New-York tribune., 1885-01-04
THE RECENT REVOLUTION
ns,NG SOME ACCOUNT OF THE QUEENS
SHARE IN 1T.

TIPH
vo+ mapv men are left in London to talk
..,,,;c. lint those who are here are still put
-. cmundrums to each other about the
.,',nromise tit is so called for politeness sake)
sstween Lord Salisbury and Mr. Gladstone Inc
,va Liberal still insists that it tras COMPROMISE
and that Mr.. Gladstone got more than ne gave Inc
feryent worshiprers ut the Gladstone SHRINE ~
further and talk to you with grave ana siowerios
roce Of Lord Salsbury's surrender. The true Tory
ia nuzzled to know what Lord Salisbury Is up 10
hnt then as cannot remember time when the true
Tory was not puzzled, l am less puzzled
than he is to find him puzzled now.
occasionally man appears on the scene
,i,b what looks like new fact More often he
offers Won something which ia the reverse Oh lac''
The amazing accounts published Ill sunory
society sheets are good examples OF facts WHICH
arc no facts.
7 said something the other day about the queens
,,;ow nc those transactions 1t has been known ID
n Vagina wav that the Oneen had something to DO
in bringing Mr.. Gladstone and Lord SALISBURY 'o
getber Some guesses as to Her Majesty's actuai
share in the negotiations have been hazardcu Ill
print few of them even plausible. am not gong
70 adj to the nuinber, but / may repeat what
have heard on authority that seems 10 me
sufficient to warrant repeating 1t Ill PRINT
The Queen. according to this account. was from
the beginning an active agent in the business ne
fancitul tales which gained currency about her
conversations with Mr.. Gladstone at Balmorai iast
Scntember were devoid of any foundation, anu On
the face of them, impossible Nor had the moment
for peace-making then arrived. 1t came ia.er'
Lord SaIisbury's attitude OF rreconciiapie hos'"y
IN the Franchise Bill perfectly sincere nc
had nailed his colors TO the mast and meant 10 oc
6pat,ng. He was equally sincere in preierihR "
nee the House of Lords abolished rather than 300 ~
live on shorn of real power. Mr.. Gladstone Oh MS
side was as have pointed out many ti'hoS'
more than willing to let the Lords alone. MS i'
solve to pass the Franchise Bill at any COS. iu-
voved two alternatives; to pass it at any cost 10
the Constitution or at any cost 'o hio
nrevious refusas to bring forward his scheme oi
Redistribution at tie same time, OF before the fran
ehso R;ll should have gone safely through the Of
deal of the Upper Chamber.
What the Queen said was that in these two posi-
t,ons appa emily so hostile, lay hid the condi'ons
# a compromise. She entered into communication
with Locd Salisbury She was, as matter u
eo,rse already and often in consultation WIN hei
Prime Minister Her messenger to the Tory ieadcr
wasthe Duke of Richmond; relntorced later oy horu
Cairns Her message did not fall much snort Oh
royal command. Lord Salisbury was given 10 IN
derstand in conciliatory terms winch hardiy us
OuSeu the pcrempIOflitSSO Va thO IuOO"'y P''-fO"N'
that an arrangement was in Her Maiesty's opinion,
practicable and urgent. The Duke OF kichmohu
and Lord Cairns at the same time, or nearly tne
same time intimated to Lord Salisbury that neither
thew nor their friends were prepared to follow him
IN the end he proposed. He was asked to say what
he wanted and what he would accept. 1t was then
discovered that he had in mind a scheme OF redis-
trihutIon larger than the one already puDiished'
and likely to be more acceptable to the Liberals
themselves. This fact was made known to Nr.
Gladstone, who was asked to state whether, on
being satisfied that Lord Salisbury would agree TO
a satisfactory schem. of Redistribution and 10
pass the Franchise bill, he thought he could still
stand out on what would then become mere ques-
ton of procedure. II would not be decorous TO say
that Mr. Gladstone jumped at the chance thus
offered him. but be welcomed 1T. If the substance
of reform could be ensured, be declared, he would
leave the shadow to be quarrelled over by anybody
who liked Would he take the first step Y Cor
tainly. and the second. too" And thereupon IL
was that the memorable statement was made IN
the House of Commons embodying the oiier 10 Loro
Salisbury, which Lord Salisbury next day formally
accepted from his place as leader OF the Opposition
majority in the House of Lords.
This account does not In the least bellttie Inc
greatness of the concessions made by Mr.. Glad
stone. 1t leaves him in the position Of having Sc
cured MS heIOTJu ouis ny yioA"A"s w '"N $500
of the Lords to shelve it till they had been satisfied
about Redistribution, or, as il is beginning TO
be called. the Seats bill. All the present narrative
does is to make little palmer the process by which
the meeting of the minds of the two leaders was
brought about As an illustration of the kind of
mower still exercised often usefully by the Sow
sregn it is perhaps, still more interesting. That
she PLAYED her part on this occasion with unerring
tact with great ability, and also with judicious
display of authority, is admitted. The admiration
~ her skill expressed on both sides Is beyond
question sincere. To great extent the influence
she welded was personal. With her immense ex-
perience she knew perfectly how best to avail her
self of the prerogatve still admitted to exist III the
Crown, though existing for the most part on con-
dition that it o. not used; or, be seldom used.
now sovereign or a stupid sovereign could have
done nothing
Mr. Bagehot has passage familiar TO readers of
bis book on the English Constitution. but well
worth quoting again In con nection with what has
lust happened:
Both the courtiers of George III. and the courti
ers Of Queen Victorla are agreed as TO the magni-
tude of the royal influence. II is with both an ac-
cepted secret doctrine that the Crown does more
than it seems. But there is wide discrepancy in
opinion as to the quality of that action Mr. Fox
did not scruple TO describe the hidden inrnence OF
George I'LL as the undetected agency OF an Internal
spirit The action of the Crown at that period was
the dread and terror Of Liberal politicians, But
never know, but when history is written our chIl.
dren may know. what we owe to the Queen and
Prince Albert The mystery of the Constitution.
which used to be hated by our calmest. most
thoughtful and instructed statesmen. Is now loved
and reversnced by them
That was written IN 1865 1t is Just true to-
day Of Liberal politicians who accept Mr.. Glad
stones conception of Liberalism. as it was twenty
years ago. with one exception-Prince Albert would
bestruck out The political prestige of that excellent
man has not survived the fuller knowledge of his
political principles now in possession OF the public.
The weight that had to be given to the Queens
opinion in the present wasincreased. no doubt