1854 EXCELLENT EFFECT ON PUBLIC. 565 ment as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas is at this moment of great importance. I send you herewith an article from the Daily News, which is anything but satisfied, and seems quite to feel the accession of strength to the Crown which has resulted from the discussion. From this time forth I shall, of course, continue to be for them "an object of fear and distrust." The Herald, as the Tory organ, is distressed at Ministers having brought before Parliament circumstances, which from the sacredness of private life, and from the fact of the individual being by the Constitution removed beyond discussion, "ought not to have been mentioned." Not bad this, when for six consecutive weeks this journal had slandered and outraged this individual and his private life without intermission. 'Windsor Castle, 2nd February, 1854.' When a few days afterwards (10th February) the anniversary of the Royal marriage came round, the clouds that had overshadowed the happiness of the Queen and Prince had all been dispelled; and to the same wise and loving friend Her Majesty wrote: 6 This blessed day is full of joyful and tender emotions. Fourteen happy and blessed years have passed, and I confidently trust many more will, and find us in old age, as we are now, happily and devotedly united! Trials we must have; but what are they, if we are together?' APPENDIX. Memorandum by the PRINCE CONSORT as to the Disposal of the Surplus from the Great Exhibition of 1851. It is estimated that, after defraying the expenses of the Exhibition, the Royal Commission will be left with a surplus of from 150,000l. to 200,0007. The question arises: What is to be done with this surplus? Schemes abound for its application, and a great movement is being made to get it expended upon the purchase and maintenance of the Crystal Palace as a Winter Garden. It becomes necessary for the Royal Commission to mature some plan for itself on a careful and conscientious consideration of its position, powers and duties, in order not to find itself at the end of its important labours driven into execution of illdigested projects by the force of accident or popular agitation. In order to arrive at a sound opinion on what is to be done, we must ask ourselves: What are the objects the Exhibition had in view, how far these objects have been realised, and how far they can be further promoted? I take the objects to have been: the promotion of every branch of human industry by means of the comparison of their processes and results as carried on and obtained by all the nations of the earth, and the promotion of kindly feelings of the nations towards each other by the practical illustration of the advantages which may be derived by each from the labours and achievements of the others. Only in a close adherence to this governing idea, and in a consistent carrying out of what has been hitherto done, can we find a safe guide for future plans. |