ADULTERATION OF PARLIAMENT.
AFTER , all, the last session of Parliament was not so barren in xesnlia ; and if the results were not exactly what the public ex- *fed, they were exactly what competent persons had calculated. Parliament does not only sit for public business—especially the House of Commons—nor yet for that " private " or local business which is also understood to be its function. It has other work to perform; and it is in the performance of that other work that it delays public measures which are much needed—puts off, Xer instance, the discussion of Poor-law or of Law-amendment. The work to be done is dictated by those who are represented in Parliament, as well as the nation or the, electoral constituency— we mean the "interests," which are neither national nor local. It is not altogether for want of ability that the present Parliament fails; it cannot be called a "Parliament= indoctum," although the tissue of its language, like the tissue of its eloquence, fails to reach the highest standard: Legal men would say that it is a " Parliamentum supra doctum." There never were so many bar- risters and attornies in Parliament before; but, instead of securing facility or perfection for legislation on the subject of law, the re- sults are obstruction and mutilation. In truth, however, if we search deep into the soul of barrister or attorney, we shall often fimlathat the object is 210 to Reuse a perfect measure, but to pre- vent a reform which might cut off a six-and-eightpence or a two- guinea fee—to distinguish the speaker, and advertize the briefless for employment at the bar, for promotion, or an, official appoint- ment to one of the posts which require so many years' "standing." Many a speech which helps with other delays to postpone promised improvements is delivered simply that the speaker may make his V0iQe beard—is but a studied circumlocution of the one short ad- vertisement, "Forget me not." For even the brieftees may profit by being remembered. When a barrister gets . himself. made M.P., he becomes conspicuous, and is de facto an eligible candidate for one of the many commissions which the Ministers, can distribute. Now if Ministers can give a commission, he can give a vote ; and it would be an interesting 'study for the political anatomist who had the leisure, to collate the votes of these earnest M.P.s with the distribution of commissions. Besides' the learned M.P. sits on Select Committees: consti- tuencies have done him the favour to elect him, and lie CUL oblige constitueneiee, or the local lawyers who have helped him into his seat. Here is a coneideretion quite independent of the measure before the Select ,Commiktea-swhat the local lawyer and the ho- oeurahle lawyer can, de, ,or each ether. Degenerated into a ma- chinery and an opportunity for rulvertising the briefiess or those , whom WA cannot satiate; the Reuse. of Commons has become impotent for its own duties. Indeed, as there is not time for ' evfaythings it cannot perform this immeasurable work of latent 14WYeeintesests, cosiduetthe egotiations been local interests and Minieteaial ieteyeeei;Jat „gee a. uss these national measures
-inilit/M149AtikWakicigAreel cL944.atands. , One might have expected that the lawyer power in the House
• would at all events have secired 'a greater.accuracy in the judi- cial proceedings, say of Select Committees. No; lawyers know too well to check licenceteidiieli. 'enable- honourable Members to giVeaetieh other tettrin.;- SeelowsMr: Luelneasiided by "a rower" of lawyers; Obtained his i&léet Cormnitteolee the Irish backs bitings ; see theevidence that was tendered; laid !received, and ac- tually- Written dawn, as to-how one person heard another -' say that he had understood how inkother had been reported; to imake some general 'assertion i or • ether.- That -Committee,enlyssx'emplified: the growing tendency of the Heusi in which' lawyers have: increased and ere' increasing, to take gcasip: for ovideneee. as Parliament it continually substituting personal for' public objects: The bread of legislation is so actultsrated,- that the 'noxious ortiselest elements
almost threaten to counterbalance the genuine ; we shall' sttirVe because we have'our stomachs crammed with' useless rub-
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