The suburban citizen., 1901-03-02

! Alt NluS luNOIllG uuNlNtIS. L nc
Ministers did not form a united body,
and the sovereign could remove any
one of them at win without consulting
the others. The King might have a
! policy, and so might Parliament, but
! the Cabinet could have none, and
each Minister was responsible to the
King for his discharge of certain spe-
cial duties. In the words of Macau-
lay, "there was parliamentary govern
ment, but there was no ministry"
The triumph of Parliament over the
arbitrary monarchy in 1GSS did not
settle the Cabinet question on its pres
ent basis, but it laid the foundations
for the solution Of the mighty prob
lem. The royal power having been re-
duced to a mere shadow, the Cabinet
had to become the executive agent
of the real governing body-Parlla-
ment And this is what 1t has been
since the last vain attempts to keep it
in some sort of subordinatlon to the
crown.
One Of the best English expounders
of constitutional law says that this
"ancient and ever-altering Constitution
is like an old man who still wears
with attached fondness clothes in the
fashion Of his youth; what you see of
him is still the same, what you do not
see is wholly altered" How true this
is will appear from a comparison be-
tween the letter of the law and the
practice, which cannot be upset with
out destroying the whole British sys,
TEN. The English law, authorities
agree, does not know of such a body
as the Cabinet, and there is no provi-
sion requiring the King to appoint
Ministers acceptable to the Commons
or to dismiss such as have lost the
support Of that body. Resignation af-
ter an adverse vote is not demanded
by law. In fact, no feature of the So
called parliamentary system of gov
ernment is expressly established by
statute.
Yet for a long time the British Gov
eminent has rested upon these three
fundamental principles:
Il
posed of Ministers bound together by
ties of party or policy TO give force
and effect to a certain political pro
gramme.
,. That 5ne Cabinet shall hold Office
no longer than they can control a ma
jority of the House Of Commons, but
shall resign after Il defeat on any
party question.
3. That the leadership OF the Cab
inet shall be vested in the Prime Min
lister, and that he, not the King, shall
have the right to select and remove
his associates.
These principles were settled dur
Ing the reigns Of the first two Georges,
and it is interesting to call attention
TO the last attempt at overthrowlng
them in favor Of royal discretion.
This attempt was made in 1885 by
William ". Dissatisfied with the
Melbourne ministry the King dis
missed 1t in a letter to the Premier.
declaring that he had no confidence in
him. Peel was then asked to form n
ministry, though the House of Com
mons had a liberal majority He re-
luctantly consented and tried to carry
en- the Government After four ad-
verse votes he resigned and expressed
himself thus: According to the prac-
rice, the principle and the letter Of the
Constitution, a Government should not
persist in directing the national af-
fairs after a loyal attempt contrary to
the decided opinion of the House Of
Commons, even when it possesses the
confidence Of the King and a majority
in the House of Lords"
The Conservative party itself in this
way formulated the principle Of par
liamentary supremacy, and it has been
respected ever since.
1t had full play under Victoria The
sO-called "bedchamber episode" is a
curious Illustration of the extent TO
which the ministry has encroached
upon the personal rights Of the sover-
elgn. In 1889 Peel invited to form a
ministry, informed the Queen that she
would have to dismiss the ladies OF
her court, including those Of the bed
chamber, because they belonged to the
rival party. Queen Victoria declined
to accede to this request, characteriz-
ing it as contrary to usage and re-
pugnant to her feelings" Peel refused
to accept Office on these terms, and
the Melbourne ministry was continued
in power.
Two years later the Queen had to
yield and the mistress Of the robes
was made dependent on ministerial
changes, while a Few personal attend
ants were allowed to continue in their
appointments without regard to poll
tics.
The Cabinet has been called
"buckle which fastens the legislature
70 the executive In origin It belongs
10 the latter in function to the former.
The King must take such Ministers as
can control majority Of the Com
mons, and this majority implies
majority Of the voters. 1t Is the eop.