The French Chamber is about to discuss proposals for acceler-
ating business. These are many, but resolve themselves into three, a one-hour rule limiting long speeches, a rule prohibiting 'conversation during debate, and a division of the Chamber into fifteen Standing Committees of experts, whose reports, it is thought, will guide the whole body. It is believed that all these proposals will be rejected,—the third, because the Executive -dislikes the searching inquiries of the Committees ; the second, because it is trivial; and the first, because business is not im- peded by too much talk. The Chamber only sits fifteen hours a week, and gets through all its work, and the Members are not addicted to much speaking. They are fettered by the French -demand for condensed thought and clear expression, which in- elue,es them almost universally to write their speeches out, and read them from the tribune. They are spoken essays,—a fact as unfavourable to loquacity as to spontaneity. The national impatience, too, has influence, as is proved by the constant resort to the Cloture, and it is possible that the payment of Members may have its effect also. Salaried representatives have an idea—except, indeed, in Washington—that their time is not .quite so much their own to waste in childishly delaying busi- ness, as if they were serving their constituents for nothing. A _Member of the House of Commons may, on the whole, envy a French Deputy. The latter has time to think, read, and eat.
Previous page
