The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17

grit with the sword Of knighthood, form Iona
kep' up In the election OF knights OF the shire
gave 70 the representatives OF tho boroughs
leadership strength and confidence which
they would otherwise have lacked. In spain
the free cities, unsupported In the Cortes by such
an alliance, after a period Of precocious liberty,
sank under the despotism OF Charles " and Philip
III. In France, where all the gentry were nooiess'
ana formed an estate separate from the burghers'
or T1rs Efdt, the States General succumbed 10
tho absolute monarchy. and rose again in the
form OF the National Assembly only when inc
classes had been fused by the fire OF revolution.
As regards the methods OF election TO the flrst
regular Parliament, our author notes that knights
/ OF tho shire were chosen in the county court by
INC whole body Of freeholders, tho shcrih presiding
ana acung as returning officer Inc burgesses
were erected ny their iehoW Durghers In inc
Counues freedom OF elecuon was no douot mon-
ned as soon as elections became Important by
inc influence OF the sheriff, who was appointed
! by the crown. and OF the local magnatea In the
boroughs It would be modified by the distribu-
Won OF power among the burghcrs which greatly
varied municipal government being In state
OF growth and transition. Everywhere the pro
cess would be rough and documentary Edward
u'u not omit TO enion freedom oi election lhr'y-
seven counties and a hundred and axty-ax Dor
I
In the boroughs were included all those OF royal
CONAN, and the principal among tho rest; tho
NUMBER OF boroughs being Tar greater In tho better
oruored ana more commercial SCUM, than IN
'ne Whuof Norm, exposed 70 tho lnroads OF tho
ocotch' hut the selection oil tho boroughs was
now, and long atcrward In the hands OF tho
crown, which, eventually. used the power Tor
the purpose OF attacking the House OF Commons
Hence partly came the arbitrary and anomalous
Distribution Of borough representation which
called Tor the Reform ihll OF 1889
IL WAS also In the reign Of Edward L that Eng
land escaped tho mschefs incidental TO the
formation OF caste 81 noo!es". The present
constitution 81 the House OF Lords as well
M tn" creation Of tho House Of Commons
Is uaccable TO this reign. and was. no doubt con-
nccted with Edwards general policy Of merging
feudh distinctions In the nation Tenancy-in.
chicf A. title 10 seat was sur~rsedcd by tho
Kings writ the hereditary right of the per TO
which WAS. at tho SANE time, established. Thus
the House Of Lords became what II now remains,
a houss Of peers summoned 10 the council Of tho
nation by hereditary right and owing their orig
innl CREATION 10 the Crown. II Is an hristocrncy
Of hereditary duty and privilege rather than Of
birth Mr. Goodwin Smith goes on to note that
for nero birth there In the times NJ the FIRST
Edward TO have been comparatively LITTLE regard.
All the children Of peers have remained common.
crs, subject 20 the common law. though Gis.ir-
guished socially by titles Of courtesy The priy-
ileg, Of trial nv their our, o,d., which a.. lo,d.
-, a, " "'' ,.'
nave enjoyed II nut the general ordinance ~ tho
Great Charter that every man should b. tried nv
his p~er, Through ,hi. Ina,i,u,io, ~ en-. ,.,I,
60, =, A.. a., " ~
I~'u'u o'"y 'o In' ner"uIthy nchd OF n mousse
England escaped the nobie,se, the eurs- Of France
GERMANY and Sn,ip III. or,r ,n,,o..h o,
,, u Nv '''' "P'"''h w
nooe"e was the exclusive ua- ~ cons-of-srms
and Of crests BY A military rather than a noble
class With IN, b.,,,drv .rd a.. foIi.n. =, H.,
-, -, -, -, w ~ ~ W Nv,
nIN ny "hien 'ha' aiSuncuon WIS preserved
The King. II appears. chose the h-rons who were
10 rcc.iv. vri,s a.. h. cho.. en-. t,,o,,,h. ,,,t.,
- % "a '". Wv o''""F"s "I'oh
Wrt" 10 send memb'rs 20 that he was the creator
OF the Hous" Of Lords" We have secn that In the
nl,n Of rdv,,d'a ,suo,ni ...,,,hi - a., ~
rr'n'h o'apS"enrral the clerical estate was In
cludcd with thr Other two orders sending its rroc
tors 10 represent II. 80 ,h,. .oun,l,. SON, ,h.i,
' o. VI" '"''"s "h' H"f
however th. clerical est... 900, .h,ol, i,s.I Too.
from the oth., orders: IN. cIcrvv n,c,r,,nd ~ ",n
estate npnrt with an nlI,vi,n,. div,,I.d h,,,-.,,
the King and IN. Pow taxing ,b.,,s,l,os s.r.-
rnteiy II they w-r. to b. taxed Al all. Thu. VIVA
born tho clerical Convoca,Ion with IFS two house.
one Of bishops tn other of the lower cIcrry With
when the order lost the privilege Of tn,ipg i,s,I,
and became subject 10 N, taxing power Of p,rli,.
mcnt sank into insignihcance, the result lying
political ostraciSm Of the clergy, who Az mcnbc,,
Of separate estate were excluded from ,h. uous.