The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06

this country on Thursday last
for the purpose Of spending
the summer and h early au-
tumn on the coast OF Maine serves
addressed on the eve Of his departure
from England to Premier Asquftu,
asking him to secure the acceptance
of his resignation as a member Of the
Privy Council and the revocation Of
his ~baronetcy. Sir Edgar. who Ia
staying with Lady Speyer and his
daughters at the Gramatan Inn in
The Bronx, intimated that he had
been led to make this application by
the agitation in the United Kingdom
against naturalized citizens of German
birth and by the imputations OF ms
loyalty and, suggestions OF treschery
made against him In connection there
with not only by the English press
but also by public men in Great Brit
ain.
Mr.. Asquith in reply gave express
sion to his sense OF the injustice or
these attacks. to the conviction of the
Crown and Government that Sir Ed
gar's loyalty was above ~reproach, and
to the Kings refusal to accept Spey-
cr's resignation OF his membership In
the Privy Council. At the same time
Mr.. AsQuith intimated to Sir Edgar
that the revocation Of his ~baronetcy
was impossible.
George v. could have accepted Si'
Edgar's resignation OF his Privy Coun-
cillorship without any difficulty had
he cared to do so. Whereas the SOW
ereign cannot bestow n peerage or Il
b~aronetcy. nor indeed any of the great
orders of knighthood. without the con
currence of the Government in the
person Of a Minister Of State respon-
sible to Parliament. he can make n
Privy Councillor Of whomsoever he
lists. without regard to Government
or to legislature. He Is entitled to
take council OF whom he will without
restriction. and the outward signs OF
his confidence in this matter are the
enrolment of the person thus honored
in the Book of the Council n the
taking Of the customary oath OF 10y
atty and Of secrecy.
The sovereign can in the same way
revoke Of his own accord. and with
out Ministerial Intervention. n APP
pointment to the Privy Council. and
without giving any reasons All that
II is necessary for him TO do in the
AFFAIR Is to call for the Privy Council
Book and to strike out any name
therein that he sees At. II is not
necessary that the person thus re-
moved should have been guilty Of any
offence. The mere fact that he has
ceased to enjoy the favor and the
confidence of the sovereign is suft-
cient.
There have been a number OF in
stances Of removal of names from the
Privy Council by order Of the sover-
eign in English history. the last cases
being in the reign of William ~. But
Queen Victoria. like her successors
abstained from ever taking n such
action, although she was sorely
tempted to do so with regard to the
late Sir Charles Dixie, against whom
she developed an extraordinarily vio-
lent prejudice after his connection
with the unsavory Crawford divorce
case.
Even English people know very lit
tie about their sovereign's Privy Coun'
Gil, beyond the fact that membership
thereof bestows the privilege OF pre-
fixing the words Right Honorable
TO the name. and that every one whc
forms part thereof is specially prayed
for on Sundays during divine service
Of the Established Church, the liturgy
Of which contains a prayer implorini
the Almighty TO "endow the Lords o.
the Council with grace, wisdom ant
understanding" The Privy Council
I may add. is the most ancient insti
tuition OF the British Empire. the so
called Aula Regia. or Curia Regta, o.
the early Norman days. older eve
than that English Parliament which
Is acknowledged to be In point OF ag'
the senior and dean OF all now exist,
ing legislative bodies Of the know
word.
The Cabinet Is merely a Committee
OF the Privy Council. But aside from
certain privileges in connection witt
the entree at court. the members o
the Privy Council have no particular
rights to speak of, and have no power
to- offer advice to the sovereign, o
20 attend any OF the meetings Of tn
council. unless specially summoned
by him for the purpose.