New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-12
QUEEN AND MINISTER'S.
sfR BALFOUR AT BALMORAIs-TTrE HEIR OF
HATFIELD-LoRD RANDOLPH CIIIJRCHIrr.
Weetminster. AuQnst y

Mr.. Arthur Baifour Is just now taking his furn
as Minister in Waiting on the Queen at BalmoraI.
This will give him IN opportunity of hearing wba.
Her Majesty has TO say on the subject of his Irish
Local Government Bill. Queen Victoria. az ALI
the world knows. is, above all things, constitu-
tonal sovereign. But she is accustomed to take
decided views on State questions, and to express
them with engaging franlSness. From time 70 time
some record leaps TO light showing how direct and
weighty is Her Majestys personal influence. Such
@ one appeared O few weeks ego in the unlikely
pages of the memoirs OF the late Dr. TAFT, Arch.
, bishop of Canterbury The Archbishop showed
with some pardonable pleasure in contemplation Of
the part he was himself permitted to play, how the
Queen personally and persistently interposed "a
avert threatened collision between Lords and
Commons in the matter Of the Irish Church Bill
She dislked and distrusted the measure as strongly
and sincerely as any bishop of them all. But with
keen insight and ripe Judgment that does her In
finite credit, she perceived the obstinacy on the
part of the press would lead only to injury 10
Church interests and would involve some dans.,
60 the House Of Lords. Accordingly she employed
the Archbishop Of Canterbury, who had confidential
interviews with every one, from Mr.. Gladstone TO
Mr. Disraeli, and in the end the Lords were induced
TO withdraw from the defiant attitude they had
assumed.
That episode, revealed after on interval Of
twenty years, is likely TO be recalled whenever
an important bill involving constitutional changes
is before Parliament and the country. On that par.
ticular occasion the Queens Influence was directed
in the right quarter She was wiser than eight
out of ten of the Conservative party, including
the liable tactician, Mr.. Disraeli. But there is an
uneasy consciousness that it might have been other
wise. Looking back on the secret history Of the
epoch of which not whisper found its way into
contemporary public record, II is quite plain that
had the Queen suffered herself to be dominated by
the dislike she plainly expressed to Mr. Gladstone's
scheme the Lords would have thrown out the bill
and political crisis of serious import would have
supervened. With respect to Mr.. Bafours measure
to-day as in 1869, in reference to Mr. Gladstones
Church Bill, the secret of the Queens personal
views is strictly preserved. There is, however,
little doubt the Chief Secretary In the comparative
leisure and complete retirement OF Balmoral, viii
be made fully acquainted with them. 1t is quite
possible that such was the intent when he was
placed thus early on the rota OF Ministers In at
tendance It is quite unusual for the Minister
who has borne the heat and burden Of the session
to enter almost Immediately On it's close upon the
duty of attendance at Balmoal. The office is no
snecure since the Queen insists with imperial pune.
tiiousness in having submitted to her every dOca-
ment of Importance reaching Ministers. Whether
at Windsor, Osborne or Balmoral, she works al
! morning at her desk, and likes to know that The
Minister is within call.
l. Should the Queen be averse to any bold and
serious effort to settle the Local Government ques-
ton in Ireland it would be serious weight to the
burden of opposition Mr. Balfour now smiles I'M
der In Conservative circles dislike of the proposal
is growing in intensity and in vgor of expression.
1t is not liked any the better because OF the
shrewd SUSPICION that Mr. Chamberlain, whs
forced the Free Education scheme on his hapless
allies has also had finger in this pie. MI Balfour
took well-consdered step when, on the eve OF the
Propagation, he dehnitively announced the Dill
for next session and dashed III an outline OF ltS
provisions. He has secured for himself the adVan-
tace that between new and February he VIII learn
what he has to expect when the bill Is Ald on Tue
tables of the House of Commons. Fer nearly SIX
months he will have opportunity of watching which
way the wind blows, and will be able 10 Judge
how far it may be necessary to trim his sails The
bill as he proposes to carry it, is actually drafted.
and printed copies are in the hands of Cabinet
Ministers who have taken them with them on their
several holiday tours Thus, when In OCTOBER
| Cabinet councils reassemble, much time VIII
have been saved and Ministers can forthwith pro-
coed to compare their deliberately formed ludg-
ment on the clauses of the DILL
Mr. Ralfour arrived at BalmOral just too late TO ba
present at quaint ceremony In winch the queen
| takes keen personal interest. Shortly AFTER ths
| Prince Consort died the tenants on the baimorat
Birkhall and Abergede estates raised stone calfh
TO his memory. 1t stands on the hill above the CAS-
tie, huge pyramid of stone, pcrpetnaung MS haue
and recording the date of his death There are otef
initials cut on the stone, including the queen g.
and nearly all the members of the royal family
The temptation to AIRY to add his honored mono
gram TO the collection has been irresstlDe' Duo
the Obesk, as it is called is jealousy guafdeu anu
only once did AIRY, who has cut his Initials on
all the historical buildings OF the world from ING
Pyramids TO the innermost recesses of the Mamno'n
Caves succeed in getting his hand IN, the lhsci'P
ton being promptly and contumehouSiy erdSeu'
Thursday last was the seventy-second anniversary
of Prince Alberts BIRTH and in accordance with Gus
tom observed for nearly thirty years, procession
wound It's way up the hill to the obelisk. flrSS
came the gentlemen of Her Majestys Household IN
attendance. Then the principal tenants on the
royal estates. with troop of the upper servants
closing in the rear The strange company formed
a circle round the obelisk tumbers were produced'
n generous Jar of whskey was fortultousy as
covered in convenient proximity; bumpers were
| alIed and as noon changed from the castle CLOCK
tho croup silently drank to the memory of the long
dead master.
When Lord Salisbury returns to Hatfield ther'
are to be high inks the occasion of the cristen
ing of the little daughter born the other day u
the heir to the Marquisate. The jinks wouia
have been. so to speak, higher still had this a'es'
child of miracle proved a son. But there Is a.
WAYS promise in beginning, and the advent 0,
the little lady broke spell that had long darKeheu
the Hatfield household. Lord Cranborne was nai,
ried so far back as 1897, and up to this year was
cbildless 1t seemed, as indeed it stands now'
that once more the title would pass out Oh inc
direct first line The present Marquis, as every
one knows, came into the heritage out OF turn
Up to his thirty-Gfth year he was known as Loru
Robert Cecil, young man gifted with more
brains than money, thankful for the honorariun
received for occasional articles in the Quarterly Sh'
for somewhat regular contributions to the editorial