Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-04-14

prime minister y no is resigning Office.
/ When a statesman has accepted tie
duty be is at liberty to select whomso-
ever he plesses for the other positions
in the cabinet. subject to the approval
of the sovereign. which NAV be regard
ed as very much matter of form.
although this is not absolutely the case.
sURRENDERiNG THE SEALS.
When a new ministry has been Sc
| lected, the members of the outgoing
cabinet go down to Osborne or proceed
to Windsor, and formally surrender to
the sovereign their seals of Office. Their
backs are hardly turned when the new
| ministry arrives. aud the members kiss
the hand of tie sovereign upon their
| appointment, aud receive the seals OF
their respective offices. In parliament
the change Of government is signified
by change of positions on the benches.
The cabinet ministers and their follow
ers cross the floor to the right of the
chair and the retiring ministers and
their supporters take their seats on the
left. It is not necessary there should be
fresh permanent every time there Is
change of government, but if there is
not. members Of the cabinet who are
commoners must be reelected on the
ground that they have accepted posi-
tons Of trusts and emOlument under
the crown. A minister is not theoreti-
cally required to have seat in parlia-
ment. but practically he must No
man could retain Office long il he were
not in parliament and held to account
by it for his actions This constitutes
the essential difference between an
American and English cabinet. The
cabinet in the United States is selected
by the president with the approval of
tho senate. but no member holds seat
in either the senate or house of repre-
sentatives. The members of the Eng
fish cabinet must be in parliament, and
may be questioned day by day on
public affairs or arraigned in debate.
Even the under secretaries of depart
ments and the attorney and solicitor
general must be in parliament. 1t they |
cannot secure election some one else is
appointed TO the office.
CoNvoKED BY THE PRIME MINISTER.
A cabinet meeting is convoked by the
for the purpose, addressed to her maj
esty's confidential advisers. The meet
ing may be held anywhere, but the
usual place is the official residence of |
the first lord of the treasury. in Down
ing street. Meetings have also been
held in the foreign office. There is
record of one queer meeting of a very
small cabinet of three in bed room,
with the prime minister tucked away
sBugly under the blankets The mode
of summoning her majesiy's confidential
advisers is quaint and curious. The
notification neither comes by post nor
by advertisement, but by messenger.
In all the government departments
there are messengers available as cour-
iels or bearers of dispatches. One of
these officials goes around with red
oblong box, which is in turn locked and
unlocked by the various members of the
cabinet who may be in town. This
box contains the summons. Apparent
ly there are no particulars as to pro-
spective business. for the opening and
shutting only occupy moment, and
the messenger is not delayed on his
rounds.
THE CABINET CHAMBER.
The cabinet sittings are held in one
room of a very moderate sizes, where it