Star.
London, England, 1828-06-18 00:00:00

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Lordships House, by rendering the Representative
Peerage of Scotland more analogous to the whole Peer-
age of the Empire, and placing them in a situation
more similar to that of the Representative Peerage of
Ireland..
The Earl of H ADDINGTON was favourable to one
part of the Bill—to that he meant relating to the
eldest sons of Peers. He had great •doubtr whether, it
was intended by the Scotch Parliament to exclude them.
They sat in the Scotch Parliament, although several
attempts were made to exclude them. The Scotch Peers-
and Commons sat in the same Chamber, and it was ap-
prehended that the whole representation might fall into
the hands of Peers and their sons, sitting together in
Parliament. But with respect to the United Parlia-
ment no such apprehension could exist. The country
Gentlemen of Scotland had a motive for insisting upon
this Article of the Union, to prevent the Nobility horn
monopolizing the representation. The Scotch
eraPeege
had since that period diminished by one half, n this
motive was therefore extinct. On these grounds he was
favourable to this part of the Bill. With respect to the
other part, that which enabled Peers themselves to sit
in the House of •Commons, he had very great objet
tions. His intellect had not upon this subject made so
rapid a march as that' f his Noble Friend. He thought
it would be a degradation to the Scotch Peerage to pass
this Act—not to the individuals who might obtain seats
in the House of Common:, but to the order, which had a
separate status in the realm, and which they ought to be
most solicitous to preserve. There was no analogy be-
tween the Scotch and Irish Peerage. The latter was
composed in a great degree of large landed proprietors
in England. to whom exclusion from the House of Com-
mons would be a great injury.
Lord Viscount MELVILLE opposed the Bill, on the
ground that it was a violation of the letter and spirit of
the Act"of Union. As well might they enact that the
forty-five representatives of the country of Scotland
shOuld be elected for life, as that the representative
Peers should be elected for life. The alteration made
in the following year after the. Union related merely to
a matter of form, and did not violate in any degree the
substance of the compact. It was their duty to adhere
to the spirit of the compact. He would not enter into
the consideration of the question whether they bad the
right in any case to infringe such a solemn compact?—
But. at ail events, it was clear that nothing but a case
of absolute necessity could justify them in doing so.—
Then the qaestion was this—Was the alteration now
proposed absolutely necessary or not ? No new necessity
had arisen. The proposed plan could not be shown to
be mote nece4ary now than it was at the period of the
Union. The Noble Lord had said that he acted with
the concurrence of a great majority of the Scottish
Peerage. But what he contended was, that if any single
Peer was averse to the change, be had a right to plead
the compact and to insist upon its substantial -fulfil ment.
The Land Tax of Scotland had beetsattempted to be
increased. -.lt was said the state of things had quite
altered since the Union. Let us have a new Land 'fax.
This the Scotch Representatives, both Peers and Com-
moners, had strenuously and successfully resisted, upon
the ground that it would be a violation of the Act of
Union. It was to be recollected that the establishment
of Episcopacy in Scotland might be reconciled with the
Actof Union, just as-easily as the present Bill. On these
grounds he should vote for the Amendment.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE complimented warmly
the Noble Lord, the author of the present Bill. He had
been actuated by a feeling of geatitode tothe body who
had independently elected him as their representative.
Argutnents draain from the Union were always used or
rejected according to the will of those in power. The
twenty Scotch Peers who had been called into that
House es English Bets,' had alternateli, by inferences
froarthe Act of Union, been admitted to vote, and pro.
hibited' from voting, in the election of the Representa-
tive Peers of Scotland. As to the Land Tax, to. Which
the Noble Viscount had alluded, had it not been in-
creased ? What was- the Income Tax? lie had offered
to join others in trying the question of the ItteGnie Tax
in the Court of Exchequer, upon the strength of the
Aerof Union; bat he could not find a man in all Scot-
least walling to join Mm. ' When he was a young man,
betteciald bare surrendered all claims to the Peerage
neer doe the privilege of sitting in the House of Com-
sat*. He Could not conceive how any thing could be
a deseadat;o* to amen In which he had an absolute
adlt his felt these would be any degradation, be
hadthe power of avoiding it.
Lord REDESDALE supported the amendment.--:
they had the pOwot of, passing this Bill ; but the qurs.
tiedr•Wase had they the tight ? Unless the alteration
was sistatanded by the general voice of the people, and
the` iserage of-Stodaud, which it did not appear to be, 1
bestgesteuded they bad to right to break through the
Arielles of the Union 'by makiki7 a change of this kind.
tardt SRLHAVEtalteirdly wr
Ater waist tts• aasaestpleat was agreed to "damns dtaltiata.
The NI is eatsaairassaly lost.

4nall taw
The Dske of WELLINGTON scoved the Order of the Day
far the Horse to resolve itself into a Csmninittee epee this U.
nit Earl of LA VORADALII 684 some ameedisents to pro-
vost. mid stint !war of the tree hte be hoped Ma bb. Duke
wield 4easent to prismatic the Committee. i
The Doke of W KIIILIN GTON said. Om the flpiatikt be eon-
witted sow, and the gmendments proposed es 1111 ~.1-1111111 reading.
The abject et some Nile Loads was entrely,~ their amend-
ments recorded in the 4ournals. and by the wieftelille proposed this I
°Meet would be most offteenirsely attained.
The Howe then resolved Weir into a Cantailttee, after which a
prolonged conversation payed ae to the order of proceeding. in
which Bari freassiont, the Duhe of Watteirevos, Lord BELLITI
and Lard DACIII took part.—'[site Howse resumed--thee Wet'
was reeelved—rand the ERA was ordered to be tad a third tine so
Seadey nest.
The House then Adjourned at HALT-TATR Elgin O'CLOCZ.