The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-16 00:00:00

BRITANNIA.

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LONDON, THUR.WAY, JULY 16.

HAPPY the nation, it has been said, that has no
history. Only one degree less happy should be
the nation whose legislators have no sterner public
duty to perform at au afternoon sitting in the dog-
days than to discuss the interests of their own bellies
—if we may be pardoned the use of a plain word which
is neither un-English nor un-Scriptural. Under the
PALMERSTON regime these Wednesday sittings have
been frequently distinguished by debates affecting
large sections of the religious world, occasionally
by the discussion of bit and bit reform bills, and
sometimes of motions of a more abstract character,
yet positive enough to try the virtue of professing
Liberals, and to bring old and young Toryism in
heavy marching order tothe rescue. During the early
spring, and until the severity of the summer had
set in, Mr. DISRAELI and his followers repeat-
edly saved Church and State on a Wednesday,
and in the dim and dingy daylight it his been
difficult to distinguish the liberal opinions of the
Ministerial bench from the popular principles of
the Opposition. But even after Church Rates and
Burial Grounds we are not quite sure that yester-
day's adjourned debate on Kitchen and Refresh.
ment Rooms will not be considered by the public
out of doors one of the most interesting and in-
structive performances of the session. We do trust
the constituencies, and especially the Liberal elec-
tors, will fairly apply their minds to this short but
impressive conversation, and will feel duly thankful
for the patriotic exertions—on their own behalf—
of their austere and self-denying representatives.
Let them observe, in the first place, that
this was an adjourned debate ; Kitchen and
Refreshment Rooms, like Church Rates, Poland,
and the American question, cannot be dismissed at a
single sitting. And then let them observe how
these model representatives of the people do suffer
for their country. Envious cynics have suppose'
that the House of Commons was the best Club in
London. Not only is the House of Commons not
the best club in London, but it is on its own testi-
mony the very worst eating-house in London.
And if the present House of Commons is not a
good eating-house, we should be glad to know
its speciality. Having entirely abandoned the
idea of enlarging the constitution, it now
proposes in the second week of a broiling
July to enlarge its dining-room. The debate
yesterday was a new national version of the fable
of " The Belly and the Members." Let us
listen to this large discourse of reason. Lord
Holmase is aware that there is a desi•e to make
the House a Club ; but he remembers that clubs
are kept up by the subscription of the members,
and are often inconveniently crowded at the
dinner-hour. The House of Commons, he re-
marks, is not kept up by subscriptions of the mem-
ben, but its means of dining are horribly pre-
carious ; and while it is muddling away its time
in public business, a mob of strangers are
eating its dinners and drinking its wines.
Now mark the intimate connexion between
the House as a Legislature and the
House as an Elting-house ! If Mr. Roe-
sure had decided on Monday to go on
with the debate on the recognition of the Confede-
rate States, we were all of us apt to believe that
much mischief might have resulted. But we
knew not the full extent of the evil consequences.
What would have happened, according to Lord
Horitam, is this. Instead of the dining-rooms of
the House being empty, they would have
been crammed ; and the caterer, instead of being
deserted, would have been overwhelmed. It
seems that the privileges of Members of
Parliament are not without their draw-
backs ; and not the least of them is
that they never know what is coming on ;" but
whether Lord DOTHAN means loming on the table
of the House or the table iu the refreshment
room we are left in doubt. If the latter, per-
haps hon. members are happy in their ignorance.
The " Unforeseen" is the true distinction of a good
dinner. The House of C,,mm•tns would be on a
level with the vulgareat of eating-houses if their
" courses" were as regular as the late Sir Roses
Peeee. Lord Horuam, however, takes a very
high view of the kitchen and refreshment ques-
tion ; and in the cheapening of dinners and an
increased allowance to the caterer ho sees " the
"first step towards the payment of members ;"
a proposition we need not take pains to contradict.
Sir JOHN TRELAWNY indignantly asks whether it
will not be proposed next that the House should
get its washing done at the expense of the country.
It seems we were mistaken in supposing that the
present House had long had its washing—the
washing of consciences and principles—done at
the expense of the country. The Member for
Derby is almost as dogmatic as the Council of
Trent on this great dining question. He treats
this vote of five thousand pounds as Lord PALMILR-
STON treats the fortifications, as a vital national
interest. He thinks it would he an advantage to
the country if members could he induced to dine
ou the premises : he is too conscious of the worth