THE PRESTIGE OF PARLIAMENT [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
would like to congratulate Mr. Mildmay on his letter on "The Prestige of Parliament," in the Spectator of June 7th, and to add a few words on the same theme.
Up till the middle of the nineteenth century this country was governed by Parliaments composed of men intellectually fitted for their work, and entitled to consideration. However biassed their rule, politically or religiously, whatever atrocities they performed, according to our modern ideas, they at all events governed conscientiously for the good of the State. Held together by elastic theories only—not bound by formulas and promises. Now, however, in that great political Derby, the General Election, where only a win counts, all Parties boast, brag and promise to such an extent that no subsequent discussion in Parliament is untainted from Party prejudice and propa- ganda, and so we call them politicians rather than statesmen.
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