With respect to the Royal Titles Bill, Mr. Lowe's comments
were important as well as incisive. " The title of the Queen," be said, " I strongly suspect, is not now brought forward for the first time. I violate no confidence, because I have received none, but I am under a conviction that at least two pre- vious Ministries have entirely refused, though pressed to do so, to have anything to do with a change. However, more pliant persons have been found, and I have no doubt the thing
will be done The whole matter has been carried out in such a manner as to raise in my mind the most painful appre- hension that it is only the beginning of much evil, which might by the least effort of manliness and straightforwardness have been averted, if the Minister of the Crown had had the courage to tell her Majesty that he would not, any more than his prede- cessors, lend himself to such a course, which he believed, on his conscience, to be injurious to her Crown and dignity." That is very plain-speaking of Mr. Lowe's, and shows that he at least is not wanting in the kind of courage most difficult, perhaps, to an ex-Cabinet Minister,—the courage to risk giving salutary offence to the highest person in the realm.
