Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-09
A QUESTION ANSWERED.

A correspondent inquiries how Lord John
Russell bears peers title, he being no peer
but member of the Commons House of Par
Hament! As the answer may supply informs-
ton to more than one person, we give it,
In England there are upwards Of four thou.
sand persons who enjoy titles 6y courtr~y
These are the sons and daughters of living or
deceased peers, and, in some cases, their grand
children or collateral relatives. This will &C.
count for the great number Of persons who are
called Lord, " or Lady" or Honorable -
Every Peer is called Right Honorable" ;" and
no other person is entitled to that prefix, un-
less he be . member Of the Priv Council
Though member of the House of Commons is
spoken of rs my honorable friend" or the
honorable gentleman, he is not addressed as
such out of that House Thus the present
Chancellor of the Exchequer was plain Benja-
min Disraeli, Esq until he was sworn in as
member OF the Priyy Council, when be became
. The Right Honorable Benjamin Disraeli -
In other words, neither a seat in the House.
nor any Official status, makes n man "Honor-
able" in England. Noble birth alone confers
1.-THE direct descendants of Peers exclusively
receiving it.
Lord John Russell is youngest son of the late
Duke OF Bedford. Strictly speaking he is not
entitled to have Lord prefxed to his Chris
tlan name, and the official announcements in
the London Gazette, of his being elected to sit
IN the House Of Commons would rum "thc
hight Honorable John Russell commonly called
Lord John Russell" If he were not q Privy
Councillor, be would be plain 'John Russell.
Esqaire.' Courtesy gives him the PREFIX Of
Lord. The sons and daughters of n Duke
err of a Marquis are entitled by courtesyl to he
called Lords and :" Ladies'. Thus the Duk g
OF BedfoTds youngest son, as we see, is " Lord
John Russell, and the Marquis of Anglesea $
youngest son is - LOrd George Payet" The
younger children of Earls, Niscounts, and Bar
ons are simply /" Honorable; The eldest son
OF Duke Is. IT a minor, called after his faith
er next highest title-as the Marquis of Tav-
lStock IS the eldest son Of the Duke of Bedford
and of the Marquis or AngIesea is Earl Of Tx
bridge An Earl eldest son generally is called
after the NiScOunts-as NiscOunt Stuart il eld-
est son of the Earl of Castle Stuart So with
Niscounts-as Baron Hill is eldest son Of Wis.
count Hill. The son Of an Honorable" would
be plain Mr."
Although Dukes son, with courtesy title
Lord John Russell is considered a Commoner
and cannot sit in the Upper House. unless be
were made Peer. He sits in the House of
Commons by election; and has done so, with
out lntermissiOn, since 1913, when, at the ma
ture age of twenty-one, he was elected" for
the borough Of Iavis,ock, belonging to his
father,
There is a great anomaly in permitting sons
of peers-eyen eldest sons, who will inherit the
pserages-to sit in the miscalled Commons
House of Parliament, in which. unless the name
he mockery and cheat, the People ought to
he representation. it is impossible but that
these courtesy LORDS and HonorabIes''
must generally speak and vote in favor of the
Aristocracy, TO which birth and prediction.
attach them. IF noblemen's $ sons were declared
ineligible to sit In the Commons, England would
be better represented than she is.
As for Lord Palmerston, he is an Irish peer
with no right to sit in the British House OF
Lords; is eligible to a scat in the Commons
and, indeed, has been in that House ever since
l507.-PhII. Press