Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-17
The Lords and Home Rule.

The CIV OF end or mend the House OF
Lords is neither now or startling. II has
h.cn ralsed on various occasions when
The Peers have exercised their provocative
and rejected some measure that had
been passed 10y the House OF Commons
umid great popular excitement. As time
counts the House Of Lords may posi-
bly,. within a reasonable period be
nnendcd. but the cry Of end 1t is likely
ms oforetlme 10 prove "brutum fulmen'
Tor many generations TO come.
III. fact that the defeat OF the home
ylle hin by the Peers may have been I'M
wise does not render IL any less true that
the House Of Lords is the great British
lulwark against hasty and M-adyised
legislation. II follows. therefore, that
even the process Of "mending' the body
should be entered upon with great eau
tion. II the Peers are TO be deprived or
ruy OF their powers and privileges as a
coordinate authority with the Crown and
the Commons in the constitution OF Par
Lament. what is to be substituted as
"A barrier TO the triumph Of measures
which on sober second thought might be
regretted?
Viewed only from the standpoint Of an
enthusiastic home-ruler. immediate and
radical mendmg of the House Of Lords
might be- justinaDle, provided the action
OF the Peers on the home-rule bill was
rnal ana irrevocable. But such is not the
case. The vote OF the House Of Lords re-
3ccting the bill acts only as suspen-
tfve veto. As has been well said. 1t would
ruzzls tie most hostile critic of the
Iouse Of Lords 10 find "a single case, from
the reform bin Of lS}2 to the present time.
when that body has failed to adapt itself
- the will Of the people, as expressed
clearly and suHlly through their repre-
sentatlves IN the House Of Commons
No matter how much We may sympd-
ihize with ireland we must admit that
there is some force I'm the contention that
The vote on the oil In the Commons did
not clearly AMI solitly' express the
viii Of the people. There Is a great diff
ference between sustaining Mr.. Gladstone
m an abstract homerule proposition
and endorsing. after its passage by the
Commons. hy small and homogeneous
majority. a measure the details OF which
lie concealed from the electors until his
return TO power. was assured. If it shall
rr1ye the will Of the British people that
ar. Gladstone's hoIne-ruie bill shall pre-
van. it may be SGT down as certain that
the Lords viii sooner or later concur
IN the action of the Commons.
For our part, We Relieve that whether
st comes in the present form or another.
relf-eovernment for ireland is not far
distant. We attacn.eery little Importance
10 the immense fna5orty given against
me bill in the House Of Lords. The
rally OF the Peers. in such force was a
supreme effort. for which the agitation
of the measure 50 long stimulated by Mr..
Gladstone was largely responsible. 1t
does not initiate against the assumption
that men like Lord Rosebery, who cham
,ion home-rule along the broad lines OF
craftsmanship. patriotism, and unseltish-
ness, and who have the confidence OF
political adhercnts and antagonists alike.
win not bring many who have hitherto
been in the opposition to a calmer. and
moro Just and more liberal considera-
lion OF the Irish problem.