holding office at so critical a period, he was a supporter of the Repeal of the Corn Laws. He also voted for the foundation of the Irish colleges (as he had always been in favour of the grant to Maynooth), but with a protest in the former case against the absence of collegiate religious instruction; and in 1847 he strenuously maintained the expediency of the Education grant. In the following year his Lordship both voted and spoke against the removal of Jewish disabilities, founding his opposition on the ancient constitutional maxim, that Christianity was parcel of the law of England; and he also opposed the bill for legalizing marriage with a deceased wife's sister. It was in June, 1852, that, upon the National Gallery vote, Lord Mahon first announced in definite terms a proposition for the establishment of a National Historical Portrait Gallery, adding that he had already, during the late Sir R. Peel's administration, ventured to make a similar suggestion. The idea was recognized as a very valuable one, but the time had not arrived for its development. In the following August Lord Mahon lost his seat for Hertford, having been headed by a majority of twenty-five votes by Mr. T. Chambers, after a close contest. The fact of his having alienated some of his principal agricultural supporters in consequence of his vote for the Repeal of the Corn Laws, led, no doubt, to this result. On the 2nd of March, 1855, the fourth Earl Stanhope died, and Lord Mahon was called to the Upper House as fifth Earl. His first speech in that chamber was in the memorable debate which took place on the question of Lord Wensleydale's Peerage. It will be remembered that Lord Chancellor Cranworth's proposition was met by a resolution of Lord Lyndhurst, to the effect that the patent of peerage for life was illegal, and that the holder was absolutely disentitled to sit in the House of Lords. To this Earl Grey moved, by way of amendment, that the House was not justified in assuming the illegality of the patent; to be followed by other resolutions in the event of its being carried. Lord Lyndhurst's proposition was maintained by him in one of those marvellous addresses which from time to time have powerfully influenced both the Upper House and the country; and on this occasion he was supported by Lord Stanhope, who thought that after so long a desuetude of the Royal prerogative it must be assumed no longer to exist. His Lordship took occasion at the same time to point to that most delicate of constitutional subjects, the condition of the appellate jurisdiction of the House of Lords. In the following month, on the 2nd of May, Earl Stanhope brought forward his celebrated proposal for the formation of a Gallery of National Portraits, in a speech memorable for its delightful illustrations, and for the unaffected charm of its delivery. He was complimented by Lord Lansdowne, who said that the suggestion "could not come from any person with greater grace than from his noble friend, who had so long been associated with pursuits so honourable to himself and so beneficial to the country in the path of historical research." Lord Ellenborough, the Duke of Argyll, Lords Carnarvon, Harrowby, Redesdale, and others approved the scheme in scarcely less flattering terms; and the result is the collection now assembled at 29, Great George Street, Westminster, which is the germ of a great national institution. Of this gallery his Lordship was established chairman in the following year. Other subjects with which Lord Stanhope's name is associated in public are, that of Secondary Punishments, in which matter his Lordship was, and, we believe, is an advocate of transportation as opposed to the ticket-of-leave system; the Oaths of Abjuration Bill, which was rejected in 1856 on his motion; the Divorce Bill, which he supported; and the Abolition of Church Rates, which he opposed in 1858. Most appropriately it fell to the lot of an historian to be the mover of the address in 1858, which was followed by the removal of the political services from the Prayer Book; but on Lord Ebury's motion two years afterwards Lord Stanhope took pains to explain the reasons why he could not advocate the proposal for shortening the services actually in use. When, in 1860, the state of our diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome was under consideration, Lord Stanhope initiated the discussion in the House of Lords by moving for a copy of the Foreign Office despatch on the subject; and not only did he support the establishment of a mission, but went so far as to offer a suggestion for the foundation of an academy, with art studentships, in Rome. The latter proposal was too great an innovation upon British principles and prejudices to have any hope of a favourable reception. Its announcement, however, was an indication of the strong interest felt by Lord Stanhope in the condition of the arts,-a growing feature in his public career, from his appointment in May, 1844, in conjunction with the then Mr. Macaulay, to be one of the Fine Art Commissioners, down to the present time. The final report of the Commission was made in March last, at which meeting Lord Stanhope occupied the chair. His Lordship is now Chairman of the Commission on the state of the Royal Academy, which was appointed in February last. In the year 1846 Lord Stanhope was elected President of the Society of Antiquaries, and has ever since contributed, by his learning and influence, to the well-being of that valuable scientific body. He has also succeeded the Marquis of Lansdowne as President of the Royal Literary Fund. As Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen, he delivered to the Marischal College an inaugural address, in March, 1858. Lord Stanhope is moreover a D.C.L., F.R.S., and Trustee of the British Museum. |