The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-23
The Coronation Long 400.

/ Following the death of King william
1 ". a meeting OF the Privy Council was
called for IL O'Clock on Jane q, 1851. One
hundred Of the leading mobiles, statesmen
and court lignitaTies formed this body
Few Of them had seen the young wo-
woman who was TO control the destin-es
Of an empire. Into this august pres
ence the young Queen came self-possess-
ed and unfettereG by any self-conscious
assumptions. II there were not Nhis-
I perings as 10 what manner OF woman
/ she might be, there was at least an at
mosphere of speculation in the room.
Victoria entered mis- room with digni-
+ fed tread, bowed TO the assemblage, took
Ter seat, and read her declaration Mem
hers Of the council were sworn TO ale
glance, kneeling and kissing her hand
Afterward she received the foreign am
bassadors, who were presented to her
enc by one
Greville. who by no means was given
TO snobbish adulation, says Of this scene:
Never was there anything ike the
first impression she produced, or the
chorus Of praise and admiration which
was raised about her manner and be-
havior, and certainly not without JUS
tice 1t was extraordinary, and some
thing far beyond what was looked for.
Her extreme youth and inexperience nat
Jlrally excited intense curiosity to see
how she would act on this trying occa-
sion, and there was a considerable as
semblage at the palace. Notwithstanding
the short notice which was given.
"She bowed to the lords. took her seat.
and then read her speech in a clear,
distinct, and audible voice, and without
any appearance Of fear or embarrass-
ment- She was quite plainly dressed and
in mourning After she had read her
speech and taken and signed the oath
for the security of the Church of Scot
land, the Privy Councillors were sworn,
the two royal dukes first by themselves;
and as these two old men, her uncles.
knelt before her, swearing allegiance and
kissing her hand. I saw her blush I'D to
the eyes, as if she felt the contrast be-
tween their civil and natural relations.
and this was the only sign of emotion
which she evinced. Her manner to them
was graceful and engaging. She moved
toward the Duke of Sussex. who was old
and infirm. She seemed rather bewilder-
ed at the multitude of men who were
sworn, and who came, one after another,
to kiss her hand. but she did not speak
to anybody, nor did she make the slight
est difference IN her manner or show any
in her countenanee, to any individual Of
any rank, situation, or party.
ny with perfect calmness and self-pos-
session, but at the same time with a
graceful modesty and propriety particu-
larly interesting and ingratiating"
OF this impressive occasion other men
Of experience and Judgment have writ
ten, making It plain that the assembly
was astonished and delighted with the
young woman who at 1s years of age
had an empire at her feet. Lord Lynd-
hurst. Earl Grey, Lord Palmerston. Sir
Robert Peel, the Duke of Wellington,
and other titled personages of the time
are on record attesting to amazement at
the Queens bearing on this most trying
occasion. Her perfect elocuion was
praised; her gracious rising from her
chair to meet the two royal Dukes her
aged wholesome Of them in1rm-whom
she kissed when they came forward to
kneel in allegiance; her dignihed grace
in receiving the foreign ambassadors.
few months later, when she had dis
solved parliament in person, our Own
Charles Sumner wrote to a friend:
81 was astonished and delighted.
7 think I never heard anything better
read in my life than her speech.
Fanny Kemble, who also heard 1t, says:
ct think it is impossible to hear a more
excellent utterance than that of the
Queens English by the English Queen
The English court of the time was
blase and VIGOROUSLY corrupt but it was
moved to a kindred sympathy with the
girl Queen. And Greville testihes that
she was a girl, entering with high zest
into an enjoyment of all the magnif-
cent novelties Of her situation, while her
affabiity and grace awakened the pub
lie to a wild enthusiasm. Coronation
Madness was the phraseology of radi-
cal critics.
The ceremonies and spIendors attending
the coronation of the young Queen sell
dom have been approached in modern
history.
London was thronged The Dawn Of
June % found the city in fever Of an
ticipation. For the masses the royal pro-
cessfon was the feature of the occasion.
In this parade in addition TO the troops,
were twelve royal carriages, each with
two women and two men, drawn by six
horses. Then came the Queens state
coach. drawn by eight cream-colored
animals with flowing names and tails.
attended by a yeoman at each wheel,
footman at each door.
The elder James Gordon Bennett, writ
Ing Of the occasion as an eye witness
Of democratic impartiaHty says OF the
gathering and the ceremonies in West
minister Abbey:
Il passed a number Of policemen and
officers in a zigzag direction under the
- Tferfas and nTofSters n thie famous