LIFE OF LORD REDESDALE
Early in November Lord Redesdale concluded a long
debate on the question of whether the Bill should be read
a second time. The evidence in support of the Bill, he
said, was so full and complete that there could be no doubt
in anyone's mind of the guilt of the accused. He had
examined it most carefully, and the impression on his
mind was that this case was more fully proved than any
case which he ever remembered in which any degree of
contrariety was apparent. Grounds had been laid in this
infinitely beyond those thought sufficient to support any
ordinary Bill of divorce. He begged the House to consider
the consequences of not adopting this measure or some
other of a similar effect. Her Majesty might demand her
rights, and could there by any doubt that she would
demand them? She would have a right to hold a Court.
Was that Court to be held as other queens have held it,
dependent on the King, or was it to be held in opposition
to the royal authority? Was it to be a Court at which all
the nobility and rank of the country were to visit, or was
it to be visited by a different description of persons? She
might also require the performance of the ceremony of
coronation; she might consider that one of her rights. It
seemed to him that on these grounds the House was bound
to ascertain whether the person claiming these rights was,
or was not, worthy of them—whether, taking it as an
office, the Queen had not forfeited her right to that
office. She was a public and political character and so
the House ought to view her in connection with the
throne.
It had been suggested as a reason against the present
proceeding that it might not pass in another place. Be
it so. But its being thrown out in another place would
not be a tenth part so mischievous as its being thrown out
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