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I am justified in expressing the opinion that, had these instructions gone out without material modification, either the United States would have been disgracefully humbled by yielding, or war with Great Britain would have been the fearful alternative, the result of which at that crisis in our affairs I shudder to think could have been nothing short of a fatal disruption of our glorious Union!

Prince Albert drafted a memorandum to accompany the Cabinet paper on its return. This was slightly changed in the Queen's own hand, as appears from a fac-simile of it which I have seen, and it contains their suggestions for a softening modification of the original despatch submitted by the Cabinet. It is most gratifying to know that it was couched in friendly terms, and the Cabinet paper being modelled upon the line thus indicated, it was divested of its harsh features, and led, as is well known, to an amicable settlement of the unpleasant affair. All honor and a thousand heartfelt thanks to the Queen and her noble husband.

Who will say that this happy settlement of a most dangerous complication was not in great measure due to the good offices, already cited, of Mr. Buchanan, and his remarkably agreeable relations with the Queen and Prince Consort while he was United States Minister to the Court of St. James? It is well known that he was a great favorite with both, especially with the Queen, and that he held them in highest esteem.

But I must turn for a moment from these pleasant reflections to sombre and sadder scenes. The Queen had, only a few months before, on the 16th of May, 1861, been deprived, by death, of one of the dearest and best of mothers, the estimable Duchess of Kent, and now, at the very time of greatest need of his counsel and assistance, her beloved husband was soon to be cruelly snatched from her by the all-destroying angel of death! The paper just described was the last political memorandum he ever wrote,

and when he handed it to the Queen, being seriously ill, "he told her that he could scarcely hold the pen while writing it." This was on the 1st of December. At a quarter past ten o'clock on the night of the 14th of that month his great soul took its flight "to seek a nobler scope for its aspirations in the world within the veil," and the Queen was overwhelmed by a grief indescribable, and from which she can never entirely recover on this side of the grave. Intense, however, as her grief has been, impelling her to comparative seclusion, she has never failed to perform her sovereign administrative duties. For the first time after her bereavement, she opened Parliament in person not until February, 1876, and she never once appeared at the theatre, after the death of the Prince, until after the 4th of October, 1881, when she was persuaded by the Prince of Wales to attend a private dramatic entertainment gotten up by him at Abergeldie Castle, Scotland, expressly for her diversion.

In April, 1886, by act of Parliament proposed by Mr. Disraeli, she was authorized, in addition to her title of Queen, to assume that of Empress of India.

The Queen's own appalling bereavement has, no doubt, so wrought upon her finer sensibilities that whenever she hears of those similarly stricken, her heart at once goes out toward them in warmest sympathy. Thus, when President Lincoln was assassinated, she "sent to his widow a long letter, which her son, Robert Lincoln, described as the outgushing of a woman's heartfelt sympathy,"-a letter which he informs me has never been published.

Not so with her touching appeals for exact information regarding the condition, from time to time, of our lamented President Garfield, and her repeated messages of earnest sympathy and condolence through the period of his fatal illness and death. I present these in their order of date, with the remark that she was also, no doubt, kept constantly informed on the subject through Mr. Lowell, our Minister

in London. The first was sent through Lord Granville at five o'clock on the afternoon of July 2, 1881, the day the President was shot.

"To Sir Edward Thornton, the British Embassy, Washington: The Queen desires that you will at once express the sorrow with which she has learned of the attempt upon the President's life and her earnest hope of his recovery. Her Majesty wishes for full and immediate reports of his condition."

July 3, from Mr. Lowell to Mr. Blaine, Secretary of State: "Just received the following from the Queen: 'I am most anxious to hear latest accounts of the President, and wish my horror and deep sympathy to be conveyed to him and Mrs. Garfield.""

Same date, from Sir H. Ponsonby, Windsor Castle, to British Minister: "The Queen is most anxious to learn as to the state of the President. Please wire latest news.'

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July 14, from Mr. Lowell, London, to Mr. Blaine: "I have received the following from the Queen: 'I wish to express my great satisfaction at the very favorable accounts of the President, and hope that he will soon be considered out of danger.'"

August 17, the Queen to Mrs. Garfield: "I am most anxious to know how the President is to-day, and to express my sympathy with you both." To this Mrs. Garfield sent an encouraging reply and grateful acknowledgment.

August 27, from Mr. Lowell to Mr. Blaine: "I have just received from Her Majesty, the Queen, at Balmoral, a telegram in these words: 'I am most deeply grieved at the sad news of the last few days, and would wish my deep sympathy to be conveyed to Mr. Garfield.'"

The next and last despatch was received on the morning of September 20, and discloses the long-dreaded and heartrending end of this frightful tragedy:

"Mrs. Garfield, Long Branch: Words cannot express the deep sympathy I feel with you at this terrible moment. May God support and comfort you as He alone can. "THE QUEEN.

"Balmoral Court."

On the following day word came that the Queen had ordered the Court to go into mourning for the late President Garfield for a week from the 21st of September," a tribute of respect," the London Times remarked, “which will be all the more valued by the Americans, as it is unprecedented, no similar notice having been taken previously by the English Court of the death of an American President in office."

And, now, as her last beautiful offering, on the 22d of September the good Queen telegraphed the British Minister to have a floral tribute prepared and presented in her name with a mourning card bearing the following inscription:

"Queen Victoria, to the memory of the late President Garfield: an expression of her sorrow and sympathy with Mrs. Garfield and the American nation.

"September 22, 1881."

Under date of London, July 21, 1884, President Arthur received and gracefully acknowledged the following cable

message:

"To the President of the United States, Washington: The Queen heartily congratulates the President and people of the United States on the rescue of Lieutenant Greeley and the gallant survivors of the Arctic expedition. She trusts that favorable reports have been received of the sufferers. "THE QUEEN.

"Windsor Castle."

Yet once more, when the whole country was

"Robed in the sable garb of woe,"

at the death of the great soldier of the war, the Queen manifested the same considerate womanly feeling as on previous mournful occasions, through the despatch, July 21, 1885, to Mrs. Grant, saying: "Her Majesty, the Queen, requests me to convey to yourself and family her sincere condolence on the death of General Grant."

Finally, on the 2d of June, 1886, Her Gracious Majesty sent the following despatch to President Cleveland: "Pray accept my sincere congratulations on your marriage, and my best wishes for your happiness."

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'Come, now, ye kings of the earth and all people, princes and all judges of the world, young men and maidens, old men and children," come and behold one of the kindest and most devoted of daughters; one of the most loving and considerate of mothers; one of the happiest and most irreproachable of wives; one of the sincerest and most sympathetic of friends; one of the wisest, the best, the most universally respected of sovereigns that ever sat on any throne. At her feet I lay this humble tribute with the devout and soul-inspired aspiration-" GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"

(PERSONAL.)

[COPY.]

BRITISH EMBASSY, 9th May, 1894. DEAR MR. KING,-I owe you many apologies for keeping so long the MS. you kindly lent me of your admirable biographical sketch of Queen Victoria. I finished its perusal a few days ago, and was about to write to you to say how much pleasure it gave me, when I received your note. I hasten to return the MS. and to express my high appreciation of its literary merit as well as of the kind sentiments toward England and her sovereign with which it is inspired.

Yrs. sincerely,

JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE.

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