23rd July. Tr is a commonplace of writers on the British Constitution that the Queen reigns and does not govern, that she only the ornamental head of the British government; that while she is the fountain of honour and the fountain of justice, she is a fountain that is'turned on and off by the Prince Minister and the Lord Chancellor respectively, and that as those high functionaries owe their positions to a majority of the House of Commons, it is atter all in the electorate of the United Kingdom that the government, not only of that Kingdom, but of the British Empire, with all the colonies and dependencies thereto belonging, really resides. 'I'he House of Lords, an irtespousible and somewhat fortuitous body, has a kind of control, which is mainly confined to registering the decrees of the House of Commons when the majority of that is Conservative, and to opposing them with the intention of giving way sooner or later, when the majority is Liberal. here is, it is understood, only the ceremonial t of government left for the Queen.
is heresy even to suggest in the House of Commons that the Queen has any liking fur, or aver Ww, any particular course; she is above the strife of pats Modern governments want ead of some kind; and Republics, which are no more republican in fact than the United Kingdom is, like' an elective and removeable President, some givin; him a four-years', some a seven-years' term. A hereditary, irremoveable President suits us better, and we are satisfied and confident that we could not find a better one than Queen Victoria.
It has, however, long been known that though the' Queen does'"not tke: any direct part in the executive work of the government, she is of the greatest. pussible assistance to her Ministers in' their deliberations. There is not, nex indeed could there be, any living statesman with the same continuous knowledge of Staite affairs that the: Queen possesses. 'Through her family connections, too, she is in_constant communication with ull the Kings and 'Emperors of Europe, and her position atid her acquaintance with the leaders of both parties—her' Mujesty's Government and her Majesty's' Opposition—etuble hier often to act as a tioderator, not only between members of-her Cabinet when they disagree; but between the statesmieti on the two hands of the Speaker. Tu fact, if We had not Queen, we should Tiave to create one, or adopt a uew constitution: The
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.