The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-01 00:00:00

3tourbage Obsertrer

SATURDAY, MARCH Ist, 1884-
THE
PEAKERSHIP.

The ceretnlny ot electing a new Speaker in
the middle of a Parliament is one of unfrequent
occurrence, and when it takes place it is natu-
rally the subject of considerable attention.
Twelve years had passed between the retirement
of Mr. Denison and that of Sir Henry Brand,
both having Lund their strength unequal to the
increasing strain of the duTies imposed upon
them by the chair. But Mr, Deni•lon's prede-
cessor, the present Lord Eversley, who is now
in his 91st year, resigned his high position at
the close of a Parliament, after having held it eight-
oen years. In former times, when a new House
of Commons assembled, and a balance of party
was required to be tested in the division lobby,
the Speaker's chair was the scene of the battle.
Each side would propose a fcendidate, and sing-
ularly enough etiquette prescribed that each
candidate should vote for his opponent. The
last occasion on which this course was pursued
was upon the retireinent of Mr. Abercromby,
when Mr. Shaw-Lefevre was elected by a com-
paratively small majority over Mr. Coulburne.
Since then the Speakership has not been made
the battle-ground of party. Other issues have
arisen for trials of strength. Twice has a vote of
no confidence been carried against the respective
administrations of Lord Melbourue in 1841, and
of Lord Derby in 1859. In more recent times
however when a Government, on the re-
assemb'ing of a new Parliament, has found
its4lf in an undoubted minority ; it has not
waited for a formal vote of expulsion from office
but has resigned before the mewing of the Leg-
islature.

Mum has been written concerning the honour
and digniLy of the office to which the youngest
son of the late Sir Robert Peel has this week
been elected. In principle it is as old as the
estate or order of the Corn lions itself, and al-
though superficially regarded, the title of this
high officer may be thought a misnomer the fact
that he term Speaker means the spokesman of
the assembly, sufficiently indicates the nature of
its duties. In our quiet days, when there are no
longer contests between tho Crown and the
Parliament, the spokesman for the Commons has
so far as that part of his work is concerned a very
easy talk, But there have been stormy times
in Engiali history when the demand of freedom
of speech in debate made by the Speaker from
the Sover.ign was a stern reality. Many are
inclined to think that freedom of speech in de-
bate has of late years run to exeess in the
House of Commons. There is far more talk
than work, Naturally opinions differ respecting
the expediency of passing measures over which
there is much political controversy, But the
flow of talk in the House of Commons ha thus
far frustrated the passing of such bills as those
for the prevention of damage by floods and the
consolidation of our criminal code. This is
a practical country, and had it not been an em-
inently business nation i; could never have
attained the foremost commercial position whioti
it holds. The conitituences, therefore, can
scarcely regard with clmplacency the growing
waste of time in the House of Commons.. Like
the power of the Croxn a century ago—it has
increased, is in &
creasing, and ought to be min
ished.

As to the labours of the chair, there can be no
don:A as to their severity. Four days in the
week, when the Speaker enters the House at a
quarter to four in the afcernoon, he may make
up his mind to be there for the next nine or ten
hours, with the exception of a brief interval in
the course of the sitting never exceeding twenty
minutes which he snatches for refreshments.
As the business of the House is suspended dur-
ing his absence, ha does not care to prolong it.
Even when the House is in Committee and the
Chairman of Committees presides the Speaker
mast always bejat call, for the stage of committee
may terminate at any moment, and business
taken requiring the presence of the Speaker,
Every ottier member is at liberty to dine elabor-
ately at home, at his club, or in the refreshment
room of the House We all know to what length of
iiolB this r..3p i 3 may ex-en I &cording to moiern
usage. Even a city clerk gets his hour for the
mid-day meal. But what kind of a dinner can
the Speaker of the H use of Commons enjey in
twenty minutes? He cannot well have dined
before I eking the chair at a querter to f Hir in
the afternoon, nor can he call the mea! a dinner
for which ne has to wait until two in the morn-
ing. But this is neerelyi one of the numerous
penalties which he pays for the occupation of a
distinguished position.