The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-18 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDA V, FEBRUARY 18, 1856.

The Committee of Privileges of the House of
Lords will have to decide a great constitutional
question in reference to the WENSLEYDALE Peerage.
An alleged prerogative of the Crown, which, if it
ever existed, has fallen into desuetude for no less
than four centuries, is about to be revived ! By
that revival the character of the hereditary branch
of the Legislature will be completely changed. It
will, to all intents and purposes, become a mere
registry of the decrees of the Crown, or, rather,
of the Minister for the time being, and completely
forfeit the independence on which it justly prided
itself. We have already declared that " these
are not times for any undue assertion of a doubt-

ful prerogative." We emphatically repeat the
opinion. We know tho consequences that for-
merly followed similar attempts, and we desire
that any collision between the SOVEREIGN and
any class or classes of her subjects should be
avoided. "Germanism" is already sufficiently
powerful in high quarters. We do not wish to

barter our Constitution for one founded on any
German Coburg model, and, like our forefathers
at Runnymede, we repeat, the inspiring cry—
" iVolumusleges Avglkc mitturi."

We do not, however, object to an extensive
alteration in the Constitution of the House of
Lords. On the contrary, we have repeatedly
declared that a Peerage Reform Bill is very
urgently -- we may add, imperatively—re-

quired. But the authority should be that adequate security for the future, The Muscovite
of Parliament—of the QUEEN, Lords, and Coal- snake has "been scotched, not killed," The
mons, and not of the SOVEREIGN alone. CZAR has been compelled to postpone, but not
finally to surrender, the traditional policy of his
On all such points Parliament is omnipotent, and
predecessors. Sebastopol has been taken, but it
there are sufficient precedents for radical changes
in the privileges of the Peerage, and the limitation will be restored to its former owner. The Black
of the Royal prerogative. Sea fleet of Russia has been sunk in the harbour,
The Scotch and Irish Treaties of Union afford but unless explicit stipulations be entered into
suitable examples on each point. The Lords of there will be nothing to prevent the reconstruc-
Scotland and Ireland surrendered their claims to tion of the fortresses and docks, and the raising
herellietry seats, and consented to owe their ad-
of the submerged vessels. While any fragment
mission to Parliament to the suffrages of their
of the latter remain's, there will be a pretext for
brethren—while the SOVEREIGN relinquished the rebuilding under the name of " repairing," and
right of making any additions whatever to the at Nicolaieff a new and powerful navy may be
Scotch Peerage, and, to the limitation in Ireland, completed, which would not pass the portal at
of creating only one new dignity for every three Kinbourn, until the moment consideied suitable
that became extinct. for striking a decided blow.
English Peers obtain admission All
Should, then,
these matters must be closely looked after,
to Parliament by election like their Scotch and and the hope of England, and the future peace and
Irish brethren ? And, if so, by what constituen- tranquillity of Europe, rests now on the vigilance
vies should they be chosen ? In other words, and inflexible determination of Lord CLARENDON.
what should be the nature and extent of the Ho has an arduous task to discharge. High reputa-
Peerage Reform Bill that ought to be submitted tions have already been sacrificed in works of less
for the consideration of Parliament, and which difficulty, and there is a
powerful influence at
as a true-he most Would bodealt with more impartially in the House work behind the scenes, to defeat his
strenu-
of Commons, inasmuch as the representatives of ous efforts. But if he acts
the People would be exempted from any personal Englishman, and firmly eschews the '
Germanism, he will receive tEe ceea:
Precepts of
motives, and could therefore best judge of what
e 'al thanks
was calculated to promote the interests of the
I and grati.tude of his country, and be mist • e aine, and
.
nation. supported in his noble course. Beat the 1.
s ightest
On the first Point, it seeme clear that the Home , symptom of vacillation will be fatal to his re
pnta.
of Lords should consistof i
a certain fixed number i tion. :He is there to discharge a stern and oner-
like the Commons. This
would prevent the pc:- i ous duty, not to heap unmeaning compliments on
sibility of the Upper noise , .
eing swamped by the Russia or the Russians.
b The mad and reckless
creation of new Peers, and
render it really and I ambition of a former AUTOCRAT produced the
truly independent, not is name merely, but in War. The perverse and obstinate adherence of
fact and truth. The SOVEREIGN
might then pro- 1 the present CZAR to the policy in t 1
augura oc by
perly create any new peerage:;. with or Without I PETER, and persisted in by CATHERINE, and i
remainders over for life, or in tail male or tail ALEX .DER, and NICHOLA6, prevented peace.