Our Queen; The Life and Times of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, Etc (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 Excerpt: ...among the iron-workers in North Staffordshire. The cattle-plague, which destroyed the lives of thousands of animals, and the cholera, which was exceedingly fatal among the people, filled with sorrow many hearts and homes. The Queen opened Parliament in person at the beginning of the year 1866, but she did not wear the robes of state, and commanded the Lord Chancellor to rend her speech. It was a new Parliament, an election having taken place a short time before. Her speech commenced by stating that "Her Majesty had recently declared her consent to a marriage between the Princess Helena and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein Souderburg Augustenburg, and trusted the union would be prosperous and happy. The death of her beloved uncle, the King of the Belgians, had filled her with profound grief, but she felt confident the wisdom he evinced during his reign would animate his successor. The relations with foreign powers were friendly and satisfactory, and her Majesty saw no cause to fear any disturbance of the general peace.... The prevalence of the cattle disease gave her Majesty great concern, and the attention of Parliament, she said, would be called to that subject." The Fenian conspiracy was mentioned as adverse to authority and religion. Soon after, the Government was defeated on the Reform Bill, brought in by Mr. Gladstone, and a Conservative Administration was formed. The Queen always took a great interest in travellers. "She sent for Livingstone, who attended her Majesty at the Palace, without ceremony, in his black coat and blue trousers, and his cap surrounded with a stripe of gold lace. This was his usual attire, and his cap had now become the appropriate distinction of one of her Majesty's consuls--an official position to which th...