The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 263, 9 November 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1870.

On the 9th November 1840, the bells of London rang.fprth a joyous peal j.B announcement of the iiact that on that day England's Queen had given birth to an heir to the throne. On the 9th November 1870 Her Majesty's subjects throughout her vast dominions are keeping holiday in commemoration of that happy event. But in the thirty years that have elapsed since that innocent infant was ushered into the world amid loud and hearty gratulations, what a change has come over public opinion with regard to Albert Edward Prince of Wales! Then, the British. public were delighted to think that an heir to their beloved Sovereign was born into the world, and, in the promise that their young Queen then gave, and which she has since bo amply redeemed, of being one of the most virtuous and excellent of all the many monarchs who have occupied the throne of Great Britain, they fondly fancied that they could see foreshadowed the blameless and honorable life that would be led by the then infant Prince. As they saw the Queen and her honored consort growing in years, and in the affection of her people, and setting a brilliant example to those who thronged her Court, they believed that, with such a father and mother, the Prince of Wales could not prove otherwise than a worthy inheritor of the glorious throne ol England. But as years passed over bis head, and this young man in the course ol time arrived at maturity, whispers, at first soft and subdued, but for all that none the less ominous, began to be heaTd, in which the name of the eldest son of our Queer was coupled with that of a former PriDce of Wales who had attained a most unenviable notoriety, and, not long after the death of the amiable Prince Consort, these whispers swelled into louder murmurs, anc people commenced to talk more openly oi the similarity that existed between Alberi Edward Prince of Wales and George the Fourth of odious memory. And since then what has the Brince done to remove the unpleasant impressions to which his dissipated conduct had given rise ? With such a mother as he is blessed with ; with such a wife as he was fortunate enough to secure in

Alexandra of Denmark ; with the liberal education that Las been bestowed upon . him ; with all the exceptional advantages that he has possessed from his youth upwards ; with all the means that have been placed at his disposal of making himself the beloved of his people, what position does he now occupy in the hearts of those who are his mother's most loyal subjects ? For her sake they would have been willing to overlook auy number of trifling irregu- , larities ; in contemplating the virtues and graces of the present occupant of the throne they would have forgotten any lighter sius and escapades of which her eldest son might have been guilty, but even the feelings of loyalty and affection inspired by the good Queen Victoria have ■ their limits, aud the people of Englaud are not so far forgetful of what is due to themselves as to condone grave breaches of all the first principles of religion and morality, simply because they emanate from a Queen's son. Within the past twelve months, he for whom we pray iv our churches under the designation of "Albert Edward Prince of Wales," has occupied a position in the English Divorce Court which would have given rise to feelings of the deepest shame in the mind of even the most insignificant of commoners, and the British public are naturally indignant in the extreme that the heir to the throne should have become so involved in such a case as that of Lady Mor daunt, as to compel his name to be dragged through the mire before a ridiculing world. Even supposing that he were innocent of the graver crime imputed to hi 3 charge, surely it is discreditable in the highest degree to a Prince of the blood to appear in the public prints as tha author of, what Thackeray would have called, such "maudlin slipslop," as was contained in the letters addressed to that unhappy woman under his signature. And to set against all his faults and failings, it is next to impossible to discover one redeeming point in his character. Had he distinguished himself in literature, science, or art, we might be disposed to entertain some feeling of respect for his intellect, if not for his morality, but we never read of his having given the slightest indication of being possessed of ability of the most ordinary kind, excepting perhaps in one single direction. He is said to be an excellent- shot — and is reported to have won several pigeon matches ! Now we are not in the slightest degree finding fault with the Prince of Wales f or being a skilled marksman, although perhaps pigeon f.hootiug is not the most manly of sports, but we fail to see that the possession of this single accomplishment is calculated to give him such a place in the estimation of Englishmen that they should look forward with the smallest degree of satisfaction to his being seated on the throne of England. Thackeray, in his little sketch of the life of George the Fourth, institutes a comparison between him and Washington in the following words: — "Which is the noble character for after ages to admireyon fribble dancing in lace and spangles, or yonder hero who sheathes his • sword alter a life of spotless honor, a purity unreproached, a courage in- , domitable, and a consummate victory? Which of these is the true gentleman? What is it to be a gentleman? Is it to have lofty aims, to lead a pure life, to keep your honor virgin; to have the esteem of you? fellow-citizens, and the love of your fireside; to bear good fortune [ meekly; to suffer evil with constancy; and , through evil or good to maintain truth always? Show me the happy man whose [ life exhibits these qualities, and him we , will salute as gentleman, whatever his rank p may be; show me the Prince who possesses 5 them, and he may be sure of our love and f loyalty. The heart of Britain still beats ; kindly for George the Third- — not because , he was wise and just, but because he was , pure in life, honest in intent, and because, , according to his lights, he worshipped 5 heaven." And then he goes on to say — " I think we acknowledge in the inheritrix , of his sceptre a wiser rule, and a life as ; honorable and pure; and I am sure the 1 future painter of our manners will pay a f willing allegiance to that good life, and be i loyal to the memory of that unsullied } virtue." I Would to God that we could look for- , ward with anticipations as bright, and , liopes as cheerful, to the manner iv which l the " future painter" will depict the life i and rule of his Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of Wales, the present heir apparent to the crown of Great Britain ! i ,

St. Barnabas Church, Stoke. — We would again remind our readers that the consecratiou of this pretty little church is to take place to-morrow afternoon, and that every facility will be afforded to intending visitors from town, by Mr. Newton's four-horse coach, which will leave the foot of the Church Hill, at 3 o'clock. The Ladt Barkly With all her colors flying and a band of music playing, left the wharf at 8 o'clock this morning with a prowd of passengers on board, who no doubt will spend a most pleasant holiday on the other side of the Bay. The town has quite a deserted appearance today, all those who could do so, having cleared out into the country, which after the grateful rain of last night will look most refreshingly green aud attractive. Resident Magistrate's Court. — The hearing of the case, Harley v. Nathan, for damage done to malt by pouring water on it, was resumed yesterday. The plaintiff swore that a quantity of water was poured in through his windows, the barricading of which led to ait this dispute, and the defendant, while admitting that he had brought his resources in the shape of hose to bear upon the enemy while they were removing the barricades he had constructed, swore that it was impossible, from the nature of the ground, for the water to enter ihe window, aud produced a plan of the seat of war designed by himself in suppcrc of this assertion. His Worship however, after a patient hearing of the evidence on both sides, and a careful study of ths map, arrived at the conclusion that the novel projectile made use of by the defendant had beeu the cause of a certain amount of damage, aud accordingly gave a verdict for the plaintiff, for £10 and costs. The Weekly Times says that the Hon. Mr. Gisborne is desirous of entering the House of Representatives, aud there is some talk of asking him to consent to stand for one of the Southland constituencies. A Perfect Cure. — An exchauge says — There is an instance on record of a doctor who, when summoned to prescribe for an old lady whilst he was in the middle of a rubber of whist, quietly filled a small phial from the contents of the punch bowl before him, and duly labelled and dispatched it saying, "he would look round in the morning." It is hard not to be able to believe implicitly in the medical profession, but as in this instance the patient declared herself all the better for the dose, we can hardly blamo the doctor. A Chinaman living Tuapeka is prepared to grow the tea tree, and 1 make a marketable commodity of it, if any encouragement is given to him by the Government or any capitalist. He belives the Dunstan climate and soil well suited for the cultivation of the tea tree.