The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-30 00:00:00

selves to intellectual labour in the confined and
• suffocating atmosphere of a close committee room,
when everything is inviting them to the enjoy-
ment of pure air and rural
_recreation, will gladly
toil in the winter season, when " the frost and
snow, and long nights and short gloomy days, na-
turally suggest sedentary and. 'social habits."
Under the existing system the working period
does not commence until it ought to be nearly
• concluded. The November or December session,
-whenever held, is merely for some peculiar ob--
ject, to which it is limited. None of the regular
and ordinary business of the session is taken int(
consideration. The machinery of legislation haa,
rusted, and can only be applied to a party disput,
or some topic of peculiar urgency. Even Feb-
ruary and March are wasted in varied and fruit-
less discussions, and it is not until after Eastei
that the work really progresses and the Legislator
shows himself to be in earnest.
This would, however, be entirely changed if
November and the first half of December were
converted into the real business periods. Mon
especially if they were made the season for finally
deciding and carrying into practical operation, if ap-
proved, the measures brought forward by indepen-
dent members, which are now lost from the men
want of opportunity for discussion. At present,
however decisive the majority and urgent the ne-
cessity for a new enactment, no popular represen-
tative unconnected with Ministers can hope t(
find time or opportunity for pressing it forward.
His chief hope is to force it on the Government of
the day, so that they . may take it up, and that
thus it may have a chance of passing. We say a
" chance," for even Ministers themselves are fre-
quently compelled to surrender their own most
cherished measures, as witness the annual " mas-
sacre of the innocents," or to -consent to their
mutilation, so that, in order to avert the wrath
of a " tyrant minority," they become of so diluted
a character as to be of little practical utility.
Every person must be aware of so many instances
of this description that it.is quite unnecessary to
cite examples. One will therefore suffice, and it
will be enough to refer to the regrets of Ministers
while inducing the popular branch of the Legisia.
turn to assent to the "deteriorations," miscalled
amendments, of the Upper House to the Limited
Liability -Bill, which were totally opposed to its
spirit, and calculated to prevent the important
principle established from receiving a fair or corn-
-
plete trial ,
In all the other occupations of life we find the
winter the real season_of work. The law terms
conclude early .in June, Mithaelmas commences
the 2d of November and ends about the 25th or
26th, and the Christmas vacation ,commences in
like manner about the period' 'indicated by the
Noble Lord for the winter recess—viz., the 15th
December..: Work is resumed the 11th of January,
and, after the Easter holidays; again commences
on 15th April_and terminates about the middle of

Jnne. These are, indeed, the natural periods for
parties engaged in occupations that render a so-
journ in town indispensible. The beauty and
freshness of the country—the long warm days;
offer irresistible attractions to those with the
means of enjoyment at their disposal, and. the
result is that jobs are slipped through, and
slovenly enactments carried, that are positively
disgraceful to the collective wisdom. The

drowsy and suffocating atmosphere of the dog-dap;
exercises it4;natural influence over members wilt,
would be vigilant at seaa,-
,os of less oppressiielheat,
when there were no extraordinary causes conduc-
ing to somnolency.
It is not with any desire to detract from the

. reputation of- the estimable Young nobleman by
whom the proposition has been put forward, that-
we claim for ourselves the credit of having long
since repeatedly urged on public attention the
propriety and expediency of a winter session,
which, if properly disposed of, Would lead to early.
prorogation, and continuous legislation, carrying
on each measure until it had been finally disposed'
of on its merits. By these means, both 1-1011-gel.
vrould find ample occupation during the whol.)
1ie5,4013. The Lords rould not be- kept waiting
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