Barton-upon-Humber, Aug. 29. 1851.
Replies to Minor Queries.
_Lord Mayor not a Privy Councillor_ (Vol. iv., pp. 9. 137.).--L. M. says
that the precedent of Mr. Harley being sworn of the Privy Council does
not prove the argument advanced by C., and "for this simple reason, that
the individual who held the office is _not_ Right Honorable, but the
officer _is_." What he means by the _office_ (of privy councillor) is
not clear; but surely he does not mean to say that it is not the rank of
privy councillor which gives the courtesy style of Right Honorable? If
so, can a man be a member of the Council till he is _sworn_ at the
board?
Is the Lord Mayor a member of the Board, not having been sworn? Is he
ever summoned to any Council? When he attends a meeting on the occasion
of the accession, is he _summoned_? and if so, by whom, and in what
manner? The Lord Mayor is certainly _not_ a privy councillor by reason
of his courtesy _style_ of Lord, any more than the Lord Mayor of York.
The question is, whether the style of Right Honorable was given to the
Lord Mayor from the supposition that he was a privy councillor, or from
the fact that formerly the Lord Mayor was considered as holding the rank
of a _Baron_; for if he died during his mayoralty, he was buried with
the rank, state, and degree of _Baron_.
When does it appear that the style of Right Honorable was first given to
the Lord Mayor of London?