Year: 1878

obstacle to the encroachments of des
potism; while, on the other hand, IL
democratic times, the hierarchy O
ranks serves to mitigate the isolation o
the throne, and is thus powerful bul
wark to monarchy A second cham


Der Is so essential to the healthy work
ing of constitutional government. that
it may almost be pronounced politica
necessity; and in times when the posi-
ton of that chamber is Il secondary
one, when its leading functions are
merely to delay and to revise, it is nc
small advantage that it should be com
posed of men possessing, indeed, great
local knowledge and influence, but al
the same time independent of local in
trigues and jealousies and of the tran.
slent bursts of popular passion. A per
manent hereditary chamber has at leas
a tendency to impart to national policy
that character of continuity and sta
bility, and 10 infuse into its discussions
the judicial spirit which it is most diff
cult to preserve amid the rapid fuctu.
atiOns and the keen contests of popu
lar government. 1t may even very
materially contribute to make legisla
ton a reflex of the popular will. Nc
matter how perfect may be the system
of election, an elected body can never
represent with complete fidelity the po
litical sentiments of the community
In particular constituencies purely loca
and personal considerations continually
falsify the political verdict. In the coun
try at large a general election usually
turns on single great party issue OF
on the comparative popularity of riva
statesmen and hardly a year passes In
which the politicians in whom, on the
whole, the county has most confidence
do not act on some particular question
IN manner opposed to the nationa.
sentiment. If the question is sub
ordinate one, this divergence does moi
make the country desire change OF
ministry; and it is extremely difficult
under the system of party government
to enforce by any less violent means the
national will Under these circum
stances, a body such as the house o.
lords, exempt from the necessity of pop
ular election, representing at the same
time most of the forms Of public opin-
ion, and exercising in the constitution
a kind Of revising, judicial, and moder.
ating office, is Of great utility; it is able
to arrest or retard a particular co".se OF
policy, without producing MINISTERIAL
crisis, and it may tnus be said without
a paradox, to contribute to the repre-
sentative character of the government
Besides this, the peerage enable the
country to avail itself of the talents ot
statesmen of ability and experience
who are physically incapable of endur-
ing the fatigue inseparable from the po-
sition of a minister in the lower house;
it forms cheap yet highly-prized re-
ward for great service to the nation Oh
crown; and it exercises i'll some re
spects considerable refining influence
upon the manners of society by coun
teracting the empire of mere wealth
and sustaining that order of feelings
and sentiments which constitutes the
conception of gentleman. Nor should
we altogether disregard its minor use in
settling doubtful questions Of prece-
dence, and making out the natural
leaders for many movements. which
would otherwise be weakened by con-
fiicting claims, and by personal jeal-
Ousies.