davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12

lawn sleeves rochct. hood etc. every one OF the
temporal peers kncels OF them on the
floor OF the House. others the benches, pre-
senting much the aspect OF a lot Of bald headed
and sray-bcarded children performing their de-
votions. Curiously. II Is only the spiritual peers
that is to say, the archbishOps and bishops, who
do not think it worth while to kneel to the AL
mighty. Their Graces OF Canterbury and York.
well their right reverend colleagues, at
tired in their ecclesiastical vestments, without
which they may not enter the House remain
seated and content themselves with merely in
cnng their heads and looking very solemn
The public never has a glimpse OF this. Even
the reporters are excluded from the gallery Of
The House until after the last amen" has been
pronounced and II merely by a piece Of
oversight and official negligence that oppor-
tunity was afforded me Of witnessing this we'll
nigh unique spectacle.
After having thus paid a well-deserved tribute
to the piety OF the hereditary Legislators Of Great
Britain a piety which is pcrsible for the OBJ
lection which they manifest to have protested
atheists. such as the Marquis of Queensberry
taking a seat among them. word or two may
be said on the subject OF their public spirit
People on this side OF the Atlantic have a
general rule, small conception Of the role which
this form Of patriotism plays in the Old World
In America it is seldom that man devotes him
self to politics unless he has an axe Of one kind
or another TO grind Sometimes the "lOaves and
fishes take the form OF office and Of social pre-
ferment while in other instances it is means
of livelihood legislators not only receiving large
salaries, but having, moreover, unrivalled oppor-
tunities for making money. There Is here little
or no sense OF civic obligation.
PUBLIC SPIRITED PEERS.
In Europe, and more especially In Great
Britain, this sense exists to a marked degree.
The large majority Of the House Of Lords is
composed of men who have absolutely nothing
whatsoever to gain from devoting any of their
time to public affairs. The great orders and
decorations such as the Garter, the Thistle and
the St. Patrick, are not given as a reward for
merit or hard work, but are merely species Of
recognition Of territorial influence, and are dis
tributed In such a manner that they have come
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12

and abroad. appear TO lose sight in connection
with the House OF Lords is that it is to the peers
that Great Britain and. In a more or less de
gree. that the other civilized countries OF the
world are indebted for the recognition by the
Crown OF popular rights and FOR the origin OF
parliamentary government. IL was the Darons
by writ in the time Of King John who wrested
from that most disrcputable and cowardly OF
English sovcreiGns what is known as the Magma
Charta that is to say. the basis OF the British
constitution and the foundation Of all the pre-
rogativcs and rights Of the people Peers by
writ are entirely different from the peers by
patent and enjoy a far greater degree OF pres
tige than the latter For the peers by writ are
what is known in the German language as the
'T'radel" and do not owe the creation OF their
title to royal favor. They were the great land
owners and feudal chicftains at the time OF the
esta blishment Of the monarchy, and are styled
peers by writ because the King was wont 10
summon them by means of writ to meet him In
council and to advise with him upon matters
concerning the welfare OF the kingdom. 1t was
this council of peers who considered themselves
in point Of nobility and lineage fully equal to the
sovereign himself. and who therefore styled
themselves the sovereigns peers that con-
stituted the origin OF the British Parliament.
existence. and upon the example OF which al
most every modern Legislature is more or less
modelled. Pecrages by patent are OF far less
antiquity, and are practically unknown prior
to the reign OF King Henry VIII, the Blue Beard
of English history. They have this difference
as regards descent from the peerages by writ,
that whereas the latter pass from father to
daughter II there be no son. the former, as a
general rule are limited to the male descendants
OF the house and become not dormant or In
allowance but absolutely extinct when none but
female members OF the house are alive.
Nor can the House OF Lords be considered as
an insuperable obstacle to progressive legisla
ton Whenever the Peers have constituted
themselves as "A barrier to measures sent up
from the House Of Commons. it has invariably
been because the bills in question have been
forced through the Lower Chamber by narrow
majority, or else by some political trick, such
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
THE NEW COAsTILNE BATrESIIPs KENTUCKY

There are several precedents for the exercise
OF this last mentioned and hut little known pre-
negative. Members of the House of Lords have
been dis-peerod in Tudor and Plantagenet times
for dsgraceful conduct, and there is also on
record the case Of Duke If Bedford. who was
s-pecred" by King Edward w depriv of all
his titles and reduced to the level of an ordinary
esquire on the ground that in the estimation or
the Crown he was too poor TO maintain the rank
Of Peer Of the Realm. Every case of dis
peerng' has. of course. been followed by the
entire extinction Of the pccrage in question,
none of the descendants being allowed to inherit
it. The fact that the Crown possesses this pre-
rogative OF dis peering" will doubtless be news
to all those who believe that the only way by
which peer can be deprived of his title, and
OF his seat in the House Of Lords, is by being at
tainted for high treason, or for felony | may
add that bankruptcy entails temporary with
drawal from the House Of Lords hereditary
Legislators who have been gazetted as insolvent
being debarred from occupying their seats in
the Upper Chamber until they obtain their full
discharge from the courts.
1t Is believed that Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
the Chancellor OF the Exchequer has some
scheme In view. according to which the
English peerage is TO be subjected to the
land and ireland The peerages OF these
two sister Kingdoms Of England are represented
in the House OF Lords Scotland by sixteen peers
and Ireland by twenty eight The Scotch repre-
sentative peers are elected for each new Parlia-
ment the election taking place at Hollywood
Palace at Edinburgh. The Irish representative
peers hold their seats in the House Of Lords for
life from the time OF their election. Whereas.
however, Irish peers who are not called upon to
represent their order in the House Of Lords are
eligible for membership In the House OF Com
MONS Lord Pamerston having been able to sit
In the House Of Commons until the end OF his
days, in consequence of his being only an Irish
peer Scotch peers are debarred from the House
Of Commons; and thus 1t happened that early in
the reign OF King George III Lord North was
actually Prime Minister for some time without
having a seat in either House Of Parliament.
q unique instance Of the kind In British history,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12

To he looked upon as the vested right Of certain
great houses Of the nobility. Many OF tue Hei'
bers OF the House Of Lords are Indifferent 10
promotion I'm the peerage especially III their u'ie
happens to be an old one, preferrng to be AZ lhe
head OF the barons or viscounts rather than al
the tail end OF the narquises and ears. MOS.
Of them, moreover possess SUFFICIENT "ea'h W
render them indifferent to the emolumehts Oh
office and to the opportunities or poilticai co'
ruption What else than a sense OF puphc ou'S'
for instance impes that most INDECENT anu per
petually bored Of men, the Duke OF De'ohshie'
whose only pleasure In life Is horse rac'is' ". W
devote himself to politics and TO sadoie hi''Seh
with the cares and obligations OF omce' -
duke a Knight of the Garter. possessed Oh I'll
enormous fortune there is absolutely nothing in
the shape OF reward OF preferment TOT "hich "e
can possibly look. and If he remains in politics,
which are VIGOROUSLY distasteful to him' IL -
only because he has a strong sense Of what he
believes to be the obligations of his order-of Ins
men of his classic the commonwealth.
II was that same sense also to which, first OF
all the late Count Julius Andrassy, and after
him Count Kalnoky, referred when. in resigning
the characteristic OF the Austro-Hungarian En-
pre- they intmated to their sovereign that they
considered they had fulfilled their share OF what
they believed to be their civic and patriotic duty.
They each OF them remained in office for about
fifteen years laboring hard for the veal Of their
country and sacrificing all their Austrian love
case. pleasure and, above all. sport. They
were counts OF the Empire when they entered
into Office and occupied the same rank in the
aristocracy after their resignation, while they
left the CHARACTERISTIC in each instance cOnsid-
erably poorer in pocket than when they assumed
it, This public spirit is one OF the most admir-
able features OF the British House OF Lords the
members OF which. 1 need scarcely add, follow
the example Of their fellow Legislators in the
lower chamber Of Parliament In neither ask
Ing nor receiving any pay from the nation for
the performance OF their duty TO their fellow
citizens.
Another matter ~ which people. both at home
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
NETWORK TRIBUNE ILLUSTRATED SOFfLEME~i'

az those which old parliamentar1ans nave w
the dozen up their sleeve But where large anu
growing majorties In the Commons nave iu'
nished clear and ndisputabe evidence OF INC
real will Of the nation the House OF Loros '.
never hesitated to yield, even though the pre'u-
dices and interests Of the caste which u H'o'e
especialy represents have been at stake. ho'e-
over II IL does oppose progressive legislation
its opposition can always be overridden by "ha'
is known as a Royal Warrant, such as was III
voked and applied by Mr.. Gladstone while Prime
Minister in 1871. His government had brough'
forward a scheme of reorganization OF the army,
which contained provisions for the apoItioh VI
the purchase and sale of commissions as Objects
II passed the Commons, though not by large
majority The Lords attempted to choke IL OH
by means OF diatory tactics, whereupoh MI
Gladstone induced the Queen to sign hoSa
Warrant making the Army Reform Dill ia"
over the heads and without the sanction Oh the
House Of Lords The application OF this roya,
prerogative while violation or the spir' anu
practice Of parliamentary government ""''
nevertheless in accordance with the letter vi TIC
Constitution. Having been used once IL can "
invoked again, and so long as IT lasts the fiouee
Of Lords cannot be considered as exercising the
power Of veto over Legislation which is at
trbu;ed to 1t by so many Of its foes, inciuo'hs
Sir William Harcourt.
The projected reorganization or the House Vi
Lords provides for The wedding out OF what are
cuphoniously described as weak peers that -
to say hereditary legislators whose intellectual
abilities and above all, whose conduct anu
mode ot lie render them in the eyes or the
people untitled to exercise a voice in the drec-
ton and control OF the destinies OF the immense
British Empire Special legislation is proposed
for the purpose But this is superfluous, and
will probably be found that when the Liberal
party submits bill for the wedding OF the
House OF Lords, the great law ofhcers OF the
present Administration will reply with the an
nouncement that no such legislation Is neces-
gary since the sovereign has the power, not
only 10 create peers, but also to dis peer them
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12

As a Scotch peer he could not sit In the HouSe
If Commons. and owing to the existence OF q Law
repealed during the reign Of Queen Victoria
against the granting Of United Kingdom peer
ages to Scotch peers, the only manner In wnicn
he could obtain admission to the upper house
of the National Legislature was by wa'uns
until the dissolution Of Parliament general
election, and hs own election as one VI INC
representative peers Of Scotland.
Inasmuch as Queen Victoria Is constitutionaiiy
debarred from the creation OF any more irish OF
Scotch peerages. 1t naturally foIiows 'ha' IN
course Of time the entire peerage OF ocotiaho
and Of Ireland will be absorbed into that OF the
United Kingdom. But meanwhile, the positioh
Of those Scotch peers who are not among inc
sixteen representatives Is extremely inVloious
Although called upon to pay taxes, they nave
practically no voice in the conduct Of the affairs
Of the nation less even than the pettlest shop-
keeper since they like the British pollce-
man. and like the benefited clergymen OF the
Church of England, without an electoral IRAN
chise. Should the Government, therefore, ever
adopt the scheme Of the present Chancellor or
the Exchequer, and subject the representation
of the English peerage in the House or Lorde
to the same process Of selection as the peerase
Of Scotland and Ireland ii is to be hoped that
the irish rather IMAM tne ScotcH HietHoo WIN oC
adopted and that those English peers who are
not fortunate enough to secure election as repre-
sentatives of their order in the House of Lords
will at least have the privilege Of exercising the
rights Of citizenship of commoner, and OF
presenting themselves the polls for election to
The House of Commons-that "other place" the
very existence of which the House of Lords. ac-
cording to ancient etiquette, continues to AFFECT
10 ignore EX-ATTACHE.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
A CAT THAT LIKES ELEVATIONS.
From The Philadelphia Record.

From The Philadelphia Record.
The Philadelphia Bourse is the home OF q very
Intelligent cat. This tabby, whch Is coai pack'
without a single white spot upon her, mas
fondness for travelling in the elevator. She Is
nerfectly at home there, and travels up and
down many times daily. She goes to the door OF
the elevator shaft and news until the car comes
along and takes her on. The various elevator
men are very careful OF her, for she is a great
mouser, and in the Bourse as in other big build
ings, mice are troublesome. These little pests
frequently destroy valuable documents sup.
posedly safely slowed away In desks and
drawers Tabby notifies the elevator men what
floor she desires to get of upon by mewing loud
ly as the car comes to the particular story. In
this way she makes tour u inspection OF me
entire building.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
HOUSE OF LORDS.

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Earl of Rosebery have just announced that
either the abolition or the radical reorganization
Of the House of Lords is to constitute the first
and principal plank of the new Liberal platform
In Great Britain a few brief notes on the sub
ject of this time -honored institution. which the
two leaders of the Wing party denounce as obso-
lete and as constituting an obstacle TO progress
and reform, may be of timely interest all the
more as a good deal of misrepresentation exists
not only in America, but even in England Itself,
with regard to the duties. the prerogatives and
the status of members OF the upper chamber OF
the British Legislature. Indeed, the vagues'
notions prevail as to what is meant by peer
and there many whose ideas upon the SUD
ject are limited to the belief that he Is species
OF Corgeousy attired drone. who wears crown
on his head on state occasions who Is exempt
from the ordinary pains and penalties or the
law, and who is treated by his fellow citizens
with a Difference and regard that cannot find
any better expression than in the words my
lord" which are used in formally addressing
him.
The Peers OF the British Empire are to be
seen at their very best during the prayer with
which the proceedings in the House OF Lords
are opened every afternoon when Parlia-
ment is in session. and do not believe that
more curious and characteristic spectacle than
that which they present these occasions can
be witnessed in any other legislative chamber
Of the world. During the prayers which are
recited by the junior Of the spiritual peers pres
emit arrayed In full canonicals az a bishop with
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
THE BRITISH PEERS.
DEFENCE OF THEIR PATRIOTISM AS
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT

sELF-sACRIFICEs THEY MAKE ON ACCOUNT OF
THEIR PUBLIC spIRIT-How THEIR oPPo-
sITIoN TO LEGISLATION MAY BE OVER
CoME-PLANs FOR REFORMING THE
HOUSE OF LORDS.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
Oc23- dNdS
DUNCANsoN BROS, AUcTIoNEERs.

PROPERTY, SITUATE Az TIE NORTHEAST
T%FNEK sf o. BuS IThkr AyENTE Asp
II GEoRGETowN, DISTRICT OF CO
BY virtue of deed of trust to us. bearing date
March l 1893, and daily recorded in Liber numbered
1901 folio so ct seq, one of the land records Of
the parties secured thereby, will sell, at public
auction IN fT9 ,It, Of The premises on WE)NEs
1897. AT FOUR O'CLOCK pm. TIE following Ge-
scribed pieces or parcels of land and premises,
lumbia and known and distinguished lis and helms;
parts Of lots seven "a and eight Isl, in Beatty ard
@ in said Georsefo%n and s9 more
fully described follows: Par. of .nid LIT
ton of the north linz Of D"nbartan Street With
the easterly line OF High street continued, and
running from thence by and with the north side of
four ~ inches; thence parallel to High street
continued northsry to lot numbered eight Is, in
erly and at right angles With High street con-
tinued to said HiEh , street thence by and with
fifteen G5) feet and ten do) inches TO the place
of beginning being the s1me conveyed to Charlie,
4. Upperman by William Parsons by deed recorded
in Liber ]. A. s.. No 50, folio 49, Of the land
Also another Part of said lot seven (7) described
barton street eightythree 1881 feet and four a.
inches east from High street and running thence
east said Dunbarton street twenty four CA feet
to brick wall thence northwesterly parallel ia
the north line of said lot ,thence southwest
erly with said north line about twenty three (23)
feet six 90 inches to the easterly line the mart
said lot "a first herein described ami thence
southe asterly with said easterly line last men,
toned forty.sx t46l feet, more less to tie be-
ginning and also the south half part of :ot num-
bered eight (S) In Beatty and Hawkins addition
to said Georgetown, situated on the east side OF
High street. fronting said forty tlO) fee
and running back Of the same width easterly one
same conve-ed to Charles A. Upperman by deed
recorded in Liber 62, folio 1872 the land records
OF the District OF Columbia, together with ali the
improvements, ways, easements, privileges and
appurtenances to the same belonging in anywise
appertaining.
Terms Of rale: One-thrd cash, balance to lie maid
in three installments In one two and three years
for which notes Of the purchaser secured upon the
premises sold, and bearing interest at the rate OF
g per cent per annum, interest payable semi-an-
nually, will be taken. all cash, at the purchas-
ers option. All conveyancing and recording + the
purchasers cost deposit Of 500 will be re-
complied with within ten days from the cate OF
sale otherwise the property will be resold at the
risk and cost of the defaultin, purchaser
Adds b. BROWNE,
JOHN RIDOUT,
ocZl-eod Trustees
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
HOUSE-TO-HOUSE CANVASS.
Results to BE Reported to Convention
of Sunday School Union.

AT the convention of the Sunday School
Union of the District, which is to be held
in the New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church, beginning the 18th of the coming
month, it is the intention to present in
detail the results of the house toulouse
canvass recently undertaken under the
auspices Of the union. 1t is the purpose to
devote entire session to this subject
and each of the fifteen district chairmen
will make a five-minute report. All the
reports of the division chairmen have not
been completed as yet, but as far as
known information which will be OF value
has been secured as result of this visit
tation.
1t is expected that number of promi-
nent Sunday school workers from different
parts of the country will deliver addresses
during the progress of the convention,
among them being Rev. NJ. w. Hanna, D.
D, Of Altoona, Pa; Rev. II. c. Woodruff
D. D.. of Brooklyn, N. Y; Mr.. NJ. Lawenc,
state secretary of Ohio, and Mrs. ]. w.
Barnes. the state primary worker of Penn
sylvania.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
PRINCE kRoporx1x,s LECTURE.
Dfstfnguished Scientist Speaks En-
tertainingly Of Russia and Siberia.

Distinguished Scientist Speaks En-
tertainingly Of Russia and Siberia.
A large audience assembled in the Column
lila Theater yesterday afternoon to listen to
lecture by Prince Kropotkin, the Russian
scientist, whose theme was Siberia. The
lecture was given under the auspices OF
the National Geographic Society.
The president of the society. Mr.. Gardiner
G. Hubbard. presided and introduced the
lecturer, and gave some interesting facts
In connection with the varied career OF
the distinguished speaker. Mr.. Hubbard
said the Russian government was not
pleased with the princes ideas on social
questions, and so he was placed in prison.
but was allowed considerable liberty, and
mus had access to the libraries of st.
petersburg and continued to prosecute his
scientific studies. He escaped to France,
where he was arrested at the instigation of
the HI ssian government and confined In
that country for three years. He finally es-
capped to England, where he has since made
his home.
An enthusiastic reception was accorded
the prince as he stepped forward to de-
Ever his lecture. He spoke of the charact
or the inhabitants of Russia and Siberia,
and gave many details, especially in re-
gard to the people of the latter country.
His descriptions Of the sufferings of the
political prisoners sent to Siberia were
thrilling. He said that in the extreme north
eastern portion of Siberia, where the ther-
mometer registers 65 and IS degrees below
Zero there ara few scattered settlements
and 1t is here that the government of Rus
STA send its exiles. He said that in six
weeks OF each year, the only time when the
rivers and streams are open, the exile must
get a supply of game and fish to sustain
himself and family for the remainder of the
year.
The lecturer said an endowment for the
establishment of the Siberian university
81 do hxy1 rioI rGo,,t
in his will. but it was twenty years before
the Russian government would agree to
have the provisions of this request carried
out, as they considered it dangerous for
the peasants to be educated He thought
what was needed in Siberia was technical
knowledge, in order to develop the natural
resources of the country. He spoke of the
trans-Siberian railroad and traced the route
on large map which was suspended in
View of the audience.
In conclusion, the lecturer expressed the
hope that some day Russia would emerge
from despotic rule. He believed the gov
eminent could not withstand the pressure
that would be brought to bear for higher
civilization.