The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-19 00:00:00

A DEFENCE OF THE HOUSE OF PEERS.

"An English Peer" writes to the Tines:—" I
will at once admit that the abolition of proxies would be
a good measure, although they can only be called for on
the main question, and never when the details of a bill
are discuesed in committee. With respect to a 'quorum,'
it exists at present, but is restrained to three member.
It might be beneficially increased when other questions
than appeals are before um ; hut certainly not with
regard to these, which are and ought to be left to the
law lords alone. It appears to me that those who criti-
cise our mode of legislation have not made out any ease of
neglect, or shown in any way that public business has
suffered by our proceedings. The amount done must
necessarily be the same in both bonus, and it is not
affirmed that what emanates from the Commons is in
arrears or suffers from any derelictions on the part of tb'
peers. The difference between the two bodies, and which
I think is scarcely a subject for blame, consists in the latter
getting through the same work in a quarter of the time.
But if the work is well done (and the contrary ia not
asserted), why not let them do it in their own way! It is
notorious that a large proportion of the speeches made in
the House of Commons are addressed to the electors
rather than to the house itself on the question before it.
The peers, hawing no such necessity, confine themselves as
much as possible to the subject and to their audience.
As educated men they appreciate rhetoric, but as men of
business they dislike surplusage in every stage of discos-
slots. Would they raise their character as a judicial body
or benefit the public by increasing the number and
length of their speeches after all had been said that
could be said by the foremost peers of both parties'
I venture to think not. In your first article you 'Binned
that the eloquence of the House of Lords had deteriorated,
and you attribute it to the hereditary principle ; but is it
so? Are not the 12 peers, which I rill here name, sad
who have inherited their titles, equal in that respect to
any 12 members of the Lower House, and eloquent enough
for all parliamentary discussion—lllenberoush, Deft.
Granville, Shaftesbury, Kimberley, Clarendon,
Grey, Redeedale, Dalhousie, and Carnarvois ? In your
second criticism you complain that we are idle' and 'do
nothing.' I therefore give you a list of some of the bills
originated and sent down by the peers this session, and
now waiting in the Commons Lis Pendens," Masters
and Workmen,' Public Schools,' Traffic Regulation
in the Metropolis,' Judges' Chambers," Vim-
, Admiralty Courts,' ' Offices of Judges,' British Herring
Fisheries,' Contagious Diseases, Animals,' with 14 others
in progress. All these are
'practical legislation. The
tion of the metropolis, the case of the Tornado,
and the land question in Ireland' have been before us
during this session. A bill for the traffic of the metropolis,
carefully revised in a select committee, has gone to the
House of Commona. A most elaborate one on Irish lord
tenure (almost a code), by Lord Clanrirarde, is now pass-
lag through the same ordeal. The legal oints involved
in the case of the Tornado were ventilated completely by
Lords Derby, Clarendon, Russell, and Clanricarde. iiith
regard to attendance I find by the clerks' list of this ses-
sion that whenever any real business has bees before
the house from 70 to 150 peers have been present, and that
the average attendance may be put at about 100."

THE GRAND CALEDONIAN FANCY DRESS BALL.
—The committee of the ladies patronesses of the above
annual charitable ball, which takes place at Willis's
Rooms on Friday, have held frequent meetings during
the last ten days to complete the arrangements. The
ambassadors and many of the distinguished foreigners in
town have been invited. Viscountess Stormont will have
a Highland quadrille, and the Marchioness Townshend
will have a costume quadrille.
ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE " OWL" OT Te-D tY.--
The Sultan will leave Constantinople on the 'Ltd unit.
It is arranged that her Majesty is to receive her imperial
visitor on board her yacht, and conduct him in person to
witness the manoeuvres of the great naval review at Spit.
head. Lori Raglan has been appointed to attend os
the Sultan during his Majesty's visit to this country. -
Mr. Hastings Russell, M.P., was the occupant of the opts
sition benches to whom Mr. Disraeli alluded as ham-
declined the offer made to him of serving on the Bounds`
Commission.—We understand that a large number of LL:
permanent members of the Civil Service have " street
for a higher rate of salary.—Earl Russell has mule matt
rial alteration in his projected motion respecting the In::
church. Originally he abstained from dealing with v.:
application of the property and revenues of the establisl
ment, but, when he moves his address on Thurgau), writ
for a royal commission, one of the principal pain?
on which he will urge inquiry is to be the most equitaia
application" of the Irish church revenues and property
the benefit of the Irish people.—There will be a nieetiti
of the whole of the Scotch representatives today or to
Friday next, irrespective of party ties or political consi.t,
rations, to discuss the present position of ea
Scotch reform question, to receive important derv,
tations from the leading towns of Scotland, 0.0
to determine upon some joint course of actor
in the not impossible contingency that the
bill may not be pressed further during the presint
session.—The Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland returned to
London from Paris yesterday afternoon, and will resume
the active duties of the Vice-royalty in the Irish n.etie
polls towards the close of the present month.—The
convening a meeting of the liberal representative'
from Ireland this afternoon, in the smoking room of the
House of Commons, to consider the Chancellor of the
Exchequer's announced abandonment of the Irish Reform
question until next year, emanates from Mr. Bagwell. Alr-
Cogan, Sir Patrick O'Brien, Mr. Greville-Nugent, Mawr
Gavin, Mr. Maguire, and The O'Donoghue, with Mr J.
Lyster O'Beirne and Mr. Tristram Kennedy as past
honorary secretaries.—Sir John Trollops and Air. Balky
are likely to serve under Lord Everaley's presidency 00 the
Boundary Commission.
At a general ordination holden by the Lora
Bishop of Norwich in the Cathedral Church of Norwich,
on Sunday last, the following persons were admitted int.
holy orders :—Deacons.—William Allen Cottee, MA.. bt-
John's College, Cambridge ; Edwin Tearle (literate!.
Priests.—William John Betts, 8.A., Queen's College,
Cambridge; James Wm. Harding, B.A.,Wielharn
Oxford ; Arthur Wellesley Pain, 8.A., St. Cagan& s
College, Cambridge; Joseph Potts, 8.A., Emmanuel
College, Cambridge ; Edward Ram, King's COllll.
London; Edward Murray Tomlinson, 8.A., Trinity 4,"
lege, Cambridge ; and on the following day the Rev. M
Allen Cottee, clerk, was licensed to the curacy of Ili
borough, in the county of Norfolk; and the Rev. haw
I Tearle, clerk, was licensed to the curacy of Great sir
Bingham with Rodney in the same county.
The sixth annual festival of tae Canterle
Diocesan Choral Union took place in the cathedral lb'
yesterday, and was in every respect a great success.
day was fine, and a large number of strangers were pre,.
from all stations on the South Eastern and London, I,
ham, and Dover Railways, even as far as London. I,s
musical point of view the festival was fully equal to 6.!
I of its predecessors.

I M PERIAL PARLIAMENT.

II )USE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.)
The S.'E.tKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
THE REFORM BILL

Sir 11. VERNEY presented a petition from the mayor
awl cut puratiuu of Ltuckinghani praying that the privilege
hitherto ..njuyed by the elector. of the borough, and never
abused by them, of returning two members to serve in
parliamt ut, may be continued to them unimpaired.