The discussion of Lord Rosebery's third Resolution was concluded in
the House of Lords on Tuesday night. Its terms, we may remind our readers, were :—" That a necessary preliminary of such reform and reconstitution is the acceptance of the principle that the possession of a peerage should no longer of itself give the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords." In the course of the debate Lord Halsbury scoffed at any proposal for altering the constitution of the House, which he agreed with Lord Rosebery in thinking the only place in this country "where free speech obtained and unpalatable truths could be spoken." Why, then, should it be altered ? "The debate was not really concerned with the constitution and powers of the House. It was an electioneering debate ; and it was intended to get rid of something that had been said against the House of Lords."
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