Evening journal., 1897-06-23
A ROYAL PROCESSION
England's Great Demonstration In
Honor of Queen Victoria
THE IMPRESSIONS OF DR.. DEPEW.
The Eminent New Yorker Writes Re-
view Of the Splendid Pageant-Most
Magnificent Spectacle of Modern
Times Its Significance.

slONS OF the great SpeCtdcle dS ASA'S'N'
"The diamond jubilee procession has
passed and has left a lasting impress
sion. Its preparation required 6O years
and it was over in 60 minutes. Pride,
power and alteration were its charac-
teristics Pride in the imperial posi-
ton of Great Britain in the world. an |
exhibition of power which inspires this |
national exaltation and fervid loyalty !
in action, expression and thought for
the queen
"As to the pageant, 1t was dramatic
and historic. The lord mayor, in his
robes Of office, meeting the sovereign at
the city gates recalled the early sugges-
tions of liberty in the privileges won
from kings by free cities, and the sher-
If, in medieval costume, escorting the
monarch within his bailiwick, gave a
glimpse of the origin and recognition
Of civil rights by the throne.
'"rhe monarch, escorted by princes
and guarded by the military forces Of
the realm, both regulars and volun-
teers. national and colonial, evidenced
the strength and permanency of the
monarchical system with this people.
1--WE Americans glory in our country
and in its marvellous developments in a
hundred years and duly assert ourselves
on the Fourth Of July. The celebration
by the Germans Of the twenty-fifth an
niversary Of the battle of Sedan and
the founding of the German empire,
which 1 saw, was a wonderful exhibi-
tion OF race and national feeling.
But the concentrated and irrepressi-
BILE joy and cry which preceded ac-
companied and followed the queen like
a resistless torrent. surpassed anything
ever witnessed before. Though many
races and many tongues participated,
the dominant and absorbing expression
was English, and the glory was Eng
lands. Peers and commoners, masters
and workmen millionaires and the null
titude were welded by a tremendous
force. This concentration of loyalty
from the remotest corners OF the earth
into one wild. frantic mass Of patriotic
enthusiasm had an effect upon observ-
ers which can be llkened to nothing
so much as to the north and south cleo
trified by the first gun fired at Fort
Sumter or by the Seventh regiment
marching down Broadway to the de-
fense Of the capital.
The Enthusiasm and Applause.
THE enthusiasm and shouting were
far different from those evoked by the
triumphal procession Of a Roman con-
dueror. Men and women eagerly ex-
pressed to each other and emphasized
to foreigners as the colonials marched
by that they were not captives chained
TO the chariot OF their conqueror but
willing subjects, free citizens of our
worldwide empire, following their SOW
ereign.
white. yellow and black soldiers
trooped by, each accelerating and in
creasing the tidal wave OF enthusiasm
and presenting a panorama of power
unequaled in history. The seeds Of this
power were in the American Revolution,
and 1t expanded into this wonderful
spectacle by the principles of self gov
ernment so triumphantiy Indicated by
the founders Of the United States. The
sovereign and the British statesmen
who believed the colonies should be gov
erned from London and taxed for the
benefit Of the mother country lost for
England the American colonies, and the
sovereign and statesmen taught by our
success, who have left to each settle
ment absolute independence and home
rule, have builded upon these founda-
tions and have vastly strengthened by
this reunion the British federation of
empire.
Among the American spectators
there was no jealousy nor stint of
praise and applause. We could both
glory in the vitality and virility Of the
mother country and rejoice nightly.
We were not marching in the process
sion, but we were present as the proud
EQUALS in all that constitutes free peo-
pie and a great nation.
"It was pleasing to note our neighbors
of Canada. They easily took the lead
among the colonials. and the fact that
the province Of Quebec was in re-
belllon when Victoria came to the
throne and that her premier, now here
is a Frenchman and a Catholic appeal
ed to English imagination. That the
descendants Of Montcalm and his coun-
trymen. should vie with the children OF
Wolfe and his soldiers in their loyalty
and that Canada has made a beginning
by favoring Great Britain as against
other nations in her tariff have touched
both the British heart and pocket.
A Popular ovation TO the Queen.
st can conjure no tribute like tn,
popular ovation given to the queen eve
being given to any human being, ex
cept the reception to Washington b!
the people on his way from Mount Yer
non to New York to assume the posi-
ton of first president Of the Unite,
states. lAtSpttlt reverence love o
gratitude are words too tame, and ther
is no intermediate expression betwee
them and alteration. This practica
age does not worship; but, leaving ou
the idea Of divinity, this greeting to tn
queen and empress is its equivalent
That she was deeply moved is evident
but she seemed more absorbed by tn
insignifcance of the event than con
scious Of her past. Therein she i'm
pressed me as proud and happy wit
this grand tribute Of her but at til
same time sharing with them the uni
versal Joy in the thought Of both OF
pressed and elevated that there has nc
been such a 60 years in recorded tim
that all nations have enjoyed its bens
fits and blessings and none more tina
our own. But for this time and plaC
the crowd only saw what Great Britai
has gained during her reign and aC
corded praise therefor to her. He
reign has been a period Of emancips
ton in English history. The prerogf
tives of the throne have diminished. an
by her rule and conduct its power hs
f~1~ooead THE xyp1rOpa ram