The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30
.Friiviil eyes Of the King
BY HUNTINGTON HOPE.

There are many curious matters o
Law. of rule and regulation, and o
4 etiquette, which constitute tho dtvinit,
which doth hedge a King" For some
there are historical reasons In theii
origin. for others such reasons still
exist, others are mere matters of ad,
mitted propricty, others simply tn,
specialization of long custom and OBJ
servance.
In some matters the King OF Eng
land is governed by statute. In others
lie nnd his mere wishes arc supreme
hut even in the latter category ihert
arc nlattcrSin which that pleasure must
lie conveyed in writing.
The limit of the power of the SOW
crciSn was perhaps best illustrated ny
the old operation of the law of at
taindcr. though that law has for LONG
beer obsolete in practice and is now
modified by statute OS1). y person
accused OF treason is tried by "A court
Of law-the court OF the Lord High
and jury il the accused be peer or
rccress--tllc ordinary law courts If that
be not the case. Following upon tic
verdict and before or after the eXecu-
ton Of judgment the man was at
tainted by the passing OF an act OF Mt
taindcr. -
Assuming that act to have been pass
the convicted person a full and free
pardon. That relieved him from the
execution OF the judgment but nothing
moro: the King could restore him to all
his forfeited property. but the King
could not replace the man in his form
er position, for he remained unable TO
inherit.
He could restore forfeited pecragca
and titles Of honor. hut. unless another
act Of parliament reversed the net of
nttaindcr. the action OF the sovereign
did no more than create new peer
Rges. The King could grant a patent
no effect in the House OF Lords. where
precedence is governed by statute
The constitutional position of the
+ sovereign accounts for one--and to
many Of us growing under the budget
n most observation-disclosures. The
sovereign rays no rates or taxes The
reason for this is that Theoretically ali
taxes are levied in the Kings namo
for the purpose of carrying on the gov
crnment. and that. as IN fact 1t would
have been before the DAYS of the civil
list, to tax tho income Of the King for
the purpose of defrayinE the Kings
expenditures was simply taking money
from one of his pockets to put 1t int 10
another. 3
So stringently is this theory adhered
to that the oHempt'on from taxation
extends no further than the person OF
the u is sovereign and al other members
same taxation rs the rest Of us. The
matter was tested by the late Prince
Consortin connection with his farm
Ing experiments at Windsor
But the King docs not evade tho pay
ment Of his just debts. and contrary 20
what is often supposed ana frequently
stated. the King pays from his privy
Purse both for his special trains and
theatre tickets. II the King proposes
TO visit a theatre. notice IS sent before
hand: and the royal box In those
theatres which possess one. is sold sub
ject to the condition that It must be
given up II intimation is received that
It's use is required for his majesty.
1t is accepted etiquette that the
King never writes q letter. Those who
need to correspond with his majesty,
who are aware Of the right procedure.
usually write to the Kings secretary
Or a member Of the household. asking
that the matter in question should hc
placed before the King. hut petitions
for the exercise Of the prerogniive in
any form on matters OF state are re-
3nnired 10 he submitted through the
home Office. ll
The King does not accept invitations
and visit Of any form is not preceded
thereby. but by his intimation that he
will pay IT, In other words. he al
ways invites himself and in matters
Of social intercourse the same etiquette