§ LORD WAVENEY,in asking the leave of the House to withdraw the Bill, said, that it had been introduced in order to provide a remedy for the anomalies that arose from the present system of electing Representative Peers for Scotland and Ireland. He considered it a great and positive evil that the two Kingdoms of Scotland and Ireland should be represented by a close corporation in that House. The question of Peerages in their Lordships' House had been considered on various occasions; but it had never been fairly considered in regard to the important point raised in the Bill. Under the existing arrangement, all the Peers elected generally belonged to one side in politics—that, namely, of the majority, or the Conservative Party. Peers who belonged to the minority, or the Liberal Party, had no chance of being represented, or of getting into the House, except by being created Peers of the 813 United Kingdom, in which case they had to sink the old historic names by which they were known and distinguished. That was an unsatisfactory state of matters, which was never intended, and which required to be remedied. He recognized the impossibility of getting the Bill through that Session, and therefore thought it more respectful to their Lordships to formally withdraw it, than to allow it to remain any longer on the Paper. He thought it would be well, however, if their Lordships were to bear in mind and see whether a system could not be devised that would do away with the existing anomalies in connection with the Peerages of Ireland and Scotland. The constitution of the House of Lords was at present a subject of popular discussion; and he thought that made it all the more desirable that their Lordships themselves, and of their own accord, should apply themselves to the remedying of any defects that were found to exist, instead of waiting until pressure was brought to bear on them from without. Their Lordships would recollect a very remarkable gathering that recently took place in Hyde Park. He never saw a more good-natured assembly or a more representative body of men; but, under the influence of popular excitement, a good-humoured crowd of that description might easily degenerate into an unruly mob. As he had said, the evil was a very serious one, and ought to be dealt with by their Lordships. He would give Notice that he would bring the Bill forward again next year.
LORD HOUGHTONsaid, he thought their Lordships were indebted to his noble Friend (Lord Waveney) for calling attention to this important subject. He hoped his noble Friend would carry out his intimation, and that the Bill would be brought forward again at the first opportunity.
§ Bill (by leave of the House) with-drawn.