The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-30
suppose the Queen should Dismiss MIR
Gladstone?

The Unionists consider it matter OF
vital moment to force Il dissolution of Par
lament before the Liberal Prime Minister
can carry through the House OF Commons
measures likely to proptiate the trade
unions and the agricultural laborers. I'm
less they can appeal to the country on the
naked issue Of home rule. they have no
hope Of winning at the next general cleo
ton. The depth Of their desperation was
disclosed the other day in a letter to the
London Times. in which the writer sug-
gested that the Queen should sum
marily dismiss Mr.. GLADSTONE, in spite
Of his majority OF SO in the popular branch
OF the legislature. and should call upon
Lord SALISBURY to form Government for
the express purpose Of Immediately sub
hitting the Homo Rule bill to the con-
stituencies. That this Is not the sugges-
tion of lunatc but would be heartily sup
ported by many Unionists. is plain from the
earnestness with which it is combated by
sober-minded men and newspapers like
Sir HENRY JAMES and the Spectator. 1t is
not denied that the intentions OF the Glad
stonians might be temporarily thwarted
in this way, but it is pointed out that the
remedy would be worse than the disease.
AS matter Of strict constitutional law,
the power Of a British sovereign to dismiss
his Prime Minister. Notwithstanding the
latter's command Of majority in the
House Of Commons. can scarcely lie dis
puted. 1t cannot be maintained that this
power. like the veto power. has been lost by
non-user. Within the compass Of about a
century there have been three precedents
for such an exercise OF the prerogative, and
one Of them was made In the present reign.
The most memorable OF these three cx-
amples OF sovereign's interposition took
place In 1885, when GEORGE III. dismissed
the Ministry OF which the Duke of PoKT-
LAND was the nominal head. but Of which
Fox and NORTH were the real leaders.
Called upon to form Government. WILL
LIAM PITT held his ground for some three
months before appealing to the country,
although his opponents outnumbered his
supporters by nearly two to one in the
House OF Commons. and although no fewer
than sixteen resolutions were passed en-
bodying declarations OF want OF confidence.
When the appeal to the constituencies was
ultimately made. they sustained the SOW
ereign by giving PITT large majority.
The second exercise of q sovereign's right
to disregard the will OF the House of Com
mons was made by WILLIAM ~. in 1884,
when. exasperated at the demands pressed
upon him by the Wing Cabinet under Lord
MELBOURNE. he broke it up and invited Sir
ROBERT PEEL to form a new one. This
time the electors did not sanction the act OF
the sovereign. for Sir ROBERT, though he
gained u great increase OF STRENGTH I'm tina
House. still found himself minority. and
had to resign. Five years later. the MEL
BOURNE Ministry being again beaten,
Queen VICTORIA was obliged to summon the
leader of the Opposition. Sir ROBERT PEEL.
But she refused to comply with his de-
mand that she should part with
her ladies of the bedchamber. and
thus compelled him to resign, al
though he unquestionably had u majority
OF the House of Commons behind him. 1t
would doubtless be argued by some Union
lists that what was sauce for the Tories in
1889 might be sauce for the liberals In 1899
and that II tho Queen could override the
will OF the Commons on q ground so petty
hs the bedchamber question. she might we'll
feel herself justified in doing 80. when the
separation Of her kingdoms is threatened.
But times have changed since 1899 There
have been two reform bills passed since
then. and the present electorate is one OF a
very different temper from that of filty-four
years ago. 1t has come to be fundamental
principle OF the unwritten British Constitu-
lion, that the sovereign must be shielded |
rom presenting even the semblance of an