§ The following Question was upon the Paper:—
§ The Duke of SUTHERLAND:—"To call attention to the fact that certain protests tendered by several Peers of Scotland at the last election of Representative Peers for Scotland at Holyrood, on 6th January last, regarding the calling, responding to, and voting under, a Peerage not to be found on the Roll of the Peerages of Scotland, accepted at the Union in 1707 as the 'authentic Roll,' have not been transmitted to this House; and, seeing that there is no Act of the Legislature prohibiting protests, and that the attempt failed to prohibit the long-established right of protest at Holyrood, by means of the 'Representative Peers (Scotland) Election Procedure Bill,' introduced in 1883 by the Earl of Selborne, which failed to become law; and, seeing that the protests of Scotch Peers, on the same subject, were received at the election at Holyrood, on 10th January, 1889, and were printed 'by order' of this House on the following 22nd of February; to ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds the unprecedented course was taken at the said election at Holyrood, on 6th January last, of refusing to accept the protests of Peers, thus infringing long existing usage and precedent which have prevailed since the Union."
*THE EARL OF MARMy Lords, as, unfortunately, I do not see the Duke of Sutherland in his place, I would beg your Lordships' indulgence for a single moment while I venture to ask if it should be the pleasure of the House that I, as one of the protesting Peers at Holyrood last January, might be allowed to ask the Question which stands in his Grace's name. I do not at all wish to press it upon the House, but I put it to your Lordships, if it should be quite convenient and agreeable to you, that, as I fancy the Government are prepared and are ready and anxious to give an answer to this important question, if that be the case, I shall be very happy to facilitate the matter by asking the question, and, if it be agreeable to your Lordships, I propose to read the Question standing in the name of the Duke of Sutherland.
§ EARL GRANVILLEMy Lords, I beg to ask whether there is any Question before the House?
*THE EARL OF MARI only ask for permission if it should be agreeable to your Lordships that I should state the question. ["No, no!"] I am quite in your Lordships hands, and as the House expresses dissent, I will at once sit down.