Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-12-04
KINGS ODD RIGHTS.
EDWARD VII. RETAINS IMPOR-
TANT PREROGATWES.
Can Neither Die Nor Erie Not Sub
ject to Law and Is the Only Person
In the Empire Who Cannot Arrest
N Eelou.

ne tneOry OF EnSllSn law, as 10 lne
Of the monarch, is entire
ly inconsistent. The law recognizes
him as an irresponsible being, and yet
the same law defines his powers. In
consequence of this position, the courts
have from time to time interpreted
what constitutes his prerogatives. For
a clearer conception of these various
privileges" they have been divided
into four principal classes-viz., per
sonal, political, judicial and ecclesias-
tical.
However ludicrous II may appear to
the untutored American, It Is neverthe-
less fact (according to British stat
utes) that among the many rights
which have been taken from the SOW
erelgn are that he can neither die nor
make mistakes o., but there may be
a demise of the crown, and thereby Il
transfer Of authority. Neither can he
appointed for administrative purposes.
He is personally irresponsible for crime
or tort, and should injury be inflicted
at the hands of the king It is attributed
to the blunders of his advisers.
A curious consequence of the entire
exemption of the monarch is that he
is the only person in the realm who can
not, under any circumstances whatever,
arrest a felon. The reason for this
is that If the prisoner were innocent,
no action for false Imprisonment could
be brought against the crowned head.
The king is also exempt from taxa
tion, because, as the revenues is one of
his prerogatives, 1t would be useless
for him to tax himself, yet the lands
purchased from the prlvy purse are
taxable. No matter what debts he may
contract he can not be arrested or
his goods restrained or taken in exc
cution. This privilege of being exempt
from taxation applies to the palaces and
all public buildings of state. No Ju-
diclal process can be served in royal
residences, but this immunity does not
extend to buildings when not used as
a royal dwelling, such as Hampton
SOuLl IOOu 10 bAlli
sanctuary from civil process,
The king Is the supreme executive
and coordinate authority, and Is par
amount to parliament, which body he
can dissolve or prorogue at his pleas.
ure, but he can not prolong the sessions
beyond seven years. In theory, parlia'
ment exists only at the will of the SOY.
! ereign, and a vote for a member is
merely franchise granted through the
graciousness Of the monarch, and is an
inherent right Of the subject.
The king can refuse to assent to a
bill passed by parliament, though II
can be said that this right has not been
exercised since Queen Anne's reign
when that sovereign refused to slG'
the Scottish militia bill. The ruler is
not bound by any act Of parliament
unless he is named therein, and like.
wise, any proclamation issued by the
king is only binding when founded upon
and conforming to the common law
neither can he create any new offense
The right of the crown to grant let.
ters of denization has been preserved
as has also the valuable power to
grant peerages at will, when not re-
strained by act of parliament. The
right Of the king to have supreme com.
mand Of the army and navy was con
tested by the long parliament. Parlia.
ment has not, as yet, sought to de.
: pripa fha L. Of hfc NJ ,.f,
which consist Of the coming of money
regulating weights and measures, es.
tablishing markets, fairs and seamarks
He is the sole power in constituting cor.
porations. Some of his prerogatives
such as being the parent of infants
idiots and lunatics," are exercised
through ministers and a board Of trade
His judicial prerogatiyes proclaim
him to be the Fountain Of Justice. "
A learned commentator has said that
In being the fountain of justice" II
is not considered that the king is the
author, only the distributer-"not the
spring only the reservoir" AS supreme
judge, the king can appoint all the judi
cial officials Except in certain loves
courts who act as his deputies and, as
supreme conservator OF the peace
through the lord lieutenant in coun
ties and the lord chancellor In citie,
and boroughs.
The king is the head of the church
BY virtue of this prerogative he con
venes, dissolves convocation, nominate,
the bishoprics and other church pre-
ferments He Is the supreme court II
all ecclesiastical affairs, though thi,
appellate court Is now vested In a jud
icial committee of the privy council
with archbishops and bishops as as
SCISSORS The dean and chapter of thu
cathedral cannot proceed to the elec
ton Of bishop without the kings Der
mission to elect When any benefi
cence is vacant by the promotion of tn,
incumbent to a bishopric. other thar
colonial bishopric, the king has tn,
privilege of appointing. Whenever 6
new bishopric is created 1t is under the
power Of an act Of parliament
1t seems to be as head of the church
says writer in the New York Times
that the king grants licenses to hold II