The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-03-21 00:00:00

OPINIONS OF TRE PRESS.

THE QUEEN'S TITLE.

The Times says :—The Ministry refused to make
any concession yesterday on the Royal Titles Bill, and
they won, as was inevitable, an easy victory in the
division on the proposal to go into committee. The
Prime Minister is however, well aware of the com-
parative worthlessness of such triumphs. The victory
Is fleeting; the irritation remains. Lord Hartington'e
resolution WM negatived last night, but we shall not
readily abandon the hope that the style ultimately
adopted by Her Majesty may be found to be in con-
formity with the wishes of her people. We cannot
believe that the draught of it made public a week
since by Mr. Disraeli will remain unchanged. Some
recognition of the Colonies cannot be omitted.
Pails Neill remarks : -Lord Hartington was
guilty of no exaggeration when he declared that the
"repugnance and distaste" which the public feel for the
proposed addition to the royal title are of perfectly
spontaneous growth. A Government of to-daythinks
it a fine thing to add the title of Empress to that of
Queen. Who shall say, after such an example, that
some future Government may not think it a fine thing
to encourage the absorption of the title of Queen in
that of Empress.
The Standard thinks that there is nothing more
astonishing than the amount of ignorance and pre-
judice which has been developed upon this question,
unless it is the maladroitness with which the Opposi-
tion have seized it with a view to a party purpose.
The sentiment of India, there can be no doubt, is
favourable to the measure. Are we then to allow that
sentiment to be thwarted by the sentiment of England,
even supposing that we deny, that there ie any senti-
ment in this country against it other than idle,
ignorant, or interested prejudice. Is this the justice
01 India. of which some members of the Opposition
have been so fond of quoting?
The Daily Telegraph observes :—Queen Victoria is
Empress by • majority of 10.5. We deeply regret this
result, and we deplore the means by which it has been
attained. But the responsibility involved in • party
discussion, and in the division which took place at
half-past one o'clock this morning, must met upon
Her Majesty's Government But the people of ft.
land will look beyond shallow devices, which, hew.
ever successful, will only save the credit of Govern.
mental in name, but not in fact. They will pierce
beneath the surface and File that to secure a triumph
Ministers and their following are prepared practically
to lessen the dignity of the Crown, and that to please
the Maharajah of Jeypore, who so far conforms to
English customs as to drink champagne and dance
quadrillee, and dn. ex-King of Oude, who was de-
Ufor his vices, they are willing to treat with con-
neelly the cherished sentiments of the British nation.
The Alont4ts9 Post says :—Up to the present time
there ix no evidence that the proposed addition is so
unwelcome to Her Majesty's subjects as Lord Hart-
tington and those who followed h m on the same aide
believe. The country appears to have taken a sensible
view of this question, regarding it As one which neither
does nor is likely to affect Her Majesty's relations to
her subjects. She will always be known to them as
their "Queen." She fully understands that the title
which she is about to assume is strictly a local title,
which does not in any way concern them. She will
have no more power over India when she is styled
Empress than she has now.