We are told that Sir T. Sutton Western, whose claims
are nevertheless fully acknowledged by the Government, could not have been appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Essex without a breach of order such as has been perpetrated by the Tories in Westmore- land and Cumberland. It is not sound policy to allow Lord- Lieutenancies to become hereditary. In the very peculiar cir- cumstances, therefore, of Essex—a land of little squires, rather than of large proprietors—Mr. Chichester Fortescue accepted the appointment rather as a duty to the public, than as an honour to him- self. So be it, though we do not see exactly why, if Catholics are to be treated as mere Nonconformists, Lord Petre, the natural Lord- Lieutenant of Essex, should be perpetually overlooked ; but how about the Peerage ? The Westerns can fight their own battle without our help—the writer does not know a man of the family— but we hate to see party mismanagement so grievous and complete.
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