The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-07
PEERAGE PRIVILEGES.
A Right Honorable Blk in England How
He Swindled Coal Dealer.
INaw York World /

throws q curious light In most unex pected
way on the extraordinary designation OF
political party In California, made notorious
now by q scandalous attempt to murder the
Workiugmen's candidate In San Francisco.
"Sr Philip Sidney, second Baron De LTsle
and Dudley OF Penshurst, In the peerage OF
the United Kingdom, Baronet. Deputy Lieu.
tnnant Of Kent and OF the North Riding OF
Yorkshire, Justice Of the Peace for Kent.
Herrditary Visitor Of Sidney Sussex College,
cambridge, aud patron OF two liytngs," to
quote. his titles as they are set forth In
the London Standard, has royal blood
! SOPHIA Filz-Clarence. daughter of the
Duke OF Clarence, afterward William Nv, by
his lawful wife, Mrs. Jordan. He has
now acquired another claim to distinction as
o Right Honorable "Bilk." A confdinp ple-
belan who dealt in coal furnished this second
cousin of Queen Victoria with eonbustibles to
the value OF two pun eight" or say S12.
| Ihey were duly delivered at the npbieman's
town residence In Victoria street, but neither
from Victoria street In London, nor yet from
the historic Penshurst Place la Kent nor
even from lngeby Manor In Yorkshire, was
o check or 80 much rs a postof1ice order for
warded to the miserable tradesman. Like
the mother OF the youth trified with by Lady
Clare We're de We're, the wretch had the pas
sions Of his kind. He waxed wroth. and sued
his Lordship In the Brampton County Court.
which gave him Judgment for the sum and
costs The heir of the Sydneys and the Shell
leys, for such Dord Ds Lisle and Dudley is,
"smiled upon bis suit as the novels have 1t,
from the sale eminence OF a parlia-
neutary immunity. Like the artistic
Mr.. Levy, Of the comets, Lord De LIsIe
and Dudley had no goods upon which
execution could be made, SO at last the baffled
creditor had him served with u Judgment
should haye attended In person to make ex-
PLANTATION as to hts means, position In life and
ability to pay when the Judge would proba-
bly, have arranged that he pay shilling or
fgo al ha lot,
celed, or, ii he proved penniles5 In good faith,
would have adjourned the summons indefin-
itely. Failure to comply with the order at
all, however, seemed to render the defendant
llaple to imprisonment as first class" dis
demeanor and for contempt Of court. Lord
De L'Isle being confronted with this seem-
ing, calmly answered that 'as q peer he
pleaded t.. to be privileged lto absolute Inn
In any way to take cognzance OF the pro-
ceedings." The Judge, an old and able lawyer,
| could not help expressing his surprise
that so high O. privilege should be pleaded
In answer to just claim, but he was conn
PEELED to admit that the plea was unanswer-
| able Ia the law OF the realm, (which he hoped
would some day or other be altered by the
lay " Of 1e common sense couple Of days
called to the case In Parliament. II Sir John
Holker replied that the facts had been cor
rectly stated; that the House had right to
presume that the Judges decision was cor
Ii
| mot be inclined to advocate an extension of
the power Of commitment, nor any interfer-
ence with the long-established privileges Of
the Peerage." II Is much to. be regretted"
said Sir. John, that the privilege should
have been resorted to in the present instance.
The plaintiff, however, may have this con-
ISOLATION, that If the noble defendant chooses
| to enyelop himself In the mantle OF the privi-
| leges OF his order for purposes OF evadng
payment OF his debts, he may be left with the
same mantle to keep himself warm-the
plaintiff can refuse to supply him with GOALS"
| SO far rs we know, this is the one instances,
| IN modern days at least, In which Peer Ok
England has pleaded the privileges of his
order to escape paying petty debt. Lord
Cardigan, when called to answer the charge
OF murder after his too famous .sblack- hottie,
duel, demanded trial by his peers, instead Of
o triel by jury OF commoners, and the claim
was allowed. He escaped alive, but history
branded him with the verdict OF the Duke Of
Cleveland, who, rising Ia his place, made an
| sWer when his name was called, mot guilty
legatty-upon my honor" Aud Lord Cardigan
had the excuse for seeking change OF venue
to the Court OF the Lord High Steward, which
Blackstone himself suggested that, "were the
great to be judged by the people they might
be in dangerfrom the prejudice OF their judges.
and would, moreover, be deprived OF the
privilege OF the meanest subjects Of be-
liz trle M ny ser equals; WHICH Is secured TO
| Lord De Lfsle bases his right to laugh at q
coal vendor is, that the peers OF the realm are
| hereditary counseiors and defenders OF the
Crown, and hence are privileged from arrest,
even when no Parliament is sitting, because
1T is supposed they are always assisting the
sovereign with their counsel for the Common
wealth, or keeping the realm In safety by
| their prowesS and valor"
| Clearly, II base-born constable could aton
the peers at the suit OF a green grocer when
they are fastening to Windsor Castle In fan
armor with their vassals, what evils might not
befan the Crown and the country The London
QfyasK pa9 t..E ~
one mind on the subject. The Conservative
Standard, after explaining that it WAS not BY
the advice or suggestion OF his lawyers that
Lord De LIsle put In this plea, declares That
/ Ii the privilege we're ordinarily claimed it
would have to be Immediately abr0gated, and
and advises the noble debtor, IL he Is really
anxious to assert all bis privileges, when next
ne L. summoned to Parliament to go by way
OF Windsor Park and there kill one or two OF
the Queens deer, without warrant, blowing
a horn, however, Ii the forester be not pres-
ent, That ne may not seem to take the Kings
ve nlson by stealth, !. as 1t appears that he Is
entitled to do under the old Charter of the
Forest, confirmed by a Parliament OF Henry
LII. The Radical Daily Mems, after pointing
out that since the time OF OConneli no peer
has thought th Of enforcing n his ftrIct right to
the decision OF legal cases, insists
that "if such privilege exists 1t
is intolerabe. and must be got rid Of" Which
Is rather hasty, for after all Lord De L'IsIe
has only insisted on the letter Of recognized
law. But this is an illogical age, and the
chances are that Lord De L,Isle's coal bill
may become as famous as the bill for the keen
OF Jacob Omnium's Oss." EngIishmen like
and when a member OF the nobility commitg
any act not deemed to be strictly In accord
ance with the ideas OF Mrs. Grundy, or even
with the laws CT morality, John Bull is in
clined to be lenient, provided only there be
something lordly about the nature of the Of
tense and the way In which 1t Is COMMITTEES.
The trouble with Lord De L'Isle is that he
mas done thing mean and ridiculous, which
weapon at this very moment when an attsck
ls meditated on the land laws It Is hard to
say which - the more edifying plcture-that
q the royal grandfather bilking the charming