The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-29
Victoria and Garfield.

For the benefit OF those few Americans
who may fear that this country. officially
and popularity. has gone beyond its duty in
paving universal tribute to the memory
of the great and good Queen and woman
whose body lies at Osborne awaiting
sepulture, it is well to recall how she and
her people acted when this country was
stricken with grief on the occasion of
I President Garfield's death by an assassin S
bullet
American sorrow for Queen victoria's
departure from this life is not sorrow for
tho passing of European monarch, no
mftter how exalted in power or character.
II is grief over the loss of one who, in
good and evil repute. in peace and at the
very verge of war was the true and dis
interested friend Of our country and peo-
pie, and who. in her private life, was a
shining exemplar of all the domestic vir-
tues according to our Anglo-Saxon STAN
dards and ideals
When President Garfield was shot in 1881
a wave of sympathy swept over England
and over Greater Britain. Daily and hour
ly Queen Victoria scanned the bulletins
of the dying rulers physicians which she
caused to be sent to her directly; and
on repeated occasions she put etiquette
aside and herself penned and signed mes
sages of enquiry or sympathy to our Min
ister in London AMI to Mrs. Garfield. The
press correspondence OF the day teens
with stories of the earnest and heart : in
teTest that all classes in the Unitedshing-
dom felt in the pathetic struggle which
was going on for weary weeks in the White
House. The British papers devoted IN
woIted columns of news and editorials to
IN american topic. and all spoke as If the
impending affection were blow aimed at
Great Britain as well as the United States.
Then. at length, the cable flashed the
news across the Atlantic that President
Garfield was dead. At once all the United
Kingdom Joined in our sorrow. The con-
servative old London Times came out
in mourning The ever dear and kindly
Queen despatched a message of wifely
sympathy and comfort to the widow of the
murdered Chief of State. She did more
than this, Ignoring immemorial prece-
dent. she ordered the Court OF the British
of a Republic. According to custom in
England. court mourning never before had
been prescribed except upon the death Of
a royal parsonage connected with the
reigning family by blood or marriage. The
palace officials and the Ministry were
startled at this innovation; but Queen
Victoria insisted upon 1t. and her whole
ha sfpad ba
suits OF woe" for a man of the common
people in a far-off country.
So widespread was the feeling of re-
spect and sympathy, IL is said. that, with
common impulse. the London cab and
omnibus drivers mounted Grape on their
whips. EVERYBODY. high and low, had a
word of kindness for the distinguished
dead and his countrymen. There were no
official Van Wycks in Britain's metropolis
in those days! Had there been, they
would not have Jared as comfortably as
the happily exceptional person OF the
name in New York the other day. From
Queen to cCstermonger there were tears
and affectionate expressions of deep re-
greet for our affection.
Such things are not to be forgotten by
brave and appreciative nation. They
are sufficient TO cover up and make us
forget an ocean of commercial and polti-
cal frietiOns or MISUNDERSTANDING. They
show that at the bottom, when the touch
OF nature comes, the Anglo Saxon heart
rings true TO its kind. In honoring and
reverencing the blessed memory of the
best OF queens and women. we are but
repaying in kind a moiety OF the debt we
owe to her late Majesty and the British
people.