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

LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1356.

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 the consequences that for-
merly followed similar attempts, and we desire
that any collision between the SOVEREIGN and
any clan 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—
" Nolumus leges Anglia mutari."
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
of Parliament—of the QUEEN, Lords, and Com-
mons, and not of the SOVEREIGN alone.
On all such points Parliament is omnipotent, and
there are sufficient precedents for radical changes
in the privileges of the Peerage, and the limitation
of the Royal prerogative.
The Scotch and Irish, Treaties of Union afford
suitable examples on each point. The Lords of
Scotland and Ireland surrendered their claims to
herel ary seats, and consented. to owe their litad-
mission to Parliament to the suffrages of their
brethren—while the SOVEREIGN relinquished the
right of making any additions whatever to the
Scotch Peerage, and, to the limitation. in Ireland,
of creating only one new dignity for every three
that became extinct.
Should, then, English Peers obtain admission
to Parliament by election like their Scotch and
Irish brethren ? And, if so, by what constituen-
cies should they be chosen ? In other words,
what shoul' be the nature and extent of the
Peerage Reform Bill that ought to be submitted
for the consideration of Parliament, and which
would be dealt with more impartially in the House
of Columons, inasmuch as the representatives of
the People would be exempted from any personal
motives, and could therefore best judge of what
was calculated to promote the interests of the
nation.

Oa the first point; it seems clear that the House
of Lords should consist of a certain fixed number
like the Commons. This would prevent the pet-
sibility of the Upper Rouse being swamped by the
creation of new Peers, and render it really and
truly independent, not in name merely, but in
fact and truth. The SOVEREIGN might then pro-
wyly create any-new paerages with or without
teraiinders o'rer for life, or in tail male cr 'tail