Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-22
THE QUEEN IN Politics. :
She Once Prevented q Conflict Between the
Upper and Lower Houses.

She Once Prevented q Conflict Between the
Upper and Lower Houses.
Special to the New York Herald.
The position Of the queen in English politics
is usually supposed 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 greatlyin
terested but with internal English politics she
has hitherto been credited with interfering
little.
At the opportune moment when the conserva-
tive scheme Of local self government for ireland
is about to be contrasted with Mr.. Gladstone's
home rule proposals, her majesty has permitted
the publication of q confidential communica-
which she sent to the archbishop Of Canter-
bury on the eve of another crisis in Irish polit-
ical history-nameiy. the introduction Of the
bill for the disestablishment of the church in
Ireland.
The inference is that her majesty desires TO
make Archbishop Tait's memoirs the medium
of divulging what her attitude then was with
view to the application Of the information TO
present events.
WHY THE QUEEN TOOK A HAND.
Her majesty did not approve Of the disestab-
lshment policy, but she accepted the decision
Of the country and the commons, and used her
influence to induce the lords on the one hand
to accept the bill. and. with Mr.. Gladstone, TO
take conciliatory methods with the lords. The
archbishop of Canterbury. her mediator ard
go-between, throughout the progress of the
disestablishment bill, went through an active
period OF wirepuiling, interviewing and lobby
ing which would have strained the nerves of Q
professional politician.
When the bill went into the lords the general
expectation was that they would reject it and
that another of those constitutional crises
would arise to threaten the existence of the
upper house, as now constituted. The fate Of
the monarchy is so reasonably associated in the
mind OF her majesty with that of an hereditary
upper house as TO create alarm when the posi-
ton OF the latter appears menaced. Undoubt-
eddy, If the peers had rejected the disestablish-
ment bill, Mr.. Gladstone would have been
backed up by an enraged country, and the al
ways impending agitation to disestablish the
peers as a legislative body would have received
dangerous momentum.
WHAT THE QUEEN SAID.
The queen wrote to the archbishop: Soon
sidering 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 absolute re-
lection In that house. Carried as it has been
by an overwhelming and steady majority
through a house of commons. chosen expressly
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
dinerent result. The rejection of the bill,
therefore, would only serve to bring the two
houses into collision and SO prolong a danger
GUS agitation of the subject"
These words-pregnant Of application in the
early future-are being quoted throughout the
queen, accepting the verdict OF the country on
home rule, will use all her power and per-
sonai influence to prevent the lords from OPP
posing it.