Year: 1871

Our latest news Is to the effect that
the Prince of Wales is still In critical,
if not dangerous, condition. The fever Is
pronounced typhoid-a fever which took
away his father, and which, of oil dis
eases, is. perhaps, the most puzzling and per-
picking to the medical profession. 1t is fatal
disease almost beyond most other classes OF
disease, and, therefore, it is not wonderful
that when the universal public is made aware
that the heir to the British throne is a-bed OF
typhoid fever, there should be a worldwide
sensation.


1t is quite possible that the Prince of Wales
is not SO dangerously i'll as we have been led
to believe. 1t is more than possible that the
fears entertained regarding him are ex-
his father died Of the disease which has laid
him prostrate We are willing to take favor
able view OF tho case, and we are all
the more hopeful that the sickness may not
be unto death; that the Prince is
not, like his father. determined to die
rather than abandon his favorite homeopathy
and its ininitesimal doses. Death, however,
comes to the palace as 1t comes to the cottage;
and as it is not impossible that the heir to the
British throne may suddenly be summoned
from this earthly scene, it is not unnatural to
speculate on the probable results of his un-
timely stalking away" A little speculation
on this head is all the more natural that the
British Crown, with its surroundings, is already
q source of trouble to the British people them
selves.


Should the Prince of Wales die, what would
be the result? This is the question which, on
this Continent, thinking men are putting to
themselves. Will it be the ruin of the mon
archy in England? In present circumstances,
it must be admitted, the death Of the Prince
of Wales would create crisis which might
be dangerous to, if it were not destructive of,
the monarchy. The Queen is in bad health,
and 1t is little likely that she will ever again
take any prominent part in the government OF
the empire. Since the death of the Prince
Consort the British people have been paying
heavily for the maintenance of the mona rchy,
without any of the advantages which q mon
archy is supposed to yield in return. The
patience of the people is exhausted. They
have waited for the dawn of better day but
the better day is so slow to come that impa-
tience has resulted in discomfort. and
the discomfort has become loud and
imperious. The British people do not,
1t is claimed, grudge the expenses of q
Court; but a Court they must have, if they
pay for it. circumstances seemed to be
favoring the opinion that the Queen was not
the Prince of Wales might satisfy the London
shopkeepers, who, after all, are the principal
grumblers. The death of the Prince would
make royalty mere sham for many years to
come. His son, now mere child, would be
the heir to the throne. A regency would
have to be established in the event of the
Queens early death or resignation. Who
would be the Regent? The Duke of Cam
bridge has been mentioned in cisatla ntic
papers. In our Judgment tie Duke Of Cam
bridge is not to be named in any such connec-
ton. The Duke Of Edinburg is the man who
in such an emergency would command the en-
tire confidence of all ranks and classes of the
people. Should the Duke of Edinburg be
unwilling to undertake the responsibility
which is little likely-thers Is Prince
Arthur to fall back upon, and after him
there is the Princess Alexandra, a
universal favorite, and the mother of
the ''kings that are to be-" Unless we
greatly mistake, the royalists-should the
Prince of Wales die and should the Qneen
retire-will still be SO strong that Messrs
Bradlaugh and Odgcr and Dixie and the rest
will find that their opportunity has not yet
come. Revolutions, such as those which are
now associated with the history of France, are
impossible in England, for the simple and
satisfactory reason that in England Parliament
rules. In other words, the British Parliament,
which is so fairly representative Of all ranks
and classes, furnishes such safety valve to
BILE. At the same time 1t is not to be denied
that protractcd regency might SO damage


the throne and so strengthen the popular
cause that the transition to republic might


be at once easy and desirable.


There is another view Of the case which we
cannot overlook. The Prince Of Wales may
not die. Should he come forth from this i'll.
ness it is possible that he may be wiser man,


and the presumption is that his failings,


which, after all, are only the failings Of youth,


will be forgiven. The hesitating judgment 0,


the Queen may be determined, and the Prince


Of Wales, as Regent Of the Empire, may rally
around the throne once more the symp atby


and support Of all ranks and classes Of the


people. The name Of Prince Albert Is more
venerated now than it was during his life.
time, the Queen is universally beloved for her
personal worth, and If the Prince OF Wales
supposing him to be restored to health and
strength-should know how to make use oi
his onnnrtnnitias az the SON of Queen Vic