The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-01-23
TRIBUTE TO
QUEEN VICTORIA
Was HOnOred and Beloved for
Her Goodness.
Two Occasions On Which She
Interceded to Prevent
Great Wars.

On June 2s, 1889, nearly sxty'three
years ago, at the open window OF the
council chamber in the palace of st.
James, there appeared before an in
Vulnerable multitude, a slight girlish
6Oure. draped in black. She was
Victoria, 1s years old, the daughter OF
the Duchess of Kent, who, the historian
Justin Mccarthy says, chad brought her
up we'll, both as regards her intellect,
character and training" There she
stood, in unaffected dignity, amid the
blare of trumpets, the boom Of cannon,
the shouts Of the people. AS the great
roar Of voices increased, ''her face, il is
recorded, grew pale and her eyes suf
I fused with tears" With realizing
sense OF the awful responsibility Of her
exalted position, she was well-nigh un-
nerved as the herads blew their eilver
trumpets and proclaimed her in very
truth alexandria Victoria, by the grace
of God, queen Of the United Kingdom OF
Great Britain and Ireland" Amid the
shouts Of the throng that day rose the
laundering voice Of DanielO' 'Connell, who
declared that "fve hundred thousand
Irishmen would defend the life and the
honor of the young and beloved queen"
q &
Honered and beloved she was through
all her long and eventful reign. Power
full has been the influence Of the purity
and sweetness of her character upon
modern life. In passing, let us pay a
tribute to her widowed mother, who
nursed the young girl with mothers
wise and tender love. wholkeep her free
and unspotted from the destinations and
corruptions OF the court, who said, 81
will try TO make her good woman, and
then she will be good queen" At IL
years OF age Victoria learned how near
she was the throne, and her mother
strove TO impress her with the fearful
responsibility awaiting her. "Iwill b e |
good, >" she said after a long pause.
Her goodness-does not all the world |
ring with it2 She it was who lifted from
England the baletul curse Of the Geo rges.
The bell which tolled the death Of
William on the night of June 20, 1887,
sounded the knell of all those unspeak.
able extravaganza, and witnesses which
had eliminated in the reign of George
", and which seemed fastened upon
he English court forever, With the
darkness that night flew away, like
Ipecters Of the deep, the dissolute so.
city which for more one hundred years
lad been the blot and scandal of the
British empire. And with the sunlight
,ame the dawn of new and virtuous
IRA, came the purity OF the most
Iuspicious reign that has ever glori-
led royal throne in the annals OF
'ecorded time.
Let it be set down as the noblest
achievement of Victoria, her noblest pos.
ible achievement, that che raised the
tandard OF the morals aud manners OF
Ter own court, and by so doing raised the
tandard OF the morals and manners OF
he British people. In this direction no '
ther monarch, no other individ ual in
rofane history, has done more, Before
er time intoxication, immortality, pro.
unity were not only the rule but the :.
Ishion. Life was constructed upon an i
nimal basis. It's graces and virtues Il
ad in the higher circles scant recogni- Il
on. Extremes meet, and at that time I,
10 arstocracy and the slum9 were
Iually vicious. Against these condi.
ons Victoria set her face resolutely
I'd unchangeably. She made her court $
10 synonym Of virtue and probity. She u
'ove drunkenness from the banqueting ol
All, she made ii Questionable TO be ri
lameless. She has been at the head OF al
sarly every reform, she has INCREASINGLY q, o.
me what she could to advance the ~
use OF Christianity. Nor in these en-.
rprises mas she exhibited fanatioism, 4
arrow mindedness, rabid intolerance or :,
'rsonal vanity. "
q eA
Victoria's goodness made her strong
ID brave and wise. II was troublous
iF