New-York tribune., 1903-01-26
ROYAL PREROGATIVE.
The Kings InterUentions IN Public
4faus-Precedents.
London. January Il.

Consort and queen Victoria were frequently
harassed and irritated by structures upon their
conduct in interfering actively and personally in
foreign affairs and in otner administrative mat
ters The King in like manner has been re-
preached for exercising undue influence ia
bringing about the coalition against Venezuela
when the German Emperor was at Sandring-
ham and il is rumored that he has taken
tive part in Irish affairs as in the negotiations
for peace in South Africa. Naturally the ques-
ton has been raised whether a sovereign OK the
United Kingdom has any scope for intervention
in foreign or domestic affairs when the prin-
ciple of the responsibility Of Ministers Of the
Crown to Parliament has been firmly estab-
Ushed Such discussion Of the matter as there
has been in the newspapers has been purely
academic for authoritative bill Of particulars
| has been provided respecting these royal inter
| ventions in public affairs. II there have been
interferences with the constitutional functions
of ministers there are formal proofs and no
comulaints from any responsible quarter
The Prince Consort during the Crimean War
and on other occasions endeavored 70 influence
unduly the Judgment OF ministers, and ham
pered their independence Of action as the re-
sponsible agents Of Parliament. Queen Victoria.
acting under his advice. took a strong line or
her own in urging one Prime Minister not to
undertake the ungrateful and injurious task Of
vindicating the Emperor of Russia from exag-
gerated charges and in bringing pressure 20
| hear upon another Prime Minister to ask for the
resigna ton Of Lord PaImerston as Secretary for
Foreign Affairs These interferences on the
part OF the sovereign with the conduct OF re-
sponsibIe ministers were justified by Baron
StocI,noar and his arguments were repeated IN
| the Life of the Prince Consort' by Theodore
Martin The baron however, has never been
accented as an authoritative expounder OF the
English constitution. and ideas OF the SOW
ereign's privilege once prevailing at court were
virtually renounced before the close OF the VIC
torian reign The accepted view or historians
controversialists and statesmen has been tnat'
while the sovereign is released from all re-
sponsibility to Parliament there is no strong
| hold Of administrative authority outside the
bodI, of Ministers of the Crown. The whole mat
fer was thoroughly threshed out midway in the
Victorian reign and it is hardly credibls that
there can be a revival of Baron Stockuars
sophistries during the present reign.
The difficulty of providing clearly denneo
field of activity for the sovereign remains: and
it is increased when there is either natural
caracfty for public affairs or conscientious
desire to make full use of opportunities for the
exercise of royal influence. 1t may safely be
assumed that the authority and independence
of neither the Secretary for War nor the secre-
tarv for the Colonies were impaired by the
Kings eagerness to have peace in South AFRICA
before the coronation; and there can De HUE
doubt that the Secretary for Ireland IN en-
couragirg the Land Conference and In seeking
to obtain the organized support of landlords ana
tenants for a new scheme OF settlement has
acted as responsible minister OF the crown
and not as the impuIsve agent Of Mr. Clad
stones royaI patron and friend No minister
has been coerced and the principles and practice
of English constitutional government nave
neither been reversed nor disregarded Tne
King. however, has been thoroughly interested
in the business of reigning, and is not hkely 10
have withheld or concealed his opinions anu
preferences when he has been IN constant com
rnunication with his ministers Without doubt
they are strongly influenced by his wishes' ex-
pressed courteously and with faultess racr-
Peace in South Africa and land settlement IN
ireland were facilitated, not hindered, II minis
ters were aware that the King strongly favored
those policies. Political responsibility may nave
been shifted by constitutional usage from the
sovereign to the minister's; but the unique POSI-
ton and social prestige OF the King ana MS
relationships and communications with tne
reigning houses of the Continent leave fun scope
for the effective employment Of his faculties
and resources.
The Prince Consort on one occasion under
took to warn Napoleon III against the conse-
quences OF offering too friendly hospitality 70
the Grand Duke Constantine, whose arrival was
expected in Paris. His letter to the Emperor
WAS submitted to the British Prime minister
AMI was returned to the Prince Consort with a
sentence of approval after consultation with
the Foreign Secretary, and It was then sent u
Paris This is a we'll authenticated instances OF
royal intervention in diplomacy. There were
probabIy many letters equally important from
the Queens hand to sovereigns during the Sec
ond half of her reign; and possibly her MINIS
ters were not always consulted before these
were dispatched. If current rumors were wei
founded she wrote letters OF unusual moment
to the Emperor OF Russia and to the Sultan
of Turkey during the last war in the Balkan.
and she was also generally credited with SEND
ing an indignant remonstrance to the German
Emperor after his impulsive dispatch OF con-
graduation to President Kruger on the failure
of tie Jameson raid. These reports have never
been authenticated; but the Queens CORE
spondence with reigning soEereigns and neF
personal relations with them must have exer-
cised great influence in European affairs. Inc
Kings correspondence with the German En-
peror, the kings of Italy and Portugal ana
other sovereigns cannot be revised by minis
ters without his consent, and no RESTRICTIONS
can be placed upon his entertainment OF for
eign princes and his conversation with them
Family relationships and dynastic friendships
cannot be without influence. even II the EnshSh
sovereign be prohibited by constitutional usage
from personal interference in the conduct OF
foreign affairs by responsible ministers Of ths
crown.
The personal activities of a sovereign are not
restricted to diplomacy, although that Is the
special sphere of influence where foreign mon
archs are accustomed to employ their talents
Queen Victoria was charged with communicat-
of Ind