ABSTRACT
B Y the time of Prince Albert's death in 1861, many of the Manchester liberals had come to regard the monarchy as merely the relic of an unprogressive age which had not yet learned the advantages of a complete laissez faire. Five years later, when Victoria had long since retired from public life, John Bright addressed a great rally of British reformers, some of whom were prepared to demand the queen's abdication. As suggested president of the new republic, Bright was earnestly confident of his cause. Still, he felt i t only right during the course of his remarks to repudiate the libels that his more zealous followers had passed upon their widowed sovereign. But the mere mention of Victoria's name brought an immediate and not altogether expected response: of one accord the republican audience arose to sing wi th fervent heart and voice,
God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!1
