The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-20 00:00:00

THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMEMT.

Mr: Editor—The interesting account you have given this
day.of the awful catastrophe which Ira occasioned the destruc-
tion of the Houses of Lords and Commons, induces me to offer
a few remarks for your valuable paper, on a subject of such ge-
neral importance.
The destruction even of the mutilated remains of the palace
of ' our ancient Kings at Westminster cannot be viewed but
with the deepest regret. The walls of the solemn painted
chamber in which Edward the Confessor breathed his last, and
the glorious chapel of St. Stephen, before whose sacred altar
Ed\lard the Third poured out his thanks for the conquest of
Fiance, are now shattered and nearly prostrate with the
grit:mild. But the magnificent, the unrivalled Hall, where the
sons of the proud Norman revelled, and Britain's Kings have
celebrated their coronations for nearly eight centuries,
still remains May it—as it was pointed out a century ago
—.form the grand portal to a House, worthy of a British
Senate.

In the 12th year of the reign of King George 11. the Lords
Commissioners of his Majesty's Treasury requested the archi-
tects at the Office of Works at Whitehall, to make a series of
designs and estimates for building for '• The Reception of
Parliament ;" the whole of which are in my possession. Old
Palace Yard was intended to be greatly enlarged ; the new
buildings to present a grand façade next the Thames, and the
splendid chapel of St. Stephen to be retained. The arrange-
ment of these plans is truly admirable ; every convenience for
such an august establishment being amply provided for. They
received the approbation of the Lords Commissioners and Mr.
Speaker Onslow. The estimated expense was " One hundred
and seventy-one thousand sixty-seven pounds." That the ex-
ecution of this grand design should have been abandoned, and
the Lit-by-bit system adopted, is sincerely to be regretted ; but
the ground is now cleared, and I hope a building will soon
arise in character with the stately Hall and venerable Abbey
that will do justice to the taste and feeling of the nation.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

L. N. COTTINGHAM.

Waterloo-bridge-road, Oct. 17.
The Middlesex magistrates have dealt with the
applications for theatrical licenses even more severely
than with those for music licenses. The gratification
of the public, and the interests of individuals, have
been equally disregarded. The Kent Theatre at Ken-
sington was refused a licence, though Sir John Conroy,
with the sanction of the Duchess of Kent, signed the
application. A performer now filling the first parts in
tragedy at Drury-lane was brought into notice at the
Kent Theatre : had the judgment of the magistrates
come into force a few weeks sooner, the declining me-
tropolitan stage would have wanted the only recruit it
has found. And what objection can be conceived to
a theatre at Kensington, one of the most respectable
and orderly suburbs ? If the inhabitants, with the
Duchess of Kent at their head, were content, why
were the magistrates to deny dramatic amusements 1'
What could they be afraid of but the gratification of
people who could not ride or walk upwards of three
miles to a theatre ? The other applications for the
Mile-end, the Portman-market, and the Strand theatre,
were all refused. The unfortunate proprietor of the last
pleaded earnestly for mercy, as his very means of ex-
istence were in jeopardy, but in vain. It may be said
that there are theatres enough in the neighbourhood
of the Strand ; but if that is a good answer to Mr.
Rayner's application, what was the objection to the
Kensington, the Portman-market, or the Mile-end
Theatre, which are distant from the established play-
houses ? Further, if the neighbourhood be respec-
table, the respectability is a reason for refusing the
' licence ; if it be low, its lowness is an equally good
objection. The Magistrates exercise their authority in
▪ this instance precisely with the variety with which the
drummer in the old story exercised the scourge—cut-
ting high when cutting low would not satisfy the suf-
ferer, and vice versa, and wondering that neither
would give content. It is to be observed that the
small theatres are the most free from immoralities,
and the worst idea associated with them is, that
they are the resort of low or roguish characters.
Thus we often hear magistrates hold forth against
places of cheap theatrical entertainment as frequented
by pickpockets. This objection passes for a great
deal more than it is worth ; and, to try the value
of it, the reader has only to answer this question—
whether it would better please him that a pickpocket
should be stealing his watch or gaping at the mum-
meries and buffooneries of a petty theatre? If the
activity and industry of the pickpockets were of any
value to the public, the magistrates, we admit, would
reasonably and usefully put down places of amusement
in which they might lose their precious time ; but pick-
pockets being what pickpockets are, we confess that
we like the idea of their sitting in a cheap theatre,
even though they be diving into each other's empty
pockets, better than their prowling about the streets in
quest of watches and pocket-books. But, after all,
it may be questioned whether these gentlemen have
such a turn fne dramatic amusements that a petty
theatre must be filled with them ; we rather suspect
that they are people of too steady application to their
pursuits : thus the French very significantly call their
sharpers knights of industry. But, seriously, there is
almost as much insolence as folly in preventing
the entertainments of the humble classes, on the
pretence that bad company have the principal
share in them. Small theatres and houses of mu-
sical entertainment may become nuisances, but
it would be time to put them down when it appeared
that the licenses had been abused. Vicious persons
will be found in all places, but it is a most preposterous
blunder to refer the vice to the attraction of the place ;
and according to such a rule of judgment, a cook's-
shop has as much to answer for as a beer-house, and a
promenade as a play-house. While the people are
denied the harmless recreations, they will be sensual
and gross ; and then, when they are found snatching
any of the forbidden innocent pleasures, any excess or
rnisconduct is attributed to the unaccustomed enjoy-
'ment, though it in truth belongs to the coarse habits
that have been formed under the austere system to
which our Magistracy so impoliticly inclines. The
!tendency is now to more and more severity, though the
state of the patient should be convincing evidence of
the error of the treatment. What we have reanarked
upon in the „Middlesex licensing proceedings is, but an , 1

exhibition of the same spirit that carried the Beer Bill
and the Poor Law Amendment Bill. It is a fault not
more vexatious to those who immediately suffer by it,
than dangerous.to the authors.—Times. •
Thank Heaven, our lachrymose contemporaries have
regained their senses ! on the subject of the late fire,
or, at all events, have ceased to exhibit their feelings
in the same pathetic manner which rendered it neces-
sary for us to sit down calmly on Friday and adminis-
ter a dose of cool consolation to them. Wo cannot,
seeing that we were most ably assisted by a Tory
journal (we name it to its credit), take to ourselves
the exclusive merit of having banished tears and the
blue devils from their columns ; but if we have at all
aided in inducing either the parties immediately con-
cerned, or the public generally, to moderate their grief
for the destruction of the two Houses of Parliament,
the Royal Humane Society ought to award us one of
its most splendid medals. The " gloomy month of
November' is approaching, with all its horrors—and
what dreadful accidents by flood and fire may we not
have averted ? Considering our contemporaries to be
now convalescent, or at all events out of danger, the
next point to be settled is where the two Houses of
Parliament are to assemble ? Various hints and sug-
gestions have been thrown out on this subject, among
which we may mention, after our evening contempo-
raries—

1. Westminster Hall, where impeachments, and other great
public trials, have been so frequently held.
2. The Guildhall in the city, in which the Convention Par-
liament fr'squently held its sittings during the great rebellion.
3. The old Palace of St. James's.
4. The new Palace at Buckingham-house.
O.' Marlborough-house, where, with a little expense, ample
accommodation might be afforded ; and
6. Whitehall Chapel as a building for one of the Houses of
Parliament.

We do not, of course, add to the above list the Peni-
tentiary, at IVlillbank, because, although the 800
millions of debt with which we are now saddled,
might very safely be taken as evidence of the deserts
of both Houses, it would be a pity to disturb the
amusements of the present inmates, by the intrusion
of equally deserving partners—nor shall
.we add the
Brixton House of Correction for the same reasons ;
but as his Majesty, our gracious and kind Sovereign,
is reported by the Tory journals, not to find sufficient
accommodation, on the one hand, in St. James's Pa-
lace,. and, on the other, to be anxious for the occupa-
tion, except on account of the public service, of Bucking-
ham'Palace, why, we ask, should not his Majesty be
relieved from all suspense on the subject—the latter
building rendered fit for his habitation, and the former
adopted in the meantime as the proper place for hold-
ing the sittings of the two Houses ? Why, also, we
may ask, should not such an unsightly building be
taken clown, and buildings erected on its site for the
accommodation of the two Houses of Parliament ?
A pew House, sufficient for the exigencies of the times
cannot be erected on the site of the old, and where can
more ample and more appropriate space be found than
where St. James's Palace now exhibits its dingy red
walls ? We throw out this hint for the consideration of
others who with ourselves desire to see, not a House
of Commons only, but a House of Lords also. The
latter, it is hinted by various authorities, might either
be safely dispensed with, or at all events adjourn for a
Session or two without any loss to the public service ;
but having no wish to be supposed partners in this
revolutionary scheme, we should like to see provision
made for both branches of the Legislature. If not
useful now, the House of Lords may be unquestion-
ably rendered an instrument of public good, by sub-
jecting to election, instead of permitting its wisdom to
remain hereditary.—Morning Advertiser.