Iam thus entitled and able to speak confidently regarding the realities of the House of Commons. "My decade embraced three Parlinments, and three General Elections, Thrice I' saw a new House assembled, and an old House dissolved. Four times I took my part in the election of a new Speaker. What I have to say, however, must be from my own point of view and from that only. My view is that of a private member taking constant part in the Parliamentary work. After all that the view which is the most interesting to those who wish to know the Commons as they are. I never was in Office, and consequently never sat on the Front Bench, though my seat, on the green benches was immediately behind it. Any description of things as they would appear from the Front Bench must. necessarily touch on statesmanship, which though connected with, is not comprised in the scope of thave articles. Iwas, and am, a Conservative, but the fact of my belonging to a party—which is u avoidable under the conditions of Parl mentary life—will not affect the impartiality and trustworthiness of my account, because the topics do not relate to policy or to the Principle of party ut to the practice of They relate to customs and habits common to all parties, and followed equally whichever party may happen to be in power, Certainly it was my ambition, oven before entering on an arduous career in the Bust, to sit some day in the House of Commons. Besides trking my share, as unit, in the labours and responsibilities of a grew" nation, T wanted to witness and to learn all that nay be seen and learnt inside the walls of the Commons. Having got there with all the usual difficuly, I was very anxious to stay there at least for several yenrs and several Parliaments. Having "been permitted to do this I quitted the House in satisfaction and contentment, quite voluntarily; giving up a safe seat and leaving a fine majority behind mo in my constituency. Thus, although my account will not, T, hope be unduly tinged with optimism, it will necessarily be cheerful, relating to a retrospect which makes tne feel thankful for all that I was able to do and to learn, and well rewarded for all the toil and the sacrifices Thad to endure on this account, TAY, NATION AND THE HOUSE OF CasMoxs.
My conclusion is—suhject to correction by those who think otherwise—that there is nothing in the British Empire better worth knowing for a Briton, than the House of Commons at Westminster. Such Knowledye is the summary, almost the sum total of very many branches of haman study. It contains the acquirements necessary for self-discipline "nd_ s-If-command. It requires the observation of many essen: tial parts of human nature. No doubt the House of Commons is often disparaged nowadays, quite unduly. That is to say, its salient, superficial faults are derided while its solid deep-lying merits are but too often forgotten. With all respect to the public, I submit that it must ever be a bootless, as well as an unthankful, proceeding for any part of the English people to deride or disparage the Commons of Britain, For the House of Commons is just what the people choose to make it. If the popular voice objects to certain things in the conduct of the House, they will be gradually overcome. If the constituency by its own warnings deprecates certain things in the conduct of its representative, they will speedily disappear. Indeed I shall have hereafter to show that some faults, popularly attributed to the members at large, are really due to the action and influence of certain constituencies or certain section: the constituencies generally. If ever we denounce the House of Commons we are really denouncing ourselves. Such denunciation would really be x confession of national taulis anc shortcomings, though probably not so intended by those who make ase of it. To say that the House of Commons is without fault would be as much as to say that the British nation is faultless—which would be absurd. British citizens and electors may be assured that—after every drawback and deduction for defects and shortcomings, their House of Commons is really good, thoroughly trustworthy, sincerely anxious to do its duty in all respects and all round to those shorn it represents. Considering the extreme importance of the subject to all our patriotic interests, it is needful for the electors at large not only to read the Parliamentary debates—which is done either in summary or in detail—with some regularity, but also to ascertain the time-honoured rules of the House and the conditions under which the Members have to work, the ways in which they bring the influence and weight of their constituents to bear upon the deliberations and the decisions of the Assembly. The more closely this enquiry is made, the nearer insight is gained, the more clearly will the merits of th appear, in its debates, its di 8 enquiries by the various committees. Furthermore large changes have in my time come xbout, in the system of the House, gradunlty or quickly for better or for worse, Seill the House ix the safe depository of the interests of the Empire, and regarding all evils and abuses, is still, and ever has been, the Grand Inquest of the Nation.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.