New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-25
THE QUEEN AT BALMORAL.
MINISTER'S IN ATTENDANCE-WHAT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN-WHAT IS-WHAT USED TO BE


sangement the Government are putting their pest
foot forward or all members Of the present
Cabinet the Foreign Secretary Is on p'rson"'
grounds undoubtedly the most acceptable 10 'he
Oueen There was no truth in the story ainrmeu
bv Mr. Iabouchere that when Lord Roseocry was
bestatinp between feelings OF loyalty 10 MI
Gladstone and consideration for his own heaith
Her Majesty interposed and turned the scale II
favor OF acceptance of office But, win reference
10 personal relations, il was at least well ih''hu
II is interesting TO speculate IN TINS conh'c'o'
~. ,fr I ahoucberes turn would have been dealt
with when in the ordinary rotation, ne "oui"
have had 10 journey north in attencance OH 'hc
Ouecn. II the expected had happened II" wou"
have been Pcstmaster-Genera and when inc
Duke OF Rutland, as Lord John Manners hei'
the Office the PostmastcrIicncral was III hio'e
troouon, attendance on the Queen than any other
of his colleagues Perhaps Mr.. Labouchere wouh'
never have reached the distinction But, sup
nosino him 70 he Cabinet Minister, it would have
hoo, invidious 10 pass him over when his turn
came round There was time, nearly forty
v.ars aco. when the Cabinet Of the day included
Minister whom the Queen could not aDear.
II was not Mr. Disraei, though at tins very
epoch and for some years later the favorlte OF
1874 was held in particular adherence, not only
bv the Queen, but by the Prince Consort. III was
the Home Secretary in Lord Aberd"ens "oNeTh-
won't whom the Queen positively refused TO have
IN attendance during her stay at BaimoraE Inc
situation grew % strained that Lord Ab"rlc'n
beinn at Osborne, took an opportunity 10 talk
with the Prince ConsOrt on the suDJcc', anu oN
his influence the veto WITHDRAWN ana i-ora
Palmerston took his turn in attendance az
Balmoral ...,
probably had Mr. Labouchcre been admitted
Lodi mod
a,r somewhat similar state of things wonld
-. ,ro-Lod ;tself ont There WAS time
when IT. seemed impossible or at least cmbar-
r,ssinc that Mr.. Chamberlain should not only
he q Cabinet Minister but should he admitted
n those terms of personal intimacy with the
Sovereign that Cabinet Office implies 1t came to
mass that Her Majesty having in come sense sa''
forced upon her the necessity OF making NIT.
Chanberain's acquaintance found IN place oi
the rough and dangerous Republican Birm'hg-
ham was understood 10 have sent TO Parla-
mcnt. gentleman of quiet manner ana agree
able conversation II came to pass that MT
Chamberlain was one of rho most accep'aole
Ministerial visitors at Windsor or OSBORNE,
condition Of affairs certainly not changer - NJ
disadvantage when he parted from Mr. Gladstone
Since he was out of office he has on more than one
occasion received the marked attention of a
command to dine and sleep at WIndsor rare
token Of favor extended TO the charming Ameri'
can lady his wife.
II il quite possible TO conceive that with ordl'
nary opportunities, Mr.. Labouchere would make
roual way in the Royal favor. 1t is only the
weak. i-nformcd mind that shrinks appalled,
from the idea Of the member for Northampton
Having furtively smoked u cigarette in the
policies Of Balmora, entering the queens Draw
lng-Room and chatting with her Of men ano
affairs. But it is said there is nothing INC
Queen likes better than a dish of good GOSSIP.
When two or three years ago the affairs OF INC
late Lord Sackville fell into the hands OF rome
eminent lawyers arranging a settlement 'heS
found at Knole bundle Of correspondence adj
dressed to Lady Sackvle from Windsor or Os
borne. Thes.: I have hcarl. contained graph;
accounts OF cosey chats with the Queen in which
,he eagerly pursued Lord Stclivllle in s"arcl
Of all the latest gossip of the Court desire &c
know all things about everybody is, as those famil
lar with the habits of one Of the most reputable
of the King Georges know, hereditary. Mr. La
boucherc's knowledge in this lepaitn ent Of ienc
is extensive and peculiar and as racontcur ht
NJ has few rivals
ii But Mr. Labouchere is out OF the running. and
10 Lord Rosebery in attendance on the Queen will
follow Mr.. Campbell Bannerman Lord Spencer
Lord Kimberley. Lord Herschel and Sir William
IIarcourt The time has long gone by when th'
Prime Minister took his turn at Balmoral. Bu
with the Queens reign it began the way. Lord Mel
bourne being inscparable from Her Majesty, anl
later Lord Aberdeen, being only less frequent in
attendance. It was at that time not only at Bal
moral that this duty was imposed upon Ministers
When the Queen went to Osborne or even Il
Windsor Castle Cabinet Minister was told of
for attendance First Windsor and then Osborne
were left out Of the itinerary. But when THE Queer
goes to Balmoral, or when she travels thu
Continent, the custom is at this day strictly OBJ
served There is now no practical Use in il any
more than there is in these days OF the Great
Northern Railway. necessity for the stage coach t.
run between York and London. What with
private telegraph wire from Balmoral 10 London
and with a constant stream of Queens messenger:
hurrying to and from Balmoral and Whitehall the
Sovereign is in much closer touch with public
affairs than she was even when in the early part
Of her reign the Premier Of the day was q guest
at Balmoral. But ancient customs lingcr long
under the shadow of the throne Possibly had
Mr.. Labouchere come 20 be on the rota Of Minis
tiers in attendance. new view Of the situation
might have been taken. But that was not TO be,
and doubtless till the present reign closes. old
habit in this respect will be maintained
To this day the Queen jealousy preserves to
its smallest detail that pleasing Illusion of being
actual arbiter and controller OF the Government OF
the Empire. disregard OF which brought Lord Pal
merston under the Royal displeasure Forty
years ago. Pam" being Foreign Secretary. he. II
will he remembered, in his jaunty way carried on
the business Of the Foreign Office without toe
punctousy regarding the supervision OF He,
Majesty. Possibly he was influenced by knowledg
Of the fact that the real power behind the throne
was the Prince Consort, who's inccssant and occas
ionaly fusey interference in foreign affairs is art
lessly disclosed in his correspondence with Stock
mar Lord Palmerston pulled up by per
emptory note "1'he Queen expects it was writ
ten in letter that reached the Foreign Office in
1850, ito be kept informed of what passes be-
tween Lord Palmerston and the Foreign Ministers