The last act of the Lords has been to reject
the measure for making education universal in Scotland. The Government, in order to conciliate the House, introduced this Bill in the Lords first,—a mistake, we trust, that they will never repeat. The Peers examined it, found that it was really a great Bill, which would educate the people at the expense of the rates, and whittled it away into a nice little Conservative measure, hurting nobody and benefit- ing nobody. When it went down to the Commons, the representa- tives, with due humility, patched it up as well as they could and sent it back, not its own self, indeed, but still an endurable Bill. Thereupon Lord Redesdale declared that the " independence " and " dignity " of the House were concerned, and moved that the Bill be read that day three months, which motion was carried by 55 to 43. Fifty-five gentlemen, therefore, representing nobody, have sufficed to declare that a measure, desired by all Scotland and passed by the Three Kingdoms, shall not become law. This is the fifth great reform which would have become law this session, but for the power with which our Constitution, when it was feudal, entrusted to the Barons, and continues to entrust to them, now that they are only labelled landowners.
