The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-07-18
THE BRITISH CABINET.
| A National Institution which Has No Lee
CALLED Existence.

~ Nationai Austitutfon WHICH mas NO k<o-
CALLED Existence.
It is remarkable circumstance cha.
. body SO august as the English Cabinet
should be unknown to law. Its MEM
bers are constitutional advisers of the
sovereign, and yet their appointment is
not provided for by any act of Parlia-
ment. They speak of themselves, and
are generally regarded as Her Maj
esty's Ministers; but, in reality, they
represent the declared will of the con-
stituencies, and hold Office only so long
as they command the confidence of the
House of Commons. The choice of
Ministers is the prerogative of the
| Crown, but practically that choice is
limited to the selection of Prime Min
lister, who has already been nominated
| by the voice of the party; and he Sc
lects his colleagues according to the po-
| litical exigencies of the time. The body
thus constituted comes into existence
without any official proclamation of the
! fact. Such of its members as had not
before been admitted into the ranks of
Her Majesty's Privy Councillors are
forthwith summoned to the Council.
and the fact of their being sworn is
formally announced in the London Ga
zette; but their appointment as MEM
bers of the Cabinet is never thus made
known to the world.
| There is no rule as to how many Min
listers shall form the Cabinet, or what
shall be the relative proportion of Peers
and Commoners. In 1888 Pitts Cabi-
net consisted Of himself and seven
Peers. One Cabinet consisted of seven
| teen members, another of eleven; but
| the usual number is either thirteen or
| fifteen. At one time the Archbishop of
| Canterbury, the Lord Chief Justice, the
Master of the Mint, and the Command
er-in-Chief were entitled to places in
the Cabinet; but they have not been in
cluded in the ministries of modern
times. The ministers who are now
generally regarded as indispensable
members of the Cabinet are as follows:
The First Lord of the Treasury, the
Lord Chancellor, the Chancellor of the
| Exchequer, the Secretary for Home At
fairs, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
the Secretary for Colonial Affairs, the
Secretary tor Indian Affairs, the Secre-
tary for War, the President of the Coun-
Gil, the Lord Privy Seal, the First Lord
of the Admiralty. The heads of other
departments of the government are
sometimes placed in the Cabinet, ac-
cordng TO the personal views of the
Premier as to the Importance of the
Offices which they fill, or as tothe value
of their individual counsel and infu-
ence in political affairs. There are
usually two parliamentary chiefs of the
principal Departments of State, one in
each House, to represent the depart
ment to which he belongs, to defend its
policy, and to answer any questions
which may arise in relation b. it.
1t was formerly the custom of the
King to preside at meetings of the Cab.
met Council. William and Anne were
always present at the weekly meetings
of the Cabinet; but the inability Of
George l. to converse in English com
PEELED his absence from the delibera
tons of the Ministry, and since his time
no member of the royal family has evel
been present at Cabinet Council.
Meetings of the Cabinet are usually
convened by summonses formally adj
dressed by order of the Premier tc
'Her Majesty's Confidential Advisers y
but any member of the Cabinet has the
right to call his colleagues together
TRey are generally held at the Foreior
Office. or at the Prime Minister'S officia-
residence: but thew NAV he helf
wherever Ministers can be most conyen.
iently got together. There is no fixef
quorum, nor is the president formal,
appointed. The Cabinet Council has M
secretary. and no official record whateve,
is kept Of it's proceedings: even a nrivatf
record of what passed would he con
sidered a breach of ministerial conf
dence. Hence. no member of the Cab
met. not even the Prime Minister. is Al
liberty to make any revelation Of If,
| ...oy A.: :.l!.