March 1858

Harper's Magazine archives (subscription required) ^ | March 1858

[Tax-chick]

Yes, dead ringers. Their mothers, the Danish princesses, were also extraordinarily similar. This book is very informative and a real page-turner, although of course we know how it turns out.

[BroJoeK]

henkster: "So had Frederick William lived a long life, it might have been more likely a postponement of WW1 rather than an avoidance of it."

Kaiser Billy's problems began at birth, to his 17 year-old mother, Queen Victoria's daughter, Vicky.
It was a difficult birth contributing to permanent damage:

And efforts to correct his physical defects may well have contributed to his psychological issues.

"For most of his childhood, Wilhelm was subjected to electrotherapy treatments, often daily.
His head generally lolled to the right, giving rise to the most barbaric treatment of all: for two years he was regularly strapped into an appliance like a horse’s bridle with a metal rod to straighten his back, and a screw to pull his head upright.

Vicky sketched the machine to show her mother, but begged her to ensure that if the little boy visited Windsor, ‘No one should see him with this machine on... not the servants or brothers and sisters and that it should not be talked about as it would be very painful to us.’
As an adult Wilhelm too would contrive to hide his disability and in photographs always held gloves, a gun or a sword to disguise his withered arm."

"

[BroJoeK]

I note the names of Alexander Stephens and Robert Toombs in this report.
Wonder if we'll see them again?

Lots of Southerners threatening secession over Lecompton.
Also Senator Sam Houston presenting a proposal for a convention of Southern States to protect their "equal rights".
Do you suppose Houston would support secession, if push comes to shove?

[Tax-chick]

Hard to say about Houston. Is he drinking at the moment, or on the Temperance wagon?

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Do you suppose Houston would support secession, if push comes to shove?

I read somewhere recently that Houston took about the same position that William T. Sherman did before the war. That the U.S. Government would not stand for it and the south would be crazy to get in a war with the north. The lacked both the population and resources to carry it off.

[Tax-chick]

That was certainly the prudent and, as we say, “evidence-based” opinion.

[colorado tanker]

Amazing that Lecompton once threatened to tear the nation apart. Today, it’s a sleepy little town quite near Lawrence. It’s only attraction to visitors is to see Constitution Hall, where that ghastly document was drafted. Nearby Lawrence prospered not least because the University of Kansas was located there, on land donated by the Robinsons, prominent Free Staters who were attacked during the violent phase of Bleeding Kansas.