Tae proclamation assuming for the Queen the title of Empress of India, unquestionably fails to carry out the Ministerial pledge, that, the new style should be confined to the East. Instend, in fact, of localising " Empress" in India, it localised "Queen" in the United Kingdom. The result is a curious one, after the prolonged discussions which have taken place, and the energetic protests that have been raised against any change whatever in the traditional style. But it may be questioned whether the violent opposition of the Liberal party to the original design, is not very much to blame for its unexpected extension. The Queen is Empress of India. She became so from the moment the last Mogul sover reign was deposed, and the government was taken out of the hands of the East India Company and assumed by the Crown.. The title has been often used in official documents in India, and more frequently still in common parlance Indian coins even bear the title of Empress in their legend. Nothing could be more natural than that a title practically existent, and perfectly appropriate, should be formally assumed. And if no fuss had been made, the good sense of the English people would have approved the change. But it occurred unfortunately to certain Liberal minds, to take alarm lest the style should grow into use at homo; and the very suggestion of that possibility caused an outery as though against a contemplated event. The title "Empress of India" dropped practically out of sight in the ensuing discussion, which turned entirely on the prospect of the name travelling westwards and superseding the old style of the Royal family on the Continent and even in England. The alarm grew with the outcry of the Opposition, until what would have been generally agreed on as proper at the outset, came really to be unpopular with a large section of people at the close. At any rate, there can be little doubt that the warmth of the opposition which was actually shown, impelled the Ministry to basten the consummation. It became an object to issue the proclamation quickly, in order to stop a discussion which would, probably, die out, because it would be useless when the thing was done; and this very baste prevented the careful consideration of terms which might have restricted the design more narrowly within its original scope. If, instead of raising an imaginary phantom of Imperial sway in England, for the purpose of knocking it down, the Liberal party had acquiesced in the proposal, and stipulated only that the terms of the proclamation should be carefully considered with a view to restricting its operation,—the chances are that a form of words would have been devised restricting the title effectually to the country for which it was intended. It is curious if the extravagant attack of the Opposition has really recoiled upon itself, as we surmise, by leading to a more sweeping because a more hasty measure. The ery which was raised in the first instance, of danger to the constitution from the introduction of a title so alien to our traditions, was ridiculous at the outset. The title of Empress was applicable to India as it was inapplicable to England, and the plea of danger to the throne and constitution from the innovation was as far-fetched as fanciful. But harm may really result from the fuss that has been made, and the unexpected extension of the title, The Queen was so mixed up with the constitution, that the masses had an idea that mysterious fetish would be lost and rained if the Sovereign were attacked. But the Imperial title at home would be repugnant, though it involved not the faintest change of system; and, the Queen lost in the Empress, all the feeling which supported the crown before would be arrayed against it, Titles still have their fall value in the East, the Empress of India will be very present to the eyes of Asiatic rulers, as 8 pow-eral and neighbouring Sovereign. But we have come, in the West, to look at nations irrespectively of the style of their chief representative. The assumption of the Imperial title in Europe would certainly not add to the Queen's position, and would be markedly distasteful to the English people.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.