New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-28
THE QUEEN AND THE CRISIS.
THE EXTENT OF HER NEW POWER AND THE
EFFECT OF HER ABSENCE.


The absence Of the Queen from London at the be-
ginning of such crisis the present was unfortu-
nate and nconvenient. Her delay in returning Is
one of those pieces of uncomfortable maladrotheSs
which mark in only too significant way her royal
indifference to public opinion. The moment oil
change of Ministry is one Of those when the power
of the Crown may be cxcrted most vsibly-must In
fact be exerted whether vsi5ly not. and must DO
strengthened in the general opinion precisely III
proportion to tho conspcuousness with which 1t Is
exerted When Mr.. Gladstone had to announce 10
the House of Commons the resignation OF his Minis
try he wrapped it up in courty and constitutional
antiquities. of which man is more completely
master; to which no man is more completely slave
All he would say Was that he had felt bound to adj
dress o dutiful communication to Her Majesty
Everybody knew what he meant, and knew that
very considerable political authority had all at
once passed into the hands of the Queen
The Qdeen might accept Mr.. Gadstonc's resgna-
ton. She might refuse to accept it, She might 90
neither. but call upOn!him for further explanations
| say further because explanationso OF course accom-
panied the resignation and made part of tho dutfnl
comm unicaton first addressed to the Queen. If she
accepted it, she might then send for anybody she
liked to form Administration. Her discretion
is in a sense. absolutely unettered, or fettered only
by the obligation TO take prudent course and to
gard to the possibilities of politics She might ask
one of Mr.. Gladstones colleagues to take up the
burden. 1t was for moment supposed she had
actually summoned Lord Harrington to Balmoral
with view to proposing it to him. Nobody has
forgotten that when Lord Beaconslied resigned IL
1880 the Queen sent for Lord Harrington and Lord
Granville before falling reluctantly back on the
man she most disliked. She could not forco Lord
Harrington or Lord Granville to take office. but
she could and did give them the chance. That
shows how real her power at such moment 49, In
a nice balance of parties. or sections OF tho same
party her royal choice would be decisive; de-
cisve it was between Lord Pamerston and Lord
John Russell She could fairly elect in this present
crisis between Lord Salisbury and Sir Stafford
Northcote. and though it is very improbable that
the latter could form Ministry he might like the
compliment of being asked to try.
But in order to avail herself to the full OF this
constitutional authority in reformation Of a new
Government, the Queen ought to he in London.
The Inconvenience, to the mildcst word. arising
out of her residence in remote Highland castle,.is
enormous She Is not even to he reached by rail
way; whoever travels to the royal presence must
post on from Baater to Balmoral Prince BIS
Inarck lately told the world how much he preferred
oral TO written communications in important bnSi-
ness But here IL Mr.. Gladstone to whom his doe
tors absolutely forbid journey over the long 600
miles which lie between London and Balmoral and
who must send written statement aud full one.
of the reasons which have led him to place his res
ignation in the hands of Her Majesty. Ii is case.
il ever there was one for talking things over. So
obvious and cogcnt are the reasons winch
demand the Queens presence in or near London.
that 1t was assumed Tuesday that she must
come South ct once But no. Mr.. Gladstone's mes
seugcr raced oil TO tho Highlands is now racing
back again: aud "a conversation of some sort was
meanwhile carried on by telegraph between the
Sovereign and her Prime Minister.
Yesterday. after three days delay. urgent pub
lie business growing all the while more urgent.
Lord Salisbury summoned to Balmoral :;
started last II gIt. and ia at this moment travelling
ut full speed through country alive with rcminis-
cences of Mr.. Gladstonc's wonderful progress last
summer and autumn; "reminiscences which Lord
Salisbury considering his errand. may turn over in
ms mind with some grmncss of cynical humor.
Tho Redistribution Bill is hung up. Tbs question
of peacc or war with Russia is hung up. The issues
of order or disorder in Ireland. the momentous
alternative between coercion and cancellation. are
waiting to be determined. All Europe is astir
with excitement over this English crisis. Old ALI
anccs arc crumbling now combinations of the great
Powers are forming. or at least arc being dis
cussed along every wire between every capital on
the continent. Every Cabinet and every Chanccry
in Europe is on the alert. But all England and all
the rest of Europe kept in suspense because 1t
does not suit an elderly lady with a taste for
Highland air and deep devotion TO the memory Of
Highland gil!ie to quit the Businesses of Aberdeen
shire and come within mailing distance of her cap
ital and her Cabinet.
From the most selfish point of view she ought to
be here The Queens absence from London is a
standing grievance of tho Londoner. She cannot
endure London, but she might endure IL for few
days. She hates coming TO Windsor because next
week Is Ascot week. and Ascot is so near
Windsor Castle that the of racing rcvelries By
night and by day only a few miles %. disturb or
are deemed to disturb, the royal rcposo. But if she
would come To London for "a week. live in Backing
ham Palace give n dinner or two. AMI drive about
London in an open carriage. she might enhance
immensely both her personal popularity and tho
prestige of the Crown. All London would see for
itself that The Queen for that week the centre
of power and the solo source Of Ministerial au-
tbotitv The defect of the English IL a defect of
IMAGINATIVE power. What thoy do not with their
ewes they only half believe. Monarchy at dis
lance. invisible acting by messenger and telegram
is nothing like impressive to this people as
monarchy in the person OF n woman, respected aad
beloved visible in the streets and visited Mt every
hour by tho greatest men in England. anxious 10
take the commands of their royal mistress. That Is
something which would DO remembered Tor gem
Grafton. Crowds would fill St. Jamcs's Park. and
cluster about the tall ratings of the palace. watch
for The Queen and cheer her as she went about
Half the world would believe that Lord Salisbury
received his commission by the spontaneous sclec-
ton of his Queen. Tho other half would know
that, in tho end. it circumstances the choice OF
the Commons, the final wish of the party. and not
the caprice of n woman. which determined his
accession to power But the reclamation of even
half the world is worth having
There seems no doubt that tue Queen wishes Mr.