The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-26
THE COUNTS or EUROPE.
Behind tho Scenes With the Nobility o
the Old World.

THE COURTS or EUROPE.
Beh nd tho Scenes With the Nobility of
the Old World.
The argument that has been raised
against the imprisonment OF the dow
aser duchess OF Sutherland on the
ground that she ia a peeross ofthe realm,
is manilestly erroneous, as the ex-Mrs.
Blair's rights and prerocatives as a
peeress lapsed with the death OF the latc
duke, and are now possessed by the
young wife OF the present duke. She
has, therefore, no locus standi whatso-
ever in the eyes OF the law as a peeress,
Curiously enough, while she has lost
these legal advantages, she has retained
her social precedence over the present
duchess. This is a peculiar rule which
! believe prevails only in Great Britain.
There, all dowager peeresaes and baro-
nets widows take social precedence oil
the wives OF existing peers and baronets
OF the same creation on the ground OF
their being senior in the dignity.
Thus, for instance, the Dowager
duchess OF Beaufort enjoys social pre-
CedenCe over the wife OF the present
duke OF Beaufort and in the same way
the widowed countess OF Dudley is ac-
corded the pas over her dauGhter-in-
law, the wife OF the young earl.
The right OF peeresses to share the
legal privileges and immunities con-
coded to their husbands dates back 10
tho year l442, but all these prerogativGs
have practically been permitted to
lapse, and it ia only when charged with
treason or felony that peers and peeres-
ses OF the realm are entitled 10 trial by
the house OF lords.
For minor oilenses they are tried by
the ordinary courts, No we saw the
other day when Lord Hastings was
brought up before one OF the London
police courts and subsequently re.
manded to appear before the MiddleseX
sessions, on charge OF improper be-
havior in Regents park, TO little four.
teen-year-old servant girl,
A queer privilege which they possess,
and which has not to my knowledge
been exercised during thepresent reign,
is the liberty to kill venison in the
royal forests, and I should be curious
to know what the queen would say il,
for instance, the Costermonger and
bankrupt marquis of Ailesbury were to
venture upon shooting either in the
royal forest OF Windsor or tho estates OF
thn oman in Scotland
Peers have likewise tho privilege OF
sitting with covered head in courts Of
justice, whereas everybody else present
is under the obligation of barring the
head.
Apropos of these privileges OF peers !
frequently see it stated in print that the
upper chamber OF the British legislature
stands in constant dread lest the mar
quis OF Ailesbury should fulfill threat
which he is stated to have made OF
driving to Westminster in coster-
monger's cart and TO solemnly take his
seat in the house OF lords as an heredi-
tary legislator OF Great Britain.
There is not however, the slightest
danger OF this, for by an act some
twenty years ago, peers OF the realm
who have been made bankrupt are de.
barred from sitting in the house OF
lords or from voting until they have OBJ
tanned their discharge from the court in
due form, and | need scarcely say thGi
Lord Ailesbury has failed until now Ia
obtain the sorely needed whitewash.
Sir Edwin Eastwood, who has Just
died in England, was the premier bar
onet OF England, and his demise recalls
to mind the peculiar circumstances
which attended the death OF his father
who, like him, bore the name OF Sil
Edwin.
The old gentleman passed the last
years Of his life at Paris. Ho was vic
tim OF the alcohol habit, which had re-
duced him to almost complete imbecili.
ty and necessitated his being maintain.
ed under restraint.
He resided with his keeper in some
wretched rooms in the Pantheon quar-
ter OF the city and it used to be q pitia'
bic sight to soc the old baronet walking
about the streets OF Paris almost in rags
accompanied by his keeper, who would
follow the wretChed man into the Lowest
taverns, whore tho few cents which he
was daily allowed for the purpose would
be spent in drink.
The old baronet died so suddenly thai
suspicious arose OF foul play and the
authorities instituted inquiries which
led to the keeper being subjected to {
searching investigation. The latter die
not so very far rs tho keeper committed
suicide by hanging himself almost d
tho outset OF the proceedings against
him.
/ SEQ that Lord Cranbourne, the cid.
est son and heir of Lord Salisbury, has
recently been getting into trouble with
tho speaker and with the chairman OIL
committees in tho house Of commons
and that he has been forced by these
august functionaries to present public
apologies tor injudicious remarks tina
he had made, and to cat, generally
speaking, humble pie.
Poor Lord salisbury can hardly bt
Considered as fortunate with regard Il
his children. For Lord Cranbourno
whose marriage has proved childless, il
| ono of tho mogt insulloFnblv nrivviSh