
0.Untly. of course. but it is matter of
ccmmon notoriety that the Queen has ha6
several periods of mental disturbance
Thar in which John Brown figured having
been peculiarly protracted and threaten
ing-and the public mind was loug since
unconsciSusly prepared 70 learn that she
again has aberTa.i0u
1t is Inevitable 5hat these rumors and
NJ. sferious hints Of hiseaes between the
Fiui hACA anu TIC IGinlNI SlIOulu I6YiV6 at
Guce this melancholy apprehension. When
the birthday honor list is published on
June 30 there will be an opportunity of
seeing so-what open lengths this hitch has
already gone. Tie Queen is understood
to be dOggedly set on giving her dull
foreign relative. Prince Edward of SAKE
Weimar, the vacant tleld-marshalship, and
equally resolved not to give peerages to
certain rich Liberals whom Gladstone
proposed.
The appearance of the list is, therefore,
awaited with quite an unusual amount of
curiosity. II there is to be quarrel with
the crown, added to the impending fight
with The House of Lords, it will obviously
complicate things great deal more than
has been anticipated, and the contest with
an aged and obstinate lady will need to be
waged with much delicacy; but all the
same its ultimate issue can only hurt the
crown. 1t is extremely likely that the
Prince of Wales recent paiustaking efforts
10 ingratiats himself with the Gladston-
ians is due to his recognition of this