The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-24
Some ReColleCtions
Of Queen Victoria


II
wv Russia, who stood so closely behind
w President Lincoln during the Civil war,
puc61 Victoria was probably tie in7s:
consistently valuable friend the United States
has ever had among the sovereign OF Europe.
She has never lost an opportunity to show her
goodwill and friendship; she has never failed to
offer her support and encouragement when it
was needed she has invariably shown for the
American ambassadors and ministers in London
partiality that has been manifest and so
regular that 1t long ago ceased TO be a subject
OF comment. She has recognized the tes of
kindred, and has often spoken OF them to cti.
zcns Of this country who have had access to
her maiesty's presence.
During the Jubilee ceremonies in 1887 a party
OF American tourists engaged tally.ho for the
purpose OF witnessing the entrance OF the queen
into London, and stationed themselves at
convenient turn of the road in Hyde Park,
which they know she would pass. BY some
oversight OF the police they permitted TO
enter the park, and were not discovered until
the queens carriage was upon them, when the
guards made great ado and were about to
acri toe whole party TO prison. The queens
prc2ress was stopped for the moment, and
hC.t oring to 81 officer she asked the cause
oi the detention. Hearing his explanation she
,,id in a tone that was perfectly audible to the
strangers:
"It they are Americans let them stay"
At this every ladY on the coach arose and
waved her handkerchief and every gentleman
waved his hat and gave heartily 'three
cheers for ,uecn Victoria, the irierd ID. OF The
CE'tcI States" At this she smiled, .6wc,,i
her parIsol and made low bow Of acknowl-
cd.Iccnl.
That evening one OF the gentlemen addressed
a formal letter to the queen apologizng for the
incident explaining the presence of the party
behind the police line and thanking her for
her gracious intervention. Within a few days
he received a reply from the queens secretary,
who said that her majesty had commanded
him to acknowledge the receipt Of the explain
alton and TO say that II always gave her pleas
ure and qualification to think that the Ameri.
can people were her friends
During the Civil the British govern
| ment, under the influence OF the cotton manu-.
iacturers of Manchester and the other CONNER
| cial and industrial interests of the United
| Kingdom was friendly to the Confederacy, but
| Queen Victoria was on the Union side, and
| never permitted them TO offer aid or comfort
| to the South when she could prevent it. At
| the greatest crisis of the struggle, so far as
| England was concerned, when two Confederate
cnvoys were forcbly taken from a British
steamer by an impudsnt Union naval officer,
| Lord Palmerson wrote dispatch to the British
/
| TO a declaration of war As usual with every
| thing OF this kind, the message was sent TO
| Windsor Castle for approval. The queen kept
| it over night, and the next morning returned
| it 10 her prime minister, with every offensive
| phrase stricken out.
| 1t is the popular impression that the queen
| had little share in the responsibilities OF the
| government but that is a mistake. The prime
minister Of England has not gone TO bed for
| forty years without making a written report
| TO his sovereign OF everything Of Importance
! that has occurred in official circles during the
| day. and these reports have been laid upon
| Nictorias plate at her breakfast table daily
| without interruption ever since the death OF the
prince consort, whether she was at Osborne or
! Balmoral or on the Riviera or visiting the
palaces OF some vi her royal progeny Those
| who have been in the house OF commons dur
! ing the late night sessions have always noticed
| Gladstone or Rosebcry or Salisbury, or who
ever was at the head of the government, with
a block Of paper on his knees making memor'
| anda of the proceedings like the reporters in
the gallery, and il he had been followed to the
| postonice OF the parliament house before leaving
| for his home he would have been seen to drop
| into the pouch an envelope addressed 10 the
| imperial sovereign which contained the penciled
notes. The queen was very eNacting on this
| point She did not often interfere with the
| polcy of her ministers, but insisted that she
| should be informed OF all they said and did in
her name.
During the Spanish American war Lord Psnnce
iote paid two visits in person to the Whltt
House and saw the president alone. On thes'
occasions he brought messages from his sovereign
The first visit was made at the time when th'
president had sent his ultimatum to Spain re
0uiring the withdrawal OF the Spanish army
from Cuba and the recognition OF Cuban inde
pendencc The attitude of the other powers o
Europe was unirendly Spain had appealed fol
their protection and intervention was feared
Hence the message Lord Paunceiote bore wa
gratifying and opportunc, for he said that N
had been commanded by her majesty the queer
to assure President Mckinley Of her faith IL
his motives and her confidence in his wisdom
and that the government OF Great Britain woulC
support him in any measures he might adop
10 restore peace in Cuba and relieve the inhabi
tants Of that island from the tyranny OF spain
| %
| The second visit was made while the peace
| commissioners were in session at Paris, and 4
was the natural consequence Of the first, for tn
message on this occasion carried an even CREATE
responsibility than the first. lie said that tn
queen had commanded him to say that any dis
position OF the Philippine Islands that left then
subject to the s,vereignty OF any government
but the United States would be greatly re
GREETED by her government. Thus more thsl
anybody else was Queen Victoria responsible 10
| the Philippine problem that is now perplesinl