The Press.
London, England, 1853-06-25 00:00:00

LETTERS FROM A SILENT MEMBER.

LETTER T.

TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Sire—l am an article becoming scarcer and scarcer every day, soon
probably to disappear altogether; so let me write while I can, and if,
after three or four letters, I should cease writing, you will know that
it is because I, too, have been afflicted with the prevailing epidemic—
have spoken, and am no more. Not that I must absolutely hold my
tongue, for in the House of Commons talking is entirely distinct from
speaking, and is perhaps practised most by silent members like
myself, who need not watch for weak points from opponents, or fear
anticipations of our best hits from friends. The world can never
know even what is spoken in the House. No human being has ever
read a speech of Mr. Humes, so much of its spirit escapes in the
reporter's translation. Still less has the world any idea of what is
talked here—

"Where more than echoes talk along the walls."
How often have I heard the antecedents,—family, fortune, age, dress,
manners, physiognomy, and prospects.—of an honourable member, dis-
cussed as a running commentary on his speech concerning either
Indies ! and how often has the commentary been better than the text,
howbeit all unknown to fame! We silent members feel a rankling
sense of injustice, we arc valued only as a class, we are not appreciated
individually ; we know our inestimable importance ; yet who feasts us
with public dinners ? who ca►icatures us ? who vituperates us, or gives
us any other encouragement while living? who will tell of us when
we are gone? What a stimulus to silence it would be if the nation
were to vote a public monument in the Abbey to some member who
had represented, say Dumborough, for fifty years, and had never once
uttered speech in the House ! What a fine subject for a sculptor ! No
inscription should be allowed, no date, no name; but the verger should
be permitted (if possible, without a fee) to whisper the sacred word to
all young M.P.'s, and even to Sir JOHN SHELLEY, who tries to seem one.
We silent members deeply meditate the state of things at present
existing, where and when is all the speaking to end. There are said
to be one hundred and seventy living lawyers in the House, while ad-
vices from the highlands state that all the young grouse are destroyed
by last month's snow-storm, and that it is proposed this season to ab-
stain from shooting their bereaved parents. A hundred and seventy
lawyers alive in the House and all the little grouslings dead upon the
heather! How often has this blessed bird saved the State by stopping
the speaking! Talk of eight cream-coloured horses! Nonsense! her
MAJESTY'S proroguing-car is drawn by grouse as surely as was ever
Juno by her peacocks or Venus by her doves. These same snow-
struck fledglings would have died for their country's good next
August, but who shall save us now they have prematurely perished ?
When will this session end? can nothing be done to stop this "much
speaking " ? Could we all have a tent at Chobham, and fight it out
there ? Would Mr. Speaker take the field at a quarter before four o'clock,
order the Ayes into Wokingham, the Noes into Staines, or announce
that the House would on Monday next resolve itself into Virginia
Water? Sir ROBERT INGLIS and the Library Committee might occupy
Reading, while a detachment under the command of Mr. HENRY
BARING attacked Maidenhead. The Irish Brigade is now so admirably
disciplined that it would take anything ; and the Ministerial divisions
have already marched (or been dragged) through dirt at all events as
nasty as that which the Fusiliers avoided. On the other hand, there
would be great difficulties. The lawyers voices would drown the noise
of the drums. Mr. BRIGHT would strike out right and left with his
olive branch, and Mr. BROTHERTON might feel the night air more than
ever. No; the remedy is in our own hands. Let us be silent. It is
in vain to cry " Order, order ! " while we aro still loquacious the
only real order for us is the order of La Trappe.
But some say, who is a silent member, or rather, as all evil is but a
departure from good, when does a silent member decline into a spokes-
man? It is distasteful to begin casuistry—least said soonest mended ;
therefore, when there is nothing said nothing requires mending. One of
our most respected elders, having a petition from his constituents, re-
quested another member to present it rather than be led into danger—he
feared that he might be tempted to read its prayer ! When we hear
of statesmanship like this we may exclaim with HENRY TAYLOR,
" The world knows nothing of its greatest men !"

and yet a gentleman may unquestionably rise in his place, present a
petition, and afterwards resume his seat as a member of unsullied
silence. Mr. PAYEE LONIEDEN came down to the House late one
evening, and, in one loud sentence, demanded that Wales fihould be
included in the Irish Poor Law. It was St. David's-day, the hour