The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-10-02
DAILY PRESS.
PORTLAND.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1911 ~ -
PORTLAND.



If Queen Victoria is really afflicted Ni'u
the hereditary Guelph madness, as leporVeu
will Tho English people accept her eldest son
rJr their sovereign? 1t is significant Gil 'un
,tance that many Engishmen besides W.
Odger and other. British Reds say nv,
even at this stage of proceedings. But II Is
feared that amaiority OF the people are not
, at ready fo ioin them. One or two reputa-
HE newspapefs inveiehing against the disso-
iuten4ness of A bert Edward, a few guarded
,snte,ces in the Times about the Oneen's
withdrawal from all her public duties, now
and then delphlc utterance of Mr.. DisraeIi
or some other prominent statesman, and oc-
casional meeting of Radicals to protest
against any more outdoor relief 10 the paupeIs
o. the royal family-these things seem hardly
snificient to found the hope of an English
Republic upon. But when the crisis comes
when the question is between the Prince OF
Wales and a possible revolution, or a coEsti-
tut.onal change that shall save the nation
both from violence and from the disgrace OF
submitting again TO George IV-who can
tel what rapid and unexpected changes IN
pOpnlar sentiment may occur?
The mere formal difficulties of changing
the constitution would give no trouble what
ever TO the American or to the French peo-
pie But the English are slavish followers
OF precedent, and are incredibly timid about
veutuIing step beyond what is warranted
by existing laws aud the present constitution.
IL The nation were American or Fench, in
order to-prevent the accession of an undesi a.
BILE monalch, 1t would only be necessary fol
the House OF Commons, in accordance with
the Will of the people, TO assume full consti
tueut powers, and, as the sole agent of the
nalions will, the great reposi Dry of sover-
egn power, TO change or abolish the success
sion by law. This would involve a greal
change III the functions of the ministry whJ
now actIheoreticaIlY as agents of the mon
arCh. 1t would also necessarily involve de-
NAL of the right OF the House OF Lords to ex
ercse coordinate powers with the Commons
Tor 20 House of Lords that will assemble dur
Ing this century can be brought to consent &c
the abandonment of an obsolete institution
the existence oil which excuses its own be
cause it is still more unreasonable, barbarou.
and wicked.
These obstacles, which in another country
would no more impede a determined popula
movement thaIecobwebs would delay the pro
gress OF an elephant, will no doubt postpone TO
some time the "leeal' abolition of the mon
archy, il such thing can be. The time fol
action would pass while the younger sons 0
peers in the House of Commons were solvin:
mere technical difficulties. Imagine for in
stance, such contingency as the death of th,
Queen. The theory of the Constitution i
that there can be no interregnum, and the
reign of Albert Edward would begin the in
slant the breath lett Victoria's body. Imag
ine the Commons refusing to recognize thu
ministers he would appoint! The lowe
house of The British Parliament is still ia
enough from being popular assembly, not
wit andirg the reform bills" that hav
been passed within the last forty years. tt
working classes have only two or three repre-
sentatives, while the landed proprietors, th
great capitalists, the peers, in short, the ali
toclacy, have all the rest. Relief from til
burden Of monarchy is much more likely t
come from an uprising Of the people than iron
such legislature.