The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-05-27
ASSUMPTIONS OF WILLIAM.
Ills DISREGARD OF THE BUF-
FERS,
Such as the Responsibility of Ministers
In Constitutional Monarchy,

In Constitutional Monarchy.
Is is a mistake to ascribe Emperor
Williams remarkable complaint about
the decline of "the old-time reverence
for the sacred character of the author
1ty of the crown to the criticism with
which, despite press laws and ''lese ma
jesty' penalties, he is being scored by
the German newspapers. The COM
plant which has excited widespread at
tention was made to the president of the
Reichstag and to a delegation of the
members of that body on the occasion
of their being received In official audi
ence to present him with an address of
congratulation on his recovery from the
wound received at Bremen, and on his
escape from more serious injury at the
hands of his crazy assailant. 1t was a
manifestation of imperial displeasure,
not to say irritation, caused by the
manner which the kaiser's action in
comforting the order of the Black Eagle
upon the English commander in chief,
Lord Roberts, and in committing the
sentence of fifteen years penal SerVi-
tude passed upon Prince Prosper Aren-
berg for murder to mere detention in a
fortress, had been criticised in the Par
lament of the German empire Not
merely Mr.. Richter, but likewise num-
( Der of other representatives of the peo-
pie, had demanded to know which of
the cabinet ministers had countersigned
the Notwithstanding the decoration
upon the English field marshal and
committing the punishment of the hon.
icide prince. On being informed by
Count Won Buelow, in his capacity of
imperial chancellor, that William II had
In each instance exercised what he was
pleased to regard as his prerogative, to
which no ministerial Endorsement was
necessary, they declined to accept this
view, and insisted that, as constitu-
tional monarch, the kaiser could per-
form no official or imperial act whatso-
ever without the cooperation and in
dorsement Of a cabinet minister who
could be held accountable to Parlia-
ment for the sovereign's actions.
And there is no doubt that Mr. Rich
ter and his fellow-deputies were right
in their contention, and that Count Won
Buelow was wrong in denying it. The
late Prince Bismarck, when chancellor
of the German empire, declined to ad-
nit the right of either the grandfather
or the father of William II to confer or
ders and decorations for the grant of
which he, as prime minister of Prussia
and as chancellor of the German empire,
was not prepared to become ministeri-
ally accountable. He compelled both
those COUnrpipnc n Iyip11 IN hin, in,
matter, and when on one memorable oc-
casion the old emperor conferred an or
der the grant Of which had been OPP
posed by Bismarck, the latter took the
extreme step of preventing the conces-
sion being officially gazetted. In anoth-
er instance, when the late Emperor
Frederick wished to confer a decoration
upon the mayor of Berlin, Mr.. Won
Forckenbeck, who was a political oppo-
nent for the chancellor, the latter only |
to indorse the grant on the |
condition that it should be explicitly |
stated in the Imperial Gazette that it |
had been given by the emperor in re-
,ognition Of Won Forckenbeck's services
N connection with the raising of fund |
Tor the relief of the sufferers from the
nundations in East Prussia, and not
or his administrative services as burgo-
master of Berlin.
Incidentally, it may be stated here
hat the reason the late queen of Eng
and founded the Victorian order few
years before her death was because she
Wished to have some sort of distinction
which she could give away as a token of
Ter personal regard, Independently Of
he ministers of the crown. For the
British sovereign cannot confer any
,rade of the order of the Bath without
he ministerial sanction of the secreta-
Y of state for war, no matter whether
t is granted for civil, naval or military
ervices. In the same way the indorse-
nent of the secretary of state for the
olonies is required in all cases where
he monarch wishes to confer the order
f st. Michael and st. George. The or
ers of the Star of India and of the In
ian Empire can be given only with the
fficial approval of the secretary Of
tate for India; while the consent of the
remier is indispensable to the grant of
he orders Of the Thistle, Of st. Patrick I
nd of the Garter. That is why the Vic !
brian order is looked upon merely as a c
ersonal token of regard on the part of e
re English sovereign, and may be de- d
,ribed as a court honor, whereas all I
le other orders just enumerated con-
.itute official recognition of services to
lie state.
1t may thus be seen that Emperor o
7illiam, in claiming the right to confer d
le order of the Black Eagle upon Lord
oberts without the cooperation or APP Il
roval of any of his responsible minis
RS, is putting forward a pretension q
hich neither of his predecessors upon ?
lie throne ventured to assert, and u
hich is claimed by no other constitu- p
onal monarch. And it is the same M
18th his course in committing the pun $
hment of Prince Prosper Arenberg, o
e murder perpetrated by whom was
such a cold-blooded and cruel charac- II
r as to debar him. in the opinion of II
@ people, from any remission of the Z.
together inadequate punishment to N
hich he was condemned in the first st
ace. 1t is perfectly true that clemen- II
has always been regarded as one of 81
e principal prerogatives of the crown; u
It this prerogative, likeAavery other W
fcaI act of the crown, can only be p'
ercised with the Endorsement of a ~
mister willing to become responsible te
the nation for the doings of the SOW u
aign. In England, for instance, the III
vereign can grant a pardon to the y
nvicted criminal or commute capital =