New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-15
SPEAKERsRrP or THE BRITISH FAR
LAMENT.


bots. Earls and greater Baruns personally, and al
other tenants in chief under the Crown, by the Sher
III. and Bailffs meet at a certain place with forty
DAYS notice TO sids and scutsges when neces
sary Such writs of summons from the year 1856 the
10Th wear of Henry ILL., still eSant and this con-
.titution of Parliament is recognized longestab-
lsbed usage in decara;ory statute Of Edward III. in
the wear lS22.
Parliament consists Of: /. The Sovereign; ,. The
Lords Spiritual and Temporal; 3. The Commons.
Parliament alone makes and repesls the laws.
The Queens share in the legislative authority is
purely executive. BY her sole authority, Parliament IL
summoned. prorogued and dissolved, and when as
sembled cannot commence without her presence either
in pe,on or by proxy. Her consent completes, and
her veto would nuify, each statute passed By Lords
and Commons. But she PROFOUND no lav-her
power being rather negative. and defensive Of the
royal prerogatiye.
Tie House Of Lords resembles the Senate OF the
Cuited States except that seats in il hereditary
ard not elec,ive-except in the of the Archbsh
ors and Bishops. Its members have the right Of vo,
ing by PROXY in plurality Of cases. Units judicial
pscity the House of Lords is the very highest legal
tribunal in the land forming distinct court for the
tria of appeals from the Court Of Chancery of crmi
nal cases, on impeachment by the House of Commons,
and of members of its own body ON indictment found
by grand jury. The trial, mpea .hment, of War
rem Hastings and Niscount Melville may be recol-
ected "a well as that indictment of the present
Earl of Cardigan for shooting at Capt Harvey Tuck
EFT. in a duel.
The House of Commons gn to consist of represen-
tatives Of the People-Ofthe Commonaly But atleast
one.haf of its members are connected with the Peerage
by blood or marriage and this House does not repre-
sent the People. II has a. much power in making,
altering and repeating laws the Lords have, beside
the exclusive right Of originating bills which levy taxes
or affect public income and expenditure. The Lords
can only assent or dissent, without altering them to
Money bills.
No member of either House receives any salary,
mileage or any other compensation whatever as such
The Speakers of both Houses are largely paid. In the
Lords the Chancellor, who presides, has ElO,OOO a
year. which covers his remuneration as Judgel and
the Speaker of the Commons has hitherto received
fG.OOs year salary, beside fees end richly fur
nished house. Future Speakers will have E5OOO a
year.
The House of Lords contains 452 members.
These consist of , ArchbishOps and "a Bishops for
England with Archbishop and Bishops for Ire
land; the Lords Temporal Unlimited in number, and
may be increased at the Sovereign pleasure consisting
of all the Peers of the Realm las distinct from Scotch
and Irish Pecrs with 10 Peers elected out of the
Scotch nobility, at each general election, under the
Act of Unon and rs Irish Representative Peers cleo
ted for life out of the Irish nobility. The House ct
Lords may be summed up rs containing 20 English
and Irish Bishops % Dukes Including three OF the
Blood Royal q Marquises, ITO Earls, % Niscounts,
2o3 Barons, 10 Representative Scotch Peers, and y
Representative Irish Peers. Total, 452.
The House of Commons consists of ga members,
the chosen representatives of the Counties cities aud
boroughs of England Scotland, and Ireland and
of the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin.
Each member must have attained the age OF Il, and
every member for county must possess, Tor ms OVID
benefit, $500 year, real or personal property; the
Guaio alton of city and borough members being hall
that amount. The members for the Universities aud
scottish .non,bers require qualification. Any men,
Der who accepts place of profit under the Crown
thereby vacaes his seat but is eligible for reelection
This will explain why, ON n change of Ministry,
number of elections take place on the acceptance Of
Office.
In 1874, the borough of Sudbury, DISTINGUISHED for
bribery had its two members struck Off In 1852, 1t.
Adams wa, subjected to the same discipline. Conse-
ouently, the House of Commons which previously
consisted of 6,S, now contains only Ga members. The
following summary shows the state of
Counties-England IA; Wales Is; Scotland ~;
Ireland 81. BOrOughs-Engand, 800; Wales, ID
Scotland 3D. Ireland -. TIE England,
4; Eeland2 Total, 65i.
Tie newly elected British Parliament was chosen
to meet at Westminster the last day of April but
would probably not meet for some days later. The
first thing done at the commencement Is the election
of Speaker of the House of Commons. The manner
in which this election conducted, is singular enough
On the appointed day both Houses assemble in their
respective chambers. The Lords take their seats I'M
der the presidency of the Lord Chancellor the Com
mons under the temporary domination OF Sir Denis 10
Marchant Chief Clerk of the House, although it has
lately been stated very erroneousy, in some London
papers, that the ma.nber first elected would bold this
nominal and very feeting dignity. That would be Sir
De Lacy Evans, the senior member for Wes.minster-
the election there having preceded all others. ON the
late occasion.
Lords and Commons having assembled In their re-
.pectiye chambers the Sergeant-atAms Of the Upper
House whose life appointment gives him tl,1oo an
pual salary proceeds to the House of Commons and,
very courteously but peremptoriy, summons the
members to proceed to the House of Lords. Accord
ipgly headed by the Chief Clerk of the Commons,
several members proceed to the bar of the Lords,
usually in very undignfed rush, where the Queens
commission for opening the Parliament, addressed to
the Lord Chancellor and three or four other Mniste
nal Peers, is solemny opened and read-the said
Commissioners sitting on bench in front Of the Wool
sack the Lord Chanceor's special seat, attred in
heavy scarlet robes faced with black, and wearing
ernine tppets, with strengthening, oldfashioned,
three-cocked hats, which dress is absurd that, on
the stage it would provoke shouts of laughter
lilo ..la