THE FRENCH PRESS ON ENGLISH LOYALTY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 166, 10 May 1872, Page 3

THE FRENCH PRESS ON ENGLISH LOYALTY.

Political life is suspended i n England. One sole anxiety absorbs all minds—the health of the Prince of Wales. An "entire nation, which is still impressed with strong convictions, turn to God and partakes of the grief which afflicts its ; whose son is, perhaps, about to die. And yet the Prince of ; Wales appeared to be far from popular. He possessed neither the qualities nor the defects which old Albion admires or tolerates, and the English people were sometimes disinclined to regard in him the nominal master of their destinies, the future guardian, of that Charter which is. the basis, of, their liberties. But when death was threatening him the whole of Great Britain was at once excited. In its patriotic loyalty.all errors and mistakes were forgotton, and nothing was remembered but the danger which threatened the Heir to the Crown. What a spectacle and what a lesson ! The Prince of Wales is dying, and yet upon the other side of the Channel tn* one laughs, no oneiusults the highplaced personage struck down by sickness. The Princess of Wales quits the bedside of the dying man, not to seek necessary repose,, but to hasten to the church to pray and to listen to prayers —and no one laughs. The Queen, whom calumny sought to wound but the other day, kneels with the veil of widowHood beside the probable deathrbed of her first-born—and-no one laughs.The Council—Messrs Bruce, Gladstone, Eorster, the Lord President and Lord Chancellor, all whom England hoUs inhigh esteem for talent, or position, or forage, which is also a digni'y—address themselves to the Archbishop of Canterbury and call upon him to prepare " new forms of prayer to appeal to the Almighty on behalf of his Koyal Highness the Prince of Wales." And the people, instead of mocking at this, rush to obtain copies of prayers, and repeat them in their places of worship. -• Lutherans, Calvinists, Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics, Jews—all implore the Deity to prolong the days of the future Sovereign of England. This people has the courage, the good sense, not to disown either its past, its Government or its God, and yet it is a free people, among all—who will dispute that? Such a spectacle affects us greatly, and we look

.around iis with alas!-do we look for o seoftliesepowerful bonds of union upon, which we might rely in a moment of trial, which might 1 unite a nation in common'senti;merit.; We have no greater! faith in ;inen than we have' in God; There, i? disunion even in our churches. And yet we are always talking of our unity, and 4 declaring that we are the envy of other nations on that account. Is not this one of our self-complacent illusions? Switzerland, the United States, and England, those three countries where the dignity of man is so ; well understood, retain respect for the .governing priuciple; they-accept public prayer aud humble themselves; we in ouc disaster, and misfortunes could think of nothing but, natural recrimination., and blush to add re js apmy er to God. Is that anadvance ? We may be allowed to doubt it. Faith has never derogated from man's dignity, it has.neyer rendered him the less desirous of liberty. Who would dare to say that England has abased itself because it partakes of the grief which afflicts the family that governs it, because it obeys its , natural chiefs who direct it to pray as it would it* they called upon it to' fight 'and to sacrinYe itself for the preservation of its old liberties? Since we are talking so much at present about reforming ourselves, let us begin by learning that affectionate respect tor authority of which .k'ngland is at this moment "affording us so striking an example. And if the British Monarchy should appear to our republican intolerance a bad model, let lis look towards the American Republic. All who have visited the United States can affirm, that the expression of sympathy wit'h the rulers, a belief in God, and even the outward practice pf religion, are not incompatible with Republican virtues. At New York and at New Orleans prayers were offered up for President Lincoln, as today prayers are offered up. throughout . the three kingdoms for thie Prince of Wales. When shall we learn how to pray, all together, for any one ? French paper.