Stirling peerage

INTRODUCTIOX. 29
of a Scotch Peer is appreciated by those who are our repre-
sentatives, it can little matter to me who shall be returned at
the ensuing election; and as I have no political bias — no
hasty purpose to answer — and nothing to ask of ministers
excepting the dispensation of justice, which, liberal as they
profess themselves to be, I have as yet had no experience of —
I entertain no concern for the result of who may be selected
on the day so near at hand.
" I hear it boldly asserted in this country, my Lords, that a
few steps more on the part of my opponents, if they be not
checked in their reckless course, may give a death-blow to the
privileges of all Scots Peers who have not seats in the House
of Lords. Those especially who are known to have followed
the laws and usages of Scotland in taking up (themselves or
their predecessors) their titles, as I have done mine, are
particularly pointed at as being liable to the same attacks
from the enemies of the Order. Some noble Lords have done
me the justice to applaud my fearless defence of the rights of
the Scotch Peerage, and I only regret that it has not yet been
felt how much the whole body are interested in the success of
my protracted struggle. As for the small number who have
shewn themselves hostile to my cause, and have joined in the
attempts to crush me, I confidently hope that a great change
will soon be effected in their opinions, which must have
originated in erroneous views, or rather should I say, in an
entire misunderstanding of my extraordinary case. In ancient
times your Lordships' noble, valiant, high-minded, and inde-
pendent ancestors would not have brooked such interference
with their rights and privileges, or such contempt for the laws
of Scotland, as has been unblushingly exhibited in the pro-
ceedings against me by those who, to answer political pui-
poses, or to gratify private jealousy or spleen, have endeavoured
to subvert my rights. And can I suppose that you, my Lords,
who are the descendants of those illustrious Peers, will think
or act differently? No, I should be wanting in proper
respect for your Lordships if I imagined it was possible that
any one, after mature reflection, would give his sanction to