The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-22
QUEEN VIC In POLITICS.
HER INFLUENCE BROUGHT TO
BEAR ON THE LORDS.


The Archbishop of Canterbury EN-.
ployed as Go-between to Induce
the Upper House Not to Oppose the
Bill to Disesteblish the Church In
Ireland.
LONDON, June 2L-The position of the
queen in English politics is usually sup
posed to be generally passive. In foreign
politics she has been known, since the life
Of the prince consort threw some light upon
the business life Of royalty. to be greatly
interested. But with internal English poli>
tics she has hitherto been credited with
interfering little. AT an opportune moment.
when the conservative scheme of local self
government for Ireland is about TO be con-
trasted with Mr.. Gladstone's home rule
proposals, her majesty has permitted the
publication Of confidential communica~
tion which she sent to the Archbishop of
Canterbury on the eve OF another crisis in
Irish political history-the introduction OF
the bill for the disestablishment of the
church in Ireland.
HER oBJEcT
The inference is that her majesty desires
TO make Archbishop Tait's memoirs the
medium of divulging what her attitude
then was, with a view to the application
OF the information TO the present
events. Her majesty did not APP
prove Of the disestablishment policy, but
she accepted the decision Of the country
and Commons, used her influence
to induce the lords on one hand IL
accept it and the Gladstonians to take oon-
ciliatDry methods with the lords. The
Archbishop Of Canterbury was her mediator
and go-between, and throughout the
progress OF the disetabllshment bill went
through an active period of wire-pulling,
interviewing and lobbying, which would
have strained the nerves of professional
politician.
THE QUEENS FEAR.
When the bill went into the lords the gen.
eral expectation was that they would reject
it, and that another Of those constitutional
crises would arise which threaten the ex-
istence Of the upper house, as now constI-
tuted. The fate of the monarchy is SO
reasonably associated In the mind of
hereditary upper house as to create
alarm when the position Of the latter ap-
pears menaced. Undoubtedly IL the peers
had rejected the disestablishmeut bill, Mr..
Gladstone would have been backed up by an
enrRged country, and the always impend-
ing agitation to disestablish the peers as a
legislative body would have received q
dangerous momentum.
OPPOSITION OPPOSED.
| The queen wrote to the archbishop:
considering the circumstances under
which the measure has come TO the House of
Lords, the queen cannot regard. without the
greatest alarm, the probable effect of its alb
solute rejection in that House.
Carried as 1t has been by
an overwhelming and steady majority
through the House of Commons, chosen ex-
pressly to speak the feeling of the country
on the question, there seems no reason to
believe that any fresh appeal to the people
could lead to different result. The rejec.
ton Of the bill, therefore. would only serve
to bring the two houses in collision. and SO
prolong the dangerous agitation Of the
subject" These words, pregnant of appli-
cation in the early future. are being quoted
throughout the liberal press as proof In
anticipation that the queen, accepting the
verdict Of the country on homo rule, will
use all her power and personal influence to
| prevent the lords from opposing it.