The Cairo bulletin., 1910-07-25
OATH MAY NOT
BE AMENDED
OPPOSITION IN ENGLAND-klNG
GEORGE MAY TAKE INDIE.
PENDENT ACTION.
CONSCIENCE HIS OWN
An AvoWal Of il Would be Popular
NoW--coronation viii Take
Place in June
Next Year.

London, July 2i.-LondOn has had
a reminder, in the shape of the quaint
heialdic proclamation that the king
| viii be crowned next June, that the
reign has not yet been fully inaugu-
rated. Until June politics must per.
force be more or les in allegiance. and
the conference on the constitutional
crisis be kept going through the
autumn to avoid holding a general
election before the king is crowned
Every week that passes brings into
clearer relief the digiculty of amend
ing the royal declaration against the
idolatrous and superstitious doctrines
of the church of Rome
The bill of rights confirmed by the
act of settlement by virtue of which
the, king sits on the throne. requires
the sovereign to make this offensive
anti-Romanist declaration.
ION the first day of the meeting Of
the first parliament next after his
coming to the crown or at his corona,
ton, whichever comes first"
1t is notorious that the king dis.
likes this declaration. He is as sound
a Protestant as any of his subjects,
but he objects TO this insult to the
faith of millions of his faithful lieges.
The leaders of both parties agree that
the declaration is Objectionable and
ought to be altered. This govern.
ment has introduced a bill substitut.
ing for the insulting words of the old
declaration this simple declaration:
Il am faithful member of the
Protestant reformed church as by
law established in England
This seems simple enough but
host of enemies have sprung up The
Scotch object to the new declaration
as ruling out any member of the
church by law established" in Scot
land.
The high church AnguIcans, VINO
perform mass and involve the Virg n
Mary, object tiercely to the introduc-
ton Of the word Protestant" The
-Conformists, of whom there are
IFS in the house of commons. oppose
the new declaration as a new test act
excluding forever non-Conformists
from royal succession
The ultra-Protestants of Ulster and
elsewhere are wringing their hands
In grief over the prospective loss OF
the opportunity of insulting the co
reIigionists of the Roman faith
May Fail to Amend.
Hence it is quite possible the gol
eminent may, after all, fail in amend
ing the declaration.
Under those circumstances, what
shall the king do as a law-abiding
man? He must perforce comply with
the condition laid down In the act of
settlement, but it has been pointed
out that while obeying the law he
might take the opportunity OF i'm
medately after complying with the
conditions prescribed by act of par.
lament of making a royal declaration
of OF his own bat, protesting against
the insulting language which he had /
been required to use in his capacity
as constitutional king, and asserting
in his own words the revolt of his |
as a man and Christian
against the phraseology which he
had been compelled to employ.
There is nothing in the constitution |
to prevent him easing his conscience
by such an Independent declaration |
If he took this line it would convince |
the people that in George V. we have
d king TO be reckoned with. There !,
would no doubt be prodigious
pother in some circles, but the nation |
as a whole would rejoice over a !
sovereign who dared to call his con.
science his own.