§ MR. THOMAS SHAW (Hawick, &c.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a statement in The Aberdeen Free Press of Friday, 10th March, 1893, from which it appears that a telegram was recently sent by Lord Mount Stephen asking his Unionist friends in Dufftown to support the Unionist candidate at the approaching election; and whether, in view of the Rule of this House, with reference to the interference of Peers in Parliamentary elections, the Government propose to take any action with reference to the subject?
§ MR. W. E. GLADSTONEThis case has only been brought under my notice by the question of my hon. Friend. I will not now enter into any discussion as to the Resolution of the House relating to the subject of the interference of Peers at elections. This is a case of alleged interference by a Peer opposed in politics to Her Majesty's Government, and I do not think it would be wise for Her Majesty's Government to entertain the question of putting in force— presuming we can put it in force—a Resolution which has not been enforced for a great length of time, in the case of a gentleman opposed to them in politics of their own Motion and without any intervention on the part of the House.