The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-01-31

the womsn who encourages great deeds
is entltled to some of the credit Of their
performance. ( Victoria was Wise in that
she always recognizedthe popular will,
and called into her service tho repre
eentatives Of popular alteration. Five
times she recognized the great popular
party Of England by sending tor MI Mr.
ality as he was said to be, she never
/ failed to SOC in him the choice of tho
masses Of England Under Victoria
democratic government in England has
become fact. No future monarch can
Withdraw tho precedents by which she
acknowledged parliamentary yspuromacys
and emphasized the responsiblllty ol
ministerial rule. The franchise has been
so extended that it has almost reached
the manhood basis Religious intol-
erance has disappeared, 80 that Roman
Catholic has sat as chief justice of the
empire, and another held the vico-rOyalty
of India, a personal appointment OF the
eoyeroign. Now Englands have grown
up in Australia, Canada, New Zealand
and elsewhere, all self governing. One
Of tho last acts of the sovereign, on Now
Years day, was her recognition ofthe
commonwealth Of Australia, au act
equal to that Of hor grandfather, George
III, when he recogniz d the indepen-
oence Of the American colonies, with
the significant diff renee that the former
was as voluntary as the latter was re
luctant.
Victoria, then, was great in her ability
to recognize the popular will, in bending
to the circumstances Of events, and in
recognizing that England was o growing
rather than a decadent body. Through
the peace Of her reign, her kindly patron
age and her recognition Of the captains
| ~ xyh not In, foiN piu
military, industrial or literary life, she
has helped others to succeed, and in.
duced all to contribute to the greatness
Of the empire and the good Of tho world.
HER ACCESSION TO THE THRONE.
Victoria was awakened out Of deep
sleep at S o'clock in the morning Of June
30, 1897, to learn that she was queen of
England. She received the news c ad
in her nightgown, her bare feet In
sleepers and her hair falling loosely
over her shoulders, On that eventful
morning she was young girl. Only
twenty-scven days before, on May oath,
she had celebrated her eighteenth birth
day, when she became legally Of age.
King William Nv had died at a. M
in Windsor, three hours before Victoria
was notified of her accession In Ken
sington palace, whore she lived with her
mother, the duchess of Kent In ex.
pectation Of the kings death carriage
! had been kept ready at Windsor. Al
soon as the king breathed his last tn,
archbishop of Canterbury and the LORD
Chamberlain, Lord Conyngham, left the
death chamber and entering the carriage
were driven with all speed to Kensing
ton. Victoria had retired the night be-
fore with no thought Of the vast change
that few hours would make in her life
Kcnsington palace was grasped in 8
slumber when the two emissaries arrived
What followed is told in the "Diary oi
Lady of Quality" in this way:
They knocked, they rang, they
thumped for considerable time before
they could rouse the porter at the gate
they were again kept waiting in the
court yard, then turned into one of the
lower rooms, where they seemed to be
forgotten by everybody. They rang the
bell and desired that the attendants of
tho Princess Victoria might be sent to
inform her royal highuess that they re
quested an audience on business Of i'm
portance.
AFTER another delay and another
ringing to inquire the cause, the atten
dant was summoned, who stated that
the princess was in such a sweet sleep
that she could not venture to disturb
her.
"Then they said: we are come on
business OF state to tho queen, and oven
her sleep must give way to that 1t
did; and from that she did not keep
them waiting. In a few moments she
came into the room in loose white
nightgown and shawl, her nightcap
thrown off and her hair falling upon her
shoulders, her feet in slippers, tears in
her eyes, but perfectly collected and
dignifod."
The attendant, Notwithstanding the
urging of tho visitors, had not awakened
Victoria, but had called her mother.
The duchess Of Kent had aroused the
young girl and sent her alone into the
room where Lord Conyngham and the
archbishop were waiting. The Lord
Chamberlain knelt down and presented
a paper to the astonished girl, announ
cling the death Of her uncle and notify.
Ing her that she was his successor. The
girl could say nothing, and the arch
bishop announced that he had come by
desire Of Queen Adelaide, widow Of
King william, who wanted Victoria to
know Of the peaceful death of her uncle.
The queens first words were addressed
TO the primate: She said: II beg your
grace to pray for me-" which he did.
THE PRINCE OF HER CHOICE.
PRINCE Albert, it is said, had been in
loVe with his cousin for at least couple
OF years before she proposed to him.
aossips even affirmed that the marriage
had Deen suggested when he was mere
child or two and that the common nur.
sery talk at that time was about his little
bride In England, "the sweet May.
Anyhow, the queen gave her heart,
and her whole heart, to her handsome
cousin Of SAKE Coburg. She always re-,
garded the .prince's marriage with her in
the light of sacrifice, and often spoke
OF 1t In that way. Aftor her bethrothal
she wrote to her Uncle Leopold, the
then king of the Belgians, "J love him
Strimnce Albert) more than can say, and
shall 40 everything in my power to
render this sacrifice for such in nv
opinion 1t is-as small as I can"
Then the archbishop of Canterbury
suggested to the queen that perhaps she
might like to havo the words "to obey ="
In the marriage service altered, on the
occasion of her own wedding. "Non