The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 23, 1856

sons Irhy sal mystery should be especially eschewed,
and everything conducted openly and above board.
The minimum bidding that would be accepted
was also spoken of. This might have been but a
singularly good guess. But the fact, combined
with those above alluded to, proves the propriety,
if not the imperative necessity, of avoiding the
possibility of similar complaints on any future
occasion.

From what subsequently fell from the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer in the Committee of
Ways and Means it is obvious that the present
Loan will only provide for the deficiencies (with a
small margin over) of the current financial
quarter. The financial position of the country is,
it appears, some 4,000,000/. worse than the
former estimate of the Right Honourable Gentle-
man, and that is the sole object to be provided for
by the present Loan. It is,: therefore, obvious
that new arrangements must be entered into in
April or May. It is to be regretted that they
were not finally ciinpleted, as they might have
been, yesterday, inasmuch as the applications to
Messrs. ROTHSCHILD are known to have amounted
to about 30,000,0001., a sum that would have
been amply sufficient for all the financial require-
ments of the year, and placed the Exchequer in a
very satisfactory state of preparation to meet the
expenses of the War, should the Conferences at
Paris prove abortive, or, should peace be restored,
to pay off the debt to the Bank of England, and
be in a condition to give the necessary notices for
the abolition of its charter.

The resolution of Lord LYNDHURST, against the
validity of the life peerage conferred on Lord
WENSLEYDALE, was last night carried by a ma-
jority of
.35, in a house of 149, or, including
tellers, of 153 Peers. A previous resolution,
moved by Lord GLENELG, that the opinions of the
Judges should be taken on the question, "Is it
in the power of the Crown to create, by patent,
the dignity of a Baron of the United Kingdom for
life, and what privileges does such a grant con-
fer ?" was negatived by a majority of 31, proxies
being admitted to vote thereon. The decision of
the Committee of Privileges, thus affirmed by a
very decided majority, is to the effect that neither
the letters patent purporting to create Sir JAMES
PARKE a Baron of the United Kingdom for life,
nor the said letters patent, with the usual writ of
summons issued in pursuance thereof, can entitle
the grantee therein named to sit and vote in
Parliament !
The threatened collision between the Crown
and the Lords has thus occurred, and it remains
to be seen what will be the next move on either
side. From what we have already stated re-
specting the House being the sole judge of its
own privileges, and the fact that the Preroga-
tive asserted is, to say the least of it, of very
doubtful legality, and has not been exercised
—if at all—for four centuries, it is well
that it should be so. As we have repeatedly
declared, these are not the times for the exertion
of a doubtful prerogative, or any extension of the
power of the Executive. We want no German
models—and, however desirable the object ;nay
be, of a reform of the House of Peers, we would
not accept it unless rendered in a constitutional
manner, by the assent of the Three Estates of the
realm. The question was pertinently aeked,
"What security could they have, that these might
not be in after days a SOVEREIGN, notregarding the
affections and institutions of the country—as did her
present gracious MAJ ESTY—a female SOVEREIGN,
perhaps sitting on the throne under the direction
and guidance, and burdened with the connexion
of a foreign Prince (little imbued with the liberty,
spirit, and practice of the British Constitution),
who would aim a blow at the Constitution, and
destroy the independence of the House of Peers?"
It is impossible to get ever this obvious difficulty;
for however judicious may be the present exercise
of the prerogative in favour of Beron PARKE, there
can be no guarantee that, if allowed, it may not
hereafter be carried to such an extent as completely
to destroy theindependence of the Upper House, and
the constitutional balance of the Three Estates of
the realm.

But the reform of the hereditary branch of the
Legislature by an act of the entire Parliament is a
very different matter, and as Ministers have re-
cognised the necessity thereof by the attempt just
made, it will be incumbent on them to introduce
a bill for that purpose with all convenient speed,
which would give stability and firmness to the
House of Peers, and confer groat weight on their
decisions. We have already shown that there are
precedents for limiting the number of Peers in Par-
liament and rendering the seat elective, and also
for the surrender of a portion of the Royal pre-
rogative so far as conferring the privilege of sit
ting and voting. We even suggested the rough
outline of a measure, which would, we be-
lieve, be highly popular in this coun-
try. Such a Bill would be the suitable
adjunct of the decision of last night. One
4
remedy which, however, might haply prove
worse than the disease having been rejected, it is
essential that another should be prescribed with
the least possible delay, and in a form strictly in
accordance with the constitution.

' Our Republican offspring of the States beat us
out and out in place-hunting. With our charac-
teristic bashfulness we do the thing a little mo-
destly. Not, as Mr. SAMUEL MORLEY and his
brother Administrative Reformers will tell us,
that our modesty has any virtue in it. Oar place-
hunters merely prefer the back to the front stairs,
and think it will answer better to use interest
when personal emolument is the object, as secretly
as possible. Corruption here pays this tribute to
national delicacy. Seeming •too eager for a re-
munerative public appointment will not do. It
would be considered indecorous, and perhaps de-
feat its end. Our Yankee friends, however, know
no such delicacy ; they hold it no disgrace to
fight and clamour for any appointment worth a
few hundred dollars a-year. Like politically
cynic philosophers they act on the assumption
that no dictate of nature needs to be obeyed in
privacy. Nature everywhere in civilised countries
prompts hundreds to get a salary little or big
from the public exchequer ; and why should they
be ashamed to indulge openly such a natural de-
sire. Vesture and even fig leaves are quite a
superfluity ; they are as they were made, and
why be ashamed ? They were born to love a nice
snug berth, with Uncle SAM to pay for it, why
blush • h y
blush for the mental configuration, which as
they will say we all have, however we may affect
to conceal it.

The American papers have just brought us over
a striking little daguerreotype of American place
hunting. Congress has at last chosen a Speaker !
Ifs organisation, therefore, is begun. The places
connected with it have to be filled up, and forth-
with the battles and skirmishes begin. The quiet
way in which our officers of the two Houses con-
tinue at their posts when once nominated is un-
known in America. No sooner was the Speaker
elected, than an equally fierce, but necessarily
shorter battle began for a Sergeant-at-Arms. The
know nothings were evidently anciong the beaten,
for the lucky victor bears a long German name ;