New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-25
ENGLISH PRECEDENTS.

The Marquis of Salisbury is the first English
Prime Minister of the century who has not been
First Lord of the Treasury. Indeed, there are
SO few precedents for his course III taking the
Secretaryship of Foreign Affairs that he may
virtually be said to have introduced new
practice in Cabinet government. We recall
only one The Earl Of Chatham in accepting
his title and consenting to form n Ministry III
17GG, selected the snecure Office OF Lord OF the
Privy Seal. This departure from ordinary
usage was caused by his ill-heath, aud through
ont his short term he shrrked responsibility for
the conduct of the Ministry which he had
formed. There may be other precedcnts of
greater force by which the separation of the
functions of Prime Minister and First Lord may
be justified, but the uniform practice has been
to combine the two offices. The Marquis of
Salisbury has been influenced by political
necessity in breaking away from an almost un-
broken line of precedents. The new Chancellor
of the Exchequer needs to BE- coached by the
First Lord and the only Conservative leader
competent TO advise him is Sir Stafford North
cote, who may be said to nave been Taught the
principles of Government finance by Mr.. Glad
stone. The Prime Minister'S own inclinations,
moreover, have mpeled him to resume his old
post in the Foreign Office.
1t is a curious fact that neither the Prime
Minister nor the Cabinet have any recognized
legal existence in England. The Office of Prime
Minister has never been created by Parla-
nentary act nor by royal decree. 1t is unknown
TO the statute law. Since Sir Robert WalpOle's
time the headship of the Cabinet has been fact
accepted by all parties without there being
line of legislation to justify 1t. The Prime
Minister has been First Lord OK the Treasury
because that was in ancient times the most
powerful Office under the Crown. Originally
the Lord High Treasurer was the sole head Of
the Treasury; then an EXchequer of Receipt,
afterward known as the Chancellor OF the Ex-
chequer, was appointed to stand guard over him;
next this great Office was put into commission,
with three Junior Lords TO assist the other two
functlonaries; and finally the collective au-
thority of the Treasury was concentrated in the
Chancellor, the First Lord and the Junior Lords
having only nominal functions. Practically the
First Lord has come TO have no regular depart
mcnt functions, since the Office is sinccure;
but theoretically he has kept the power of the
purse in his hands and in this way has estab-
ished an ascendancy over the members of his
Cabinet. His own anomalous position, without
statute law to limit his functions and with no
official rank except that of Priyy Councillor, is
a matter of slight consequence, since the Cab
met, which he dominates and controls is an
equally anomalous body without corporate
character or clearly defined functions. Practi
caly it is immateria whether the Prime Minister
is or is not connected with tho Treasury. His
political ascendancy. which imparts TO the Cab
met unity of responsibility and promotes con-
cert in action, can be maintained equally well il
he occupies the Foreign Office or any other de-
partment.
The Marquis OF Salisbury's departure from
the historic custom is to be commended on
practical grounds. Englishmen may be mo-
mentaiily disturbed by it, since " their god" as
Emerson once said, is precedent" But
obviously the Continental habit Of placing the