The Northwestern standard., 1886-04-10
THE LONG -WINDED LORDS.
Mr.. LabQuchere's Motion in the British
House Of Commons The Hereditary
Principle Discussed. #
.BANEFuL INFLUENCE OF PEERS,
What They Are Worth and What They OQgst q
"A Brewers First Step on Being
Promoted to the Peerage.

IA DISWoT Iu6b 'ot6p w 00lAS 5Ee
Promoted to the Peerage.
In the Imperial House Of Commons
recently, Mr. Labouchere introduced
his motion. Of which due notice had
been given, dealing with the question
|of hereditary principle in the House Of
Lords.
Mr.. Labouchere moved, THAT in the
opini IN of this House it is Inconsistent
with the principle Of representative
government that any member Of either
House of the Legislature should derive
his title to legislate by hereditary de-
scent.n He trusted that this would be
left an open question by the Govern
ment. because he was sure there were
many gentlemen on the Treasury bench
who were delighted to see the motion
on the paper and would be glad to have
the opportunity of voting for it,.
(Laughter.) He reminded the House
that the English members had grievan-
ces as well as the Irish members, and 1t
the Irish members desired the repeal of
the Union, there were others who de-
sired the repeal of any species OF union
between the elected representatiy of
the country and the hereditary legisla-
| tors in the other House. 1t was said
by the late Lord Beaconsield that the
House Of Lords represented 26 millions
of people who had not the vote; but
the electorate had been taken away
from them, and then practically the de-
cision of the House of Commons was
the decision of the whole nation
Hereditary legislators were an anach.
ronism in q democratic country. Heal
hear.) The term Liberal was a some
what vague one at the present moment
/ (Laughter.) He himself was :
Radical. If any gentleman told
him he was q Radical, aa6
took an opposite view on this ques
| tion, he could only say-With the great
est respect--that he regarded him ass
Ihunbug. Laughter.) He believed
there was no Radical or Liberal meet
ling held during the late election al
which the present motion' would moi
have been carried almost unanimously
Hear, hear.l He himself was in favor
Of one Chamber, but the motion die
not go SO far; and he die
not think the House had formed an
opinion as to Wbeth er there ought tC
be one or two. There was high author
ority in favour of one. Lord Beacons-
/ field had said, IN obody wants Second
Chamber except few disreputable in
dividvals. It is a valuable institution
| for any man who has no distinction
| either of character Or TALENT Minis
terial laughter. and Opposition cries OF
"When:'') Oh, it was in one of his
early works. (Laughter.) He had
never heard that Lord Beaconsfeld had
changed that opinion. (Hear, hear,
An hereditary assembly was not such
an innocuous affair as some gentlemen
seemed to imagine. At the present
moment there was a permanent antag-
| onism between the two Houses. (Cheers
and cries Of "No.") AS a matter OF
fact, clever men had not always clever
sons, although the Prime Minister had
contested that assertion; but even the
most august persons had mothers as well
as fathers. They did not spring like Min
ervia from the heads Of their fathers,
and mother had just as much to do
with the intellectual qualities of theson
as the father. "a Voice. And more. y
Doctors, painters and poets did not oc-
cupy hereditary Offices. In order to be
consistent, we ought to discover the
most intelligent persons in the country,
to take them young to bring them up to
be legislators, and when they arrived at
their minority to marry them to Girton
girls. Great laughter Then probably
we might hope for good results. When
these hereditary legislators had condes-
cended to be born. was their training
and education such as was likely to
quality them for their station? In the
House Of Lords there were 217 Peers
connected with the services, b,lt no one
could assert that the training Of sol
der went to make good legislator.
Again the mass of Peers did not attend
regularly to learn their business. There
were some who devoted themselves to
politics, and we were SO exceedingly
grateful to them that we at once gave
them some Office and salary, and felt
proud Of their goodness in condescend-
ing to take to their charge some por-
ton of the affairs Of this great Empire.
There were exceptions there were
some exceedingly able men in the
House of Lords. but then there were
Albinos in Afrlca. But the system was
bad. They might as well take ladY's
lap-dog, bring it up in the dra aNing-
room, and expect it to become good
sheep-dog. We we're told the House Of
Lords was recruited from the cream Of
the nation. tHear, hear. Was it?
Who were the gentlemen ordinarily
made Peers? There were some politi-
l~.~,.,~<,