I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 109

Became a Hidden Power in the British Empire 109

The Tide of a New Era

As the dawn’s light beautifully painted the London sky, the city buzzed with anticipation for the traditional event of the opening of Parliament.

In the House of Lords, all the members of the peerage had already taken their seats, and the cabinet ministers were gathered in their designated spots, waiting for the appointed time.

“Not yet?”
Wellesley, who would officially begin his duties as Prime Minister today, tapped the floor anxiously and seemed to be breathing heavily.

“Why are you suddenly so nervous?”

“I don’t know… Why is my heart pounding like this?”

“Anyway, there’s not much for you to do as Prime Minister, so just sit back and watch.”

“…That’s true. Actually, attending today’s opening ceremony is all I have on my schedule. Once His Majesty finishes his speech, all I have to do is say that I support it, and my role is over. Come to think of it, didn’t you have more to do after that?”

“That’s right. I have to welcome a guest…”

Just as I was about to say something more, the clock struck 11, and the atmosphere inside suddenly shifted dramatically.

Soon, the doors of the House of Lords opened, and a gentleman with a black rod, known as Black Rod [an official of the House of Lords], entered, signaling the start of the opening ceremony.

Following him, members of the House of Commons lined up and began to file into the House of Lords, lining up at the back.

Originally, members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords could not visit each other, but this day of the opening ceremony was an exception.

However, except when announcing the dissolution of Parliament, the King could not enter the House of Commons, so the members of the House of Commons had no choice but to come to the House of Lords in this way.

Of course, there would be no seats for the members of the House of Commons in the House of Lords, so they had to stand at the back and watch until the opening ceremony was over.

“Her Majesty the Queen is entering!”

As all the members stood in their places, it was time for the main figure of this event to appear.

The Queen, adorned with the symbols of authority and tradition passed down through generations, entered the room with a dignified and calm demeanor, and the slightly bustling interior became silent in an instant.

Soon, she ascended the throne and broke the silence in the chamber with a dignified yet powerful voice.

“My dear members of Parliament. We gather today at a time when the glorious British Empire stands as a beacon of progress and civilization. As your monarch, I thank the providence of God for granting me the honor of guiding the kingdom through the currents of history. Today, we face several significant issues.

First and foremost, the affairs of Europe remain among the most critical. By the grace and wisdom of Almighty God, my government has diligently pursued diplomatic efforts to preserve peace and stability on the European continent, where the echoes of revolution still reverberate.

Furthermore, my government has paid close attention to our brethren across the Atlantic.”

The Queen’s speech is usually written by Parliament, but it was known that this speech reflected a significant portion of the Queen’s personal convictions.

The Queen’s popularity was very high throughout the British Empire, and intellectuals and citizens alike were eager to hear the Queen’s direct voice.

“We hold the well-being of our people as paramount. We must not sit comfortably within high walls, deaf to the lamentations of the poor and needy. Therefore, my new Prime Minister, Sir Charles Wellesley, and the esteemed members of the government, bear the sacred duty to pioneer new paths of social reform. Among these, education shall be the cornerstone of our Empire’s strength. We must provide every child born under the flag of this nation with the means to rise through knowledge and virtue.

My heart swells with pride whenever I behold the marvels of the steam engine and the network of railways and steel that now crisscross our land. These innovations and advancements shall be the bedrock upon which our Empire stands. We must continue to harness these innovations.

I am keenly aware of the responsibilities that God has bestowed upon me and my government. Therefore, I reaffirm my pledge that our reign shall be guided by the principles of justice, compassion, and resolve.

My dear members, I urge you to carry out your duties with unwavering dedication. We must continue to navigate the turbulent seas of an ever-changing reality. United, we shall ensure that the sun never sets on the British Empire.

May God’s blessing be upon us all.”

As the Queen’s speech echoed through the hall, everyone bowed their heads with resolute expressions.

It was a place where formality and solemnity had to be maintained until the end, so no one spoke or applauded.

As the Queen stood and left with the same dignity she displayed upon entering, the nobles of the House of Lords, who had been seated, all stood at once.

Next, the Prime Minister and his ministers, and the members of the House of Commons, returned to their respective chambers in order, maintaining silence until everyone was seated.

Finally, after confirming that all the opposition members had taken their seats, the Speaker of the House of Commons began to speak.

“Then, following the Queen’s speech, the Prime Minister will make a statement on behalf of Parliament.”

“Yes. Honorable members, as you all heard earlier, Her Majesty has clearly outlined several goals that we must focus on in the future. We have the most advanced technology in the world, but we must not be complacent and must continue to invest in the advancement of science. To do so, education is more important than anything else. We must cultivate excellent talents through education and create a virtuous cycle in which those excellent talents contribute to the country.

And next, we must be responsible for the safety of our people. Currently, our government is promoting a large-scale Canadian immigration policy, and we are making every effort to ensure that the citizens of the British Empire can settle safely there. To this end, we are submitting a bill to appoint Foreign Minister Killian Gore as the chief of Canadian policy.”

Since the Conservative Party currently holds a majority of seats in Parliament and also occupies a majority in the House of Lords, it was a foregone conclusion that the bill would pass once the Prime Minister submitted it.

As expected, the Conservative members erupted in thunderous applause as soon as Wellesley finished speaking.

“I agree!”

“I think it would be most efficient for the minister who first proposed the immigration policy to have full authority and command!”

In fact, in this situation, the opposition party was largely powerless and found it difficult to assert its influence.

Still, it was customary for the leader of the opposition party to speak after the Prime Minister’s speech, so Lord Palmerston, who became the new leader of the opposition after Lord Melbourne stepped down, carefully rose from his seat.

“First of all, we also fully agree with the values presented by Her Majesty the Queen. However, I would like to ask a few questions about the law proposed by the Prime Minister. First of all, I agree with the claim that Minister Killian Gore should be in charge of the Canadian immigration policy. To do so, I understand that it is necessary to create a position with the authority to intervene in the administration of Canada. But isn’t it excessive to entrust all the authority related to diplomacy? Is this simply because he is the Minister of Foreign Affairs?”

“That’s not it. If Canada didn’t share borders with other countries, I would have thought the same as Congressman Palmerston, but unfortunately, Canada is bordered by other nations. There may be diplomatic frictions during the large-scale settlement process, but if we try to coordinate with the home country every time, time will inevitably be lost.”

“Then…”

I, who was watching the discussion between the Prime Minister and Palmerston, checked the time and quietly left my seat.

Originally, it is a long tradition of British politics to continue discussions on the direction of the government when Parliament begins, and these discussions sometimes last for days.

Anyway, since the Conservative Party had made a unanimous decision, it was a confirmed fact that I would have real power in Canada for five years, so I should go and do my job.

I thought they would remain quiet until we moved over there, but as times have changed, it seems that they can’t help but be concerned about the movements of the British Empire.

Since they are guests from across the Atlantic, we must not lack hospitality, but I don’t know if they will be able to return with a satisfactory answer.

Of course, we had no obligation to worry about them.

* * *

The United States rose to become a global superpower after World War II.

In fact, even before that, the national power of the United States was enormous, but the world was not fully aware of their strength, and they themselves were not entirely conscious of it.

So, there is no need to elaborate further now in 1841.

Of course, at this time, the British Empire was overwhelmingly stronger in terms of objective national power and size, but in terms of potential alone, the United States was a country that could never be ignored.

But there is no need to be nervous.

The United States was still in a state where they themselves did not fully realize how strong they could become.

So, all I have to do is follow the trend and pretend that I don’t know anything on the outside.

“Welcome to the British Empire. Did you experience any inconveniences during your journey?”

“I was welcomed very grandly, so I had no inconveniences. I heard that there is an opening ceremony of Parliament today, but I didn’t expect the minister to greet me in person.”

“It’s not just anyone, but a former president who came in person, so of course I had to come out in person. An official dinner to welcome the congressman is scheduled for two days from now, so I hope you will enjoy it to the fullest.”

“Thank you for making it so convenient for me. In fact, I have heard a lot about the minister. I heard that he is young but incredibly capable and has accomplished a great deal.”

They didn’t just ‘hear’ it; they investigated it thoroughly and urgently.

Either way, it would be beneficial for me if they knew about me, so I was pleased.

“I have also heard a lot about the congressman. I had hoped to meet you if I had the chance to visit the United States, but it seems fate brought you here instead.”

“You wanted to meet me? Why?”

“That’s because you are currently at the forefront of the movement to abolish slavery in the United States. As someone who is also deeply interested in abolishing slavery, I wanted to meet you and share my opinions.”

John Quincy Adams.

He was also a President of the United States, but uniquely, he actively took the lead in abolishing slavery after his term, leading to a more positive evaluation of his legacy after retirement.

He was one of the individuals I needed to meet if I went to the New World, but he came here himself, so this must be divine intervention.

“You are very interested in abolishing slavery?”

“Of course. As you know, the British Empire was the first country in the world to abolish the slave trade and slavery. I am very proud of this. Weren’t you here to observe the British Empire, which took the first step in achieving that goal, with the aim of abolishing slavery in your own country?”

“Ah… of course, that was also one of my purposes.”

“If that’s the case, trust me. I will make time to extract useful information from you while you are here. And there is an investor who is working harder than anyone else to abolish slavery in the New World right now. Would you be interested in being introduced to him?”

“There is such a person?”

Adams, who found an unexpected ally, could not hide his excitement and asked.

Okay. He completely took the bait.

“Of course. James is a businessman who runs a locomotive and coal mining company in the New World, and he is a friend with tremendous passion for black human rights. He is a friend who firmly believes that he was born for the purpose of liberating blacks. Hahaha.”

“It wouldn’t have been easy to maintain such a conviction while doing business in the United States… If that’s true, he’s a truly great person.”

“He will probably come to London for business in about a week, so you can meet him then.”

“If it’s just a meeting and a conversation… good. I’m becoming quite interested.”

“You will probably get along with him very well. Hahaha!”

I, who suddenly transformed James into a human rights activist, continued to passionately explain how barbaric the slavery system was, and completely captivated Adams.

Because of this, he couldn’t even bring up the agenda of the Irish immigration policy, which must have been his original purpose, and he simply nodded while listening to my story as if he were mesmerized.

It’s natural that they are very interested in what we are trying to do, but I want them to focus on other things for the time being.

Anyway, there will be a major crisis in their own country soon, so they won’t have time to pay attention to anything else.

James, a human rights warrior armed with 21st-century sensibilities, will shake the United States to its core.

I wonder if this will be included in the biographies of great men in both the British and American countries later.

King James, the father of human rights! Again, this is also Lebron… Ah, no. Let’s stop thinking about it.

Anyway, a boss who cares about the future of his subordinates. That’s who I am.