The Prince of Wales at home.
sentiments of the English and French press.
The Prince of
Wales arrived at
Plymouth, England, on the 14th ult. The Hero anchored about 9 o'clock off the town, and the intelligence was sent immediately by telegraph to
Windsor Castle.
After a reception by the authorities at
Plymouth, the
Prince left on a railway train for
Windsor, where he arrived about 6 o'clock in the afternoon.
The following extracts from the
English and
French papers are interesting.
The old story of the
Southern insults, it will be seen, is repeated:
[from the London news. Nov. 16.
The public anxiety which has flashed the tidings of the return of the
Hero along thousands of electric wires, from end to end of these happy realms, has proved once more to the sovereign lady, if proof were needed, the profound and even personal attachment of her people, and the almost intimate and even family affection which is felt in every English home for the sons and daughters of the royal house.
Without extravagance, it may be simply and truly said, that this great, warm hearted English people cherishes its
Prince of
Wales as any English family cherishes its eldest born.
What would not monarchs who reign by right divine, or by the popular will guaranteed by bayonets, give for one throb of this deep and homely national affection, which makes Queen Victoria's every joy and grief the joy and grief of all her people.
If anything could add to the public joy at the return of the
Prince of
Wales, it would be the public admiration of his conduct and bearing during his sojourn among our
Canadian fellow-subjects, and our kinsmen of the great republic beyond the
Atlantic.
We knew that a royal presence, so graceful, ingenuous and gentle, must win republican hearts, but perhaps we were hardly prepared for the hearty sympathy with which our American cousins acknowledged the unaffected dignity, the manly simplicity and the generous frankness of demeanor which distinguish the heir of the
British crown.--We believe that this auspicious intercourse will bear the kindliest and happiest fruits for the old country and the new. At no time could we desire more earnestly than we do now the close alliance of the great Anglo-
Saxon family.
The Prince of
Wales brings home, we are persuaded, a heart thrilling with affection for the mighty offspring of
England, and a deep respect for that energetic freedom and expanding power.
He brings home, too, an intellect sharpened and strengthened by contact with the vitality of a new civilization — He has tasted the life and destiny of the New World, in the prairie, in the forest clearing, in populous cities, where but yesterday the pioneer plied his axe. He has seen a nation of soldiers without an army, civil order without a police — wealth, luxury and culture without a court or an aristocracy.
He has learned to mingle with the busy crowd of men, without the intervention of chamberlains and courtiers; he has found respect without ceremony, and honor without adulation.
He has dwell, too, in
England at sea; and nowhere can he have better learned the secret of
England's greatness than in his experience on board the
Hero in the
Atlantic.
It is only due to the
Duke of
Newcastle to say that the
Prince has been singularly fortunate in the selection of a
Secretary of State to attend him on his travels.--It seems a happy coincidence that at the hour when the royal squadron was making the
English land on Wednesday night the
Prime Minister was eloquently acknowledging the hospitalities which the
Prince of
Wales had enjoyed in the
United States.
[from the London Post, Nov. 16.]
In the
United States the reception of the
Prince of
Wales has been, in every sense, worthy of a great and generous people.
By the
President and by the laborer the same uniform cordiality and kindness have been expressed.
His Royal Highness has not only been feted and entertained by the merchant princes of New York and
Boston, but he has witnessed the triumphs of successful commerce in their ports, docks and storehouses; he has seen an American election, has reviewed American militia, and has visited many national establishments:
West Point, where his Royal Highness made himself at home with the young cadets; Cambridge University, the
Capital, and the birth-place of
Washington.
It was only in the slaveholding South that a mob had the indecency, by rude cries and vulgar curiosity to insult their visitor, whom they wished to entangle in some slavery discussion, not knowing that at the very time of the perpetration of this outrage the
Queen of
Great Britain was rewarding the great opponent of slavery and the slave trade by bestowing upon Lord Brougham an honor very rarely conferred.
The visit of the
Prince of
Wales to the
United States is a great political event, from which the best results may be anticipated.
It has swept away absurd prejudices and has removed equally absurd international jealousies.
The people of the
United States have recognized the great fact that a Prince may have just claims to their admiration and respect independently of rank and position.
On the other hand, the people of
England gratefully acknowledge and highly value the kindness and affection which republican American has shown to their future
King.
Thus, we believe, an alliance has been consolidated which will endure for the mutual interest, not only of the two nations, but of the civilized world.
It is by friendly intercourse of this kind, and by reciprocal good offices, that the great cause of peace can best be subserved; and if the visit of the
Prince of
Wales has tended to make
England better known and better appreciated in
America, a great and beneficial end has undoubtedly been gained.
Every person, of course, expected the splendid exhibition of loyalty which
British North America has displayed; but it is truly gratifying to Englishmen to know that the people of republican
America have at least equalled the inhabitants of
Canada and the other British Colonies in testifying — we do not say loyally — but by a generous cordial and enthusiastic welcome, their sense of the ingenuous character and manly virtues of the
Prince of
Wales.
[from the Paris Constitutional, Nov. 13]
We are rather inclined to think that the visit of the
Prince not only excited great curiosity among the
Americans, but also an eager desire to show themselves frankly hospitable towards the future sovereign of the Old Country.
They rarely have an opportunity of contemplating a
bona fide Prince of the blood royal — the heir of a European crown honoring them with a visit for the purpose of instruction and recreation.
Besides,
the Prince of
Wales awakened in them all the reminiscences of the cradle of their race; he is a descendant of the kings of their forefathers.
The great grandson of George III.
wished to see for himself the astonishing progress which they had realized, and they felt proud of being able to offer to his view the spectacle of their rapid prosperity.
George III.
lost thirteen provinces; his descendant found thirty flourishing States united in a powerful republic.
The three millions of English subjects have in eighty years increased to thirty millions of independent citizens.
How could the
Americans do otherwise than give a cordial welcome to the eldest son of the
Queen of
England, who had come so far to shake hands with them in the name of the mother country?
They saw themselves courted, and made no difficulty in becoming courtiers in their turn. * * * *
We may also remark that the republicans of the New World showed themselves all the more open and generous in their manifestations of hospitality, that they are conscious of their strength, and that their independence is irrevocably secured.
Several incidents might be cited to show the truth of this remark of New York.
The bells of the oldest Episcopalian church pealed out "God Save the
Queen." No citizen was alarmed thereby; and yet, when
Dr. Irving, the officiating minister of that church just after the
Declaration of Independence, had the imprudence to read the usual prayer for the
King of
England, he was expelled from his incumbency.
Now, the
English national hymn can no longer offend any American susceptibility; and when the
Prince of
Wales appeared at a theatre, the whole house rose and sang "God Save the
Queen" with the actors, as in English theatres when the
Queen is present. * * * *
On the whole, the reception of the
Prince of
Wales in the
United States has been worthy of the
American democracy as well as himself.
It has been the occasion of an exchange of international courtesies, full of cordiality.
The Republic of the New World has frankly grasped the hand held out to it in the name of Old England by the heir to the throne.
As to the political importance of the visit, we think the
English journals over-estimate it. In the welcome given to the
Prince of
Wales, there was, no doubt, much sincerity, but some allowance must be made for the fits of periodical excitement which characterize the
American character.
