POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY NIGHT.
There is some mystification about the new Board for managing the affairs of the Dutchy of Lancaster. The Times has a long article on the subject; but the subjoined passage contains the only statement of fact- " It has been said that the commission was issued at the instigation of the Prince Consort. It has been hinted that the object of it is to augment the revenues of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."
The Morning Chronicle has "good reason for believing " that the original statement in the Post "contains a very erroneous impression of the rear facts of the case"-
" It has for some time been considered highly expedient that a permanent Board should be established for the management of the property of the Crown in_ the Dutchy of Lancaster; and, if we mistake not, a somewhat similar arrange- ment already exists for the management of the estates of the Dutchy of Cornwall. The Commissioners appointed are Earl Spencer, the Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Portman, the Earl of Lincoln, and Sir James Graham; but the political duties and patronage of the Dutchy remain as before with the Chancellor. The Chronicle proceeds with some further remarks in the manner of com- mentary, but they tend rather to obscure than to clear the matter. " says the writer, " these appointments had more of a political character their can fairly be attributed to them," it would be very " surprising " only to- " your regular-bred professional politicians to hear of the ex-members of a Conservative' Cabinet taking office under a Whig' Premier." " The- gooduatured insouciaut public would take it quite easily." " Our worthy and respected omnibus-going public" would simply feel "a very moderate and quiet satisfaction at witnessing so intelligible a recognition of an un- deniable political fact "—" that the nominal party distinctions of a Con- servatism' and Whiggism have ceased to symbolize real differences of opinion and policy." And the journalist foresees considerable advantages- in the absence of efficient party antagonism, which will leave great national questions to be considered on their intrinsic merits.
On one point the Daily News is rather more explicit; and the second of the two paragraphs which we subjoin seems to overturn the speculation of the Chronicle-
" Prince Albert, we believe it is, who has from these motives into the to have such property carefully and fitly managed] desired to introduce nto the Dutchy of Lancaster a system of management similar to that which has been fonnd to answer so well in the Dutchy of Cornwall. Accordingly, a Committee, or permanent Board, has been created for the management of the Crown property in the Dutchy of Lancaster. The members of the Board have been selected from both the great parties, and from such men as would not' require salaries. The Board consists of EarlSpencer, Lord Portman, the Earl of Hardwicke, the Earl of Lincoln, and Sir James Graham.
" The Tory journals descry something profoundly political in all this. The truth is, that politics have nothing its the world to do with it. The political du- ties and patronage remain as before with the Chancellor." The public, then, must remain a little longer in doubt whether the new appointments are to be political or not—whether the Board is to be con-- sidered an accession of strength to Lord John Russell's Cabinet, or to Prince Albert's County-Palatine administration. It has long been under-. stood that the Prince has powerful reasons, in every respect most honour- able to himself, for desiring to make the most of any revenues at his com- mand.
Previous page
