The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1901-03-09
1 I

and symbol OF all domination, 10 have
secured it at once from the strife of
tongues and the conflicts OF parties,
without at the same time endangering
the liberties OF the subjects or the su-
premscy Of lsw-this. indeed, has been
one OF the most signal achievements Of
the English-spesking race.
With his accession to the throne, Al
bert Edward seemed to have disap-
peared. In his place there stood Ed
ward VII, not weighted down, but
rather inspired and lifted up, by con-
seriousness OF his sovereignty.
The minimizing may deride the pos
sibility Of such q sudden nsformstion,
and may ridicule the idea that an event
30 natural and inevitable a. the death
OF an old lady could have changed the
outward appearance and infused now
spirit into the body Of her son. But
those who remember the immense ira
dition which surrounds and to some ex-
tent glorifies the Eoglish throne will
see nothing improbable or unnatural in
the effect which this event produced
upon the latest Of our soverelgns.
Snskspere in famous scene has de-
scribed q moro miraculous transform-
alton, which was effected when the
death Of King Henry Nv, made Msdcap
Hal one OF the soberest and most reso-
lutte OF English monarchs. The con-
sciousness OF his inheritance, the sub.
tie but potent influence Of his monarch
ial succession. compared with which the
influence OF spostolicsl succession upon
the clergy 10 but trifis light % air,
would suffice to explain the change.
Twenty-four hours before, the Prince
had been Q cipher in the state. He was
heir apparent, no doubt, but he was
outside the machine. master of cere-
monies, leader OF society. The con-
secrating touch OF supreme responsible
ity had never been laid upon his head.
When the Queen breathed her last, the
demise Of the crown-to quote the old
phrase-made him actual sovereign of
the worldwide empire OF Britain. He
stepped in one moment from the outer
court OF the tabernacle to the very ar.
canuh Of the constitution. To others
it may seem q mere figure Of speech to
speak Of the army and the navy az be-
coming bis army and bis navy; but to
the Prince it is q very real thing.
1t is impossible for the son of Victoris
not to take bis sovereignty seriously.
1t is the fashion. or rather it was the
fashion in some quarters, to treat the
position Of the sovereign in constitu-
tional state as being little more than
that OF figurehead Of the civil state.
The Queen, however, never for a mo-
ment entertained such q conception OF
her royal duties; and her successor, from
the very fact that he had been 90 long
iealously excluded from all share in the
discharge of the duties Of the crown,
might naturally regard them even more
seriously than the reigning sovereign.
Distance lends enchantment to the view;
ard it is no paradox to say that during
all the sixty years Of his life the Prince
has had nothing but very distant view
Of the actual exercise Of sovereign pow
er. Wisely or unwisely. Queen Victoria
was OF an excessively jealous disposition
10 all that related to the crown. So far
from making the Prince an under study
and preparing him to take her place
whenever she might be invalided or in
disposed, she vigorously restricted him
to the performance Of ceremonial func-