Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
Used for Political Purposes.

William Pitt is said to have been the
first prime minister to use an elevation
to the peerage for political purposes, and
he thus brought to the support of his
government bankers, merchants. con-
tractors, manufacturers and brewers,
distillers and other men of great wealth
and business ability, who gave his party
la generous financial support and arrest
ed the decay of the nobility. His eX-
ample has been followed by all succeed
ling prime ministers, SO that the present
pebrage is composed very largely of
men who We're ennobled for spending
their money on contested elections or
made generous contributions to the cam
paign funds of the party in power. Mr..
Gladstone used the peeraSe to reward
the faithful service of his subordinates,
but would never accept q title for HIM
self. He elevated the tone of the house
OF lords by adding several distinguished
men OF letters and celebrated scientists.
The Marquis of Salisbury once con-
firmed the peeraGe upon a supporter,
who first entered London driving "A cart.
and remarked that he hoped his prOtege
would leave London in an equally re-
spectacle manner.
There are nine brewers among the
peers: tho two sons of Benjamin Guinness.
the great Dublin ale man, have been EN-
nobled' as Lord lveagh and Lord Ardi-
laun The manufact urer OF Bass ale is
i Lord Burton; the manufacturer of All
| sop's ale is Lord Hindlip.
There IS one American peer, Lord Fair
| fax. the son OF Maryland physician.
| He succeeded in reviving the title and
| securing recognition several years ago.
| He is connected with an American bank
| ing house in London and is highly re-
special BILE and popular young gentleman.
| His father and grandfather both refused
/ to claim the title, which was last worn
| by an Episcopal clergyman of Alexandria
during the American revolution.
Romances of the Peerage.
| There are always several claimants for
| titles hanging around the house of lords
| There are several titles in dispute and
some of them involve romanccs, tragedies
and comedies. \ book was published
many years ago. THE Romances of the
| Peerasc" and it relates some strange
| experiences.
| William Alexander. provision dealer
/ in Fulton market, New York city, once
claimed the Scottish earldom of Stirling.
The evidence was very strongly In ms
favor. but the house OF lords declined 10
| recognize him. In Scotland he was re-
| ceived with greater favor, and was &C
cepted as the Earl of Stirling. Perhaps If
he has any descendants they might De
more successful, since Lord Fairfax Sc
! cured recognition.
/ The Earl Of Denbigh claims to be de-
Y
calls himself Count OF HapsburS, 1.auffen-
burg and Rheinfelden. but the claim has
never been recognized in, Austria, where
one of the HapspurgS Is emperor.
| Several of the peers have more than one
title There are dukes who are also earls.
marquises and barons, having inherited
| the titles by different lines. Ihere are
double dukes also. The Duke of Alva OF
Spain is the Duke of Berwick in England.
| Almost all of the higher peerages have
Inwer peerages pertaining to them. and
the titles are usually assumed by the sons
and recognized by courtesy. Thus the son
of the Duke of Devonshire is called the
! MARQUIS of Harrington. which is an in
ferioT title of his father. Earl Percy,
| who died with 50 much mystery in n dis
/ reputable hotel in Paris the other day as
| the result of IA duel. had no right to the
| title except by courtesy, being the son of
the Duke of Northumberland. to whom it
belonged. Another son is called Lord
Warkworth, using still lower title OF
| his father
/ There are many splendid figures in the