ARE LIFE PEERS REMOVEABLE BY THE CROWN ? THE Times
represents "the Peers" as saying, in the matter of Lord Wensleydale—" The Crown shall not create Peers for life, but the Crown shall, by virtue of an act of Parliament which originates with us, appomt so many salaried Peers quamdiu bene to gesserint." The phrase suggests a doubt which has already occurred to many persons—Does the Crown appoint four Peers " quamdiu bene se gesserint" ? If any one of the appointed men were to be guilty of gross misconduct, and were removed by the Crown on the address of Parliament, would he forfeit his peer- age as well as his seat on the bench? Are these Judges protected like other Judges against removal by the mere motion of the Crown ? Do their seats as those of Peers go with the judicial seats, or might they cease to be Judges and continue to be Peers? The question has more than one branch, and it is important in as many ways as there are branches ; for it touches the independence of the Bench as well as the independence of the House of Lords. the question has been partly answered, by saying that the case is most unlikely to occur, and that in an exceptional instance it would be met by exceptional measures, for the Peers -themselves would take steps to purge their House of the disgrace embodied in the person of a delinquent member. The possibility of mis- conduct, however, is anticipated in the very proviso that the Judges shall hold their seats "quamdiu." Besides, there would necessarily be a moral danger in simply holding up the principle that Peers might be appointed " quamdiu "—that there might not only be life Peers but removeable Peers. The punishment of dismissal from the House of Lords, as well as the reward of a salary, would by anticipation exercise some sway on the conduct of men desirous of getting on in life. We have seen such in- tividuals, and they have made their way both on to the Bench -and into the House of Lords.
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