The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-20

how she sent rotten provisions and poison
Gus sour beer to the sailors who were to
fight the Armada: how she robbed Drake,
and robbed Raleigh, and robbed Walsing-
ham. and many another OF her most faith
full subjects-these are but too familiar sto-
ries. Victoria lives in days when the ma
ton taxes itself and pays it's own bills,
and the civil list, out of which national
charges used to be betrayed, is fixed sum
for fixed purposes relating TO the royal
household, with margin of some $500 900
year for the Queen to play with. A very
rich woman, say the radical journals every
day or two. She may be, or she may not,
but like the Duke of Newcastle she is en-
titled TO ask. May not do as 1 like with
mine own?"
A notion prevails that while the Queen
is admirable in all the relations of private
life, she has had no great influence on the
course of public affairs. 1t is a mistaken
notion, and it rests on a mistaken concep-
ton of the sovereign's relation to the state.
The days when a King or Queen of Eng
land ruled as we'll as reigned are, of course,
long since past. England has been gov
erned successfully by the crown by her
aristocracy by her middle class, and now
by her democracy. The transfer of power
to the middle class was effected just before
the Queen came to the throne. It's transfer
to the working classes was effected late in
her reign, partly in 1865 finally in 1874, by
the passage of the county franchise bill.
But from the beginning of the Victorian
era in 1887 down to the present day the
Queen has had a constant and often con-
siderable share in the government 1t has
been, moreover an increasing share, and
though it may seem a paradox, it is per-
fectly true that under the present demo-
cratic constitution of the government her
share of power has been larger than while
the middle classes governed and the suf-
frage was restricted. The reason is not po-
litical mainly, but personal. 1t is the per-
sonal character and capacity of the Queen
which have asserted themselves. She began
to learn her trade as soon as she became
Queen, Under the tutelage of Lord Mel
bourne she applied herself to the business
of the state. She maintained with success
sive prime ministers-with Peel, with
Palmerston, with DisraeH with Mr.. Glad
stone with Lord Salisbury, and with the
lesser men who, at various periods, held the
premiership, a close and continuing rela-
ton. They were prime ministers from time
to time. She was Queen all the time. She
knew everything All the springs of foreign
and domestic policy were laid bare to her.
PRINCE ALBERTS INFLUENCE.
If there ever was a period during which
her ascendancy seemed likely to be shaken
1T was while Prince Albert was consort. She
came much under his sway, and, accom-
plished as he was, able in some ways as he
proved himself, he was not a good adviser.
He was a foreigner, and he had the foreign
er's point of view So had Stockmar. The
Queen, nevertheless, though leaning too
much on Prince Albert, applied herself as
assiduously as ever to business. Then and
ever she read all the important dispatches.
No matter of moment in foreign policy
was ever settled without her knowledge,
seldom without her concurrence. In domes-
tic affairs she had less authority. She might
influence, and did influence, ministers, but
she could only influence the House of Com
mons at second hand and she had to sub
nit of course, to many a change-some-
times change that to her seemed revolu-
tionary, and was at any rate fundamental
which she had vainly opposed.
That Elizabeth should have had more
martial spirit than Victoria is natural
enough In those days of war one sees
Elizabeth at the head Of a body of horse
meeting her Queen sister as she approaches
the capital, or, again, when Queen herself,
on horseback among her troops in camp,
playing the soldier, but playing it well,
and inspiTiting her troops with high dis
course. Wide is the contrast between that
and the spectacle of the present Queen at
the review Of her troops al Windsor, when
the Shah was first in England-her Majesty
sitting comfortably in a landau, eating
sandwiches and drinking porter, as infan-
try and cavalry marched past. On the 9th
er hand, l think of her at the great naval
review in 1887, suddenly anchoring her
yacht in the very midst of the ceremony,
as she was steaming between the lines of
battle ships, and summoning her sea cap
tains to the deck of the Victoria and Al
bert. where she held a sea court amid such
| a naval force as the world had never be-
fore seen assembled. Then was she visibiy
to all mems eyes the true sea kings daugh-
ter. And it is ever to be remembered that of
| all her royal prerogatives the one she has
| guarded most jealousy is her authority
| over those British land and sea forces OF
which she is still commandments.
Elizabeth, the last and almost the great
! est of the Tudors, held in her hands all
through her life the threads of state policy.
| She was twenty-five years old when she
succeeded Mary. Victoria came to the
| throne at seventeen. Elizabeth had lived
| in fear of death, ever winding in and out
| of the labyrnths of intrigue, Whlch IN those
! DAYS were so often questions of life and
| death She had to consider whether she
| would abandon her title to the crown for
n bribe She was loyal to the prior claim
of Mary, but was none the less distrusted
and suspected by that bloody-minded wom-
an. and went into exile from the court.
| Still the Charlottesville more bigoted of
J them-sought to compass her death she
had to play the hypocrite in religion. 1t
was a stern training,
PERSONAL CHARACTER.
| OF all this the girl who peacefully sue
| ceeded her heavy-Witted sailor uncle in 1897
had none. Other times, other manners.
What was useful TO Elizabeth-an essential
| part of her training for the business OF
governing in those troublous times-Was
not wanted for days when there were to
be. indeed. troubles but of totally diff
! ferent kind. This difference in the circum-
! stances of those early years has TO be Kept
in mind when the personal character or
| the two women is to be judged.
Here comparison turns almost always TO
| contrast The daughter of Anne Boleyn in
herited none of her mothers beauty but all
! her coquetry. apd this mingled with the
| temper of Henry always lofty masterful,
| intoIerant and self-wilIed. The craft which
| 1910 lf-ff CnFVt