, Prince Albert has been pat forward in a manner
that mast make every reflecting man regret his being placed in situations of sub- ordinate administration. The Horse Guards have always reckoned Captains in the Guards as equal to Lieutenant-Colonels in the Army; their promotion taking effect as if they held the higher rank. There would be no great objection to that arrangement if the officers of the Guards were as picked a body as the men— picked, that is, for soldierly qualities, on for distinguished services, not for wealth and,high connexions. If,the Guards were a band of
i
Immortals—anmperial Guard—a sort of special order of chivalry attendant on the Sovereign-rthere would be no objection to make even the private soldiers equal to officers of the Line : is that the case ? Recently, however, a warrant has been issued re- gulating the promoting of LieutenantXolonels to be Generals ; the practical effect of whioh wai to' plftee the Guards and the Line on an equality in actual war service. This is but fair. The Guards remonstrate, and stand, up for their exclusive pri- vilege; and amongst the names of officers appended to the protest is that of the Queen's husband! Government, doubt- less, will know how to deal with the remonstrant officers : we place full credit in the explanation that Prince Albert has taken no active part; but it is most unfortunate to see his name dragged into paltry protests about' unpopular privileges. If the separate income allotted to the Prince Consort by his marriage- settlement is not sufficieat, it were far better to fulfil Sir Robert Peel's hint and come to Parliament for an augmentation, than to eke it out with regimental pay, and expose the highest gentleman in the land to be mixed up with regimental squabbles.
