DISTRESS IN ENGLAND. — APPEAL TO THE QUEEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5364, 25 January 1879, Page 3

DISTRESS IN ENGLAND. — APPEAL TO THE QUEEN.

IB Y HOWA It D EV A N S.] Victoria, tliou silent Queen, wlioso face wo nc-cr see, In this great crisis of our fate \ve cry aloud to thee 1 Hear us I we still are loyal, though tliou sit'st apart, alone— Hear Ua* i we yet nre freemen, whoso voices reach thy throne."

Forgive us for the shame and wrath with which C2r bosoms burn, If hold and rough and harsh our spcech as to thy throne we turn; 'Tis he makes thee responsible, therefore we scci thee now, If thou art .so wo yet have hope—llules he the 'and t or thou

Thou surely art no puppet—a thing of wires ujid springs, That has no rnotiou in it, save when tricksters pn)J the striugs; Queen of our memories and hopes t Head oi this grand old Mate! Woman, widow, mother, hear us, in this crisis of our fate I

Let not Ambition's greed of rule beguile thee -bis hour; Better a white, unsullied name than the grandest dreams of power; Let not Imperial gewgaws from the right tunc ifcee aside, For the love of a free people is a Monarch's Hottest pride.

Thou art a Monarch—not like those who ruled by iron and blood, While stands thy people-choseu House, unharmed of lire and flood ; They cherished not their peoples' luvc, they hocrted not their groans. And the doom of such is written iu the wreck of broken thrones.

Thou art a woman—we entwine for ever round that A tenderness as soft as snow, a love as pure as flacce; If now tho tempter's glozing liod becloud thy soal with doubt, Ere the dogs of war are loosened, let thy woman's heart speak out.

Thou arfc a mother —dost thou know that in this land to-day Children to mothers cry for bread, as famishing as they > Oh I by the lovo that thou do=t bear thy sons and daughters dear, Tlrink of our sons and daughters—O, Queen ?.nd mother, hear!

Thou art a widow—by that word more boldly wc implore, By that deep, life-long sorrow which makes us love thee more— There are thousands of thy sisters who, ere a year has fieri. With the hcart-ache which thou know'st tco "vrelJ, may havo to mourn their dead.

Save us from this unrighteous war, O, Christian Queen, this day— By thy womanhood, thy widowhood, thy motherhood, wo pray; The* millions of the toilers, iu this land and o'er the Approach with burdened hearts thy throne, and cry aloud to thee.