Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-05
POWERS OF THE BRITISH
KING.

/
The Queen alone can create peer,
baronet or knight, and confer priyi-
leges on private persons She alone
can erect corporations, ard raise and
regulate fleets and armies, though un-
der such restrictions relating to the
appropriation and expenditure of mon-
ey as make it impossible for her to ex-
ercise her power to the detriment Of
English liberty She is the head of the
Church; she convenes and dissolves
all ecclesiastical synods and convoca-
tions, and nominates to vacant bisho-
prizes and other Church Offices. She
sends ambassadors to foreign states, re-
ceives ambassadors at home, makes
treaties and alliances, and declares war
and peace, though her power in these
respects also is in a large degree limit
ed by the power of Parliament to en-
act or reject such laws as may be
necessary to make it effective.
Previous to the Revolution of 1888
the government of England was main
ly carried on by virtue OF what was
called the royal prerogative, that is by
the King in person, with the advice of
ministers appointed by himself, who
were only responsible to their sover-
eign for their management of public
affairs. One of the results, however,
of that revolution was the transfer of
the power of the state from the crown
to the House of Commons Instead of
government by prcrcgative, there
was then established a government by
Parliament, from whom all laws must
emanate, requiring only the approval
of the crown as condition of their
enactment
As is well known, the Queen ap-
points her own advisers, irrespective of
the wishes or approval of Parliament.
and though popularity the Ministry is
supposed to possess the whole execu-
tive power, no important measure is
presented by them to the consideration
of Parliament without her sanction and
approval 1t is not, however, essen
tial that all acts and mea ures should
be presented to Parliament through
the channel of the Ministry, and Par
lament may originate anu pass acts at
its pleasure, subject to the constitution
al right of the Queen to nullify them
by her veto. The Queen can convene
Parliament and terminate its sessions
at will
There has been but two instances in
which the Lords and Commons have
met by their own authority, namely,
previous to the restoration of Charles
H., and at the Revolution in 1888.
There is one contingency, however,
upon which, under authority of law,
Parliament may meet without sum-
mons. 1t was provided in the reign of
Anne that in case there should be no
Parliament in being at the time of the
demise of the crown, then "the last
preceding Parliament shall Immediate
ly convene and sit at Westminster, as
if the said Parliament had never been
dissolved Such a Parliament, how
ever, by a statute in the reign of
George I'LL, can only continue in ex-
istence for six months, if not sooner
dissolved.
This, then, is the power of the
Queen She may, with the advice OF
her Ministers alone, assemble, pro-
rogue, and dissolve Parliament, de-
clare war, confirm of disallow the acts
of colonial legislatures, give effect to
treaties, extend the term of patents
grant charters of Incorporation to COM
panies or municipal bodies, create &C.
clesiaslical districts, regulate the
Board of Admiralty, and make ap-
pointments to Offices in the various de-
partments of the State, create new
Offices and define the qualifications of
persons to fill the same, and declare
the periods at which certain acts OF
Parliament, the operation of which
has been left to the Queen and Coun-
ell, shall be enforced. With regard to
the expenditure of money, it is express
lv provided in the act of settlement, to
which reference has been made, that
money levied for the use of the crown
without grant of Parliament is illegal.
Thus the crown is entirely dependent
upon Parliament for it's revenues, but,
though dependent, it has direct
control over all supplies when raised.
The crown, acting with the advice
of It's responsible ministers, is charged
with the management of all the reve-
nues of the country, and with all pay
ments for the public service. 1t makes
known to the House of Commons by
its annual budget its necessities, and
the House grants such acts or supplies
as these necessities require. The
crown demands money, the Commons
grant it. and the Lords assent, and no
money can be voted by Parliament
for any purpose whatever except
at the demaad of the crown. No
petition even for any sum of mon
ey relating to the public service can
be re eived by Parliament unless rec
commended by the crown. On the
other hand, no person can lend money
to the crown, or to any department OF
state. without the sanction of Parlia-
ment, AID all money transactions be-
tween the Bank of England and the
Treasury are expressly forbidden. The
Commons, of conrse, have the power
of Withholding supplies, but only once
Gn 1870 since the Revolution of 1888
has this power been exercised.-Har-
per's Magazine.
The most noted men of modern
times have publicly attested to the
value of Ayers Cherry Pectoral as
cure for coughs and colds.
The ways of New York justice-or
iustices-are past finding out, especial
lv those of that police justice-his
name is Bankson Morgan-ef New
York, who the other day discharged
a young man charged with the abduc-
ton and ruin of young woman, be-
o,,o mo rive tho instiea,S y. own