THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S DISGRACE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3824, 18 October 1883, Page 3

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH'S DISGRACE.

[To THE EOITOE OF THE DAILY TELEGRAPH.] Sin, —I see in this evening's issue you draw attention to the Queen having refused to receive the Duke of Marlborouyh, and attribute it to tho dissoluteness of his life as evidenced in the Divorce Court lately. Now, Sir, I think there is another and a stronger reason to be given for the Duke being in ill favour at Court. During tho last two years ho has on various occasions contributed articles to the Fortnightly Review and tho Nineteenth Century signed by himself by his then title of Marquis of Blandford, which caused a considerable sensation, more for the avowal of such opinions by such a personage than by any special ability they showed. In these articles he warmly advocates the abolishing of the House of Lords, the disestablishment of the Church, hints at the terrible cost to the nation tho Royal Family is, and in fact goes beyond an} r of the leaders of tho Left in his Radicalism. But, unfortunately, he does more harm than good to the side he espouses, for his scandalous private conduct detracts from tho admiration we might feel for a man of such exalted rank having the courage to avow such opinions. I'remember reading lately that it was with tho greatest reluctance Her Majesty was induced to receive Sir Charles Dilke on his promotion to the Cabinet, and I have never heard any whisper against his private character; but, in his younger days, ho always opposed the granting of allowances to the Royal sons and daughters, and annually brought on a motion for the reduction of the Civil List. However, _ Sir Charles has now grown into a Cabinet Minister, and has cither forgotten or conceals his ultra-radical opinions. For these reasons I am inclined to think that the Duke of Marlborough's political opinions have been a potent factor in causing his disgrace, and that, were he as dissolute as tho Marquis of Carabas, but a sound supporter of Church and State, he might now bask in tho rays of Royal favour. —I am, &c , Incredulous. Napier, 17 th October, 1883.