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

THE PRESS.

181

postprandial, the leek of Wales adorned his button-hole, the rose of
England surmised his countenance ; he had been dining out ; had he
lust caste for this one sentence ? we silent members could not justify
but we did not excommunicate him. Months passed away—he main-
tained the most unblemished dumbness—

" Vocal no more since Cambria's bind day."
His friends began to be sanguine, when he again yielded to his old
allurement, again addressed the House, and so now. alas ! he may
speak as often as the Phillimores. Then again it has been asked, is
there no locus reniteatim for those who have &lieu into oratory, no
means of recovering their primal paradise? Lock hospitals and other
reformatory institutions have not without weight been quoted.
Mr. OSBORN); has been named as one whose mute efforts should
be aided. We must. consult Lord SnArrEssuav ; meanwhile, let
us want our younger friends, new members, as yet immaculate, how
they permit '• Hansard" to open his ponderous jaws upon them ;
they know not when once they enter into what depths they may
descend. Let them look at Lord Minix SW ART. Oh ! let them look
athim, and tremble ! That miserable man was once as they are, spotless,
because speechless, while now! let them, then. the better to mortify
their hot desires, try to listen to him for nine stiecessivo minutes.
Better, far better, even a penance like this than the risk of sharing his
dreadful doom. And this appeal which we make to all young mem-
bers especially applies to the one Irish member who has not yet
spoken, for we affirm deliberately that them is one. He did not
descend from his lofty pedestal even to resist the extension of the
income tax to his country—we ourselves believe that he will actually
pay it in silence ; we breathe not his name, we allude not to his party,
but we affirm his existence, and we say there is yet hope for Ireland.
In order, however, that the public may not, by any means, con-
found sloth with silence, I propose giving you such continents on our
proceedings as may be deemed convenient. As I cannot describe the
indescribable, I shall not give any account of the expression of face
with which Sir JAMES GRAHAM listens to the debates, or the attitudes
in which the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster slumbers on the
Ministerial bench ; neither shall I mention any member in order to
show how entirely I pass him by, because I cannot do it, though Mr.
KEMAL says he can; and we are all bound to believe Mr. KROGH now an
implicitly as the boys at Moats did.
But one word inure. Any silent member may move that the House be
counted. I have done it myself, and I exult to say successfully ; but it
must be done with no rhetorical flourish ; the member should approach as
near the chair as possible, and state his wish simply and without noise ;
the Speaker, God bless him ! knows his duty ; and the reporters, pa-
triots all, name no one on these great occasions. I know not a prouder
moment for a public man than when he feels that he has saved thiii
empire from six or seven hours of successive speechifying, given our
inestimable Speaker an evening to himself, postponed or possibly
averted two or three maiden efforts, and, having done all this, yet can
sign himself A SILENT MEMBER.

ABSTRACT OF THE "KEOGH" DEBATE-AN IRISH DEFENCE.

(Front our becoud Edition of Saturday kat.)

Says my Lord in the House, " 'Twits a terrible flaw
To appoint Mr. KEOGH as guardian of law ;
The tone of his speeches last year we remember,
And that very broad hint about nights in November."
" Faix, my Lord," replies PADDY, " you'd best hould your tongue ;
Yourself and your party are quite in the wrong ;
"ris yourselves wore half ready to hid for my aid,
Before ever the *packer ye spoke of were made."

WHO'S AFRAID?

Who's afraid? said Lord ABERDEEN, when he first knocked at die dour
in Carlton-gardens.
Who's afraid ? said the Duke of NEwrAKTI.E, when he made Mr. Moon

Who's afntid? said Lord CLARENDON, when he ordered the fleet not to
leave Malta.
Who's afraid ? said Lord JOHN BURRELL, when he made an apology to
Mr. MONSEI.L.
Who's afraid? said Sir CHARLES WOOD, when he laid his India Bill on

the table.
Who's afraid? said Sir Wiwi MOLISWORTU, when he asked the Bishop
of OXFORD to dinner.