The Mena weekly star., 1896-12-23
AN AMERICAN. YET A PEER.
Fairfax's Unique Appearance-Has a seas
 in the House of Lords.

Fairfax's Unique Appearance-das Seas
 in the House of Lords.
 At the Emmet-C Chanler wedding on B recent Tuesday one of the guests was gentleman who occupies unique posi- ton in this country. Lord Fairfax IS an American citizen, and yet he possesses a seat in the English house of lords; IS regularly summoned to the opening of parliament, and receives notices of inn portant debates just like any other peer. 1t is the only case in existence of citizen of one country possessing right to help make the laws Tor another nation.
 This state of things was brought about in a curious way. Lord kalr1ax, who receives the name from his fsiends by courtesy, although as an Amerlcan citizen he has no right to hold title from another nation, is descended from the original settlers of the Fair fax estate in Virginia, the third Baron Fairfax, who emigrated to this country early in the seventeenth cen tury. When the American revolution broke out the then Lord Fairfax, the grandfather of the present peer, lived sometimes in England and sometimes in America, often using his right to sit in the house of lords. Throughout the struggle for independence he sympa- thizcd with the revoutionists, but for bore any active part in the rebellion, be- coming, however, when the United States obtained its enfranchisement, an American citizen.
 But an English peer can lose his title only for an act of treason. Lord Far fax had not committed any such act, and consequently could not be de- plived of his right to the barony. Once peer always peer. An English com moner foreswearing allegiance to the crown cannot vote or legislate in Great Britain before he has become renatural- | ized, but it is one of the ancient priv | ileges of the peers, dating from the time 1 of Magma Charta, that they and their | descendants must retain their titles and ! rights in perpetuity except in the case of reasonable conspiracy or active war | against the crown.
 Some centuries later this law was mod | flied in the case of persons becoming | as in the case of the earl of Leicester about eight years ago, lost them their | titles. But even this law was repealed on the passing of the Catholic emancipa- l ton act, and at present only treason can deprive peer of his title. This Is how it happens that an American citi
 zen holds British peerage.
 | The Chanler wedding was one of the most remarkable society events of re
 cent years. Only the oldest families oi New York einvited. Even the wealth l jest members of the society of to-day
 were denied invitations. The old Aston | manor house at Barrytown-on-the-H -Hud
 son was the scene of reunion of the
 best society of 40 years ago, such as has not been known for many years Only one guest of all the 200 invited was not descended from the earliest
 and most distinguished settlers oi
 America. This one exception was MT St. Gaudens, the sculptor, whose ia
 ther was a Fourth avenue tradesman
 He was the only one there to represent
 the aristocracy of talent. All the resl
 of the guests comprised the Stuyyes | ants, the Van Renssellaers and other olt
 families, whose claims to lead society
 have been overlooked in recent years
 ill favor of the Vanderbilts and other
 members of the aristocracy of wealth
 N Y Press.