New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-15

the successors to the late Speaker should receive only
e. 0CO year. With sumptuous residence, plate fees
&c, the emoluments Of the Speaker cannot De less
b future than 10000 year, with peerage, ana Pe"'
zion Of "a, 600 for two lives in succession.
The Speaker. emphatically "The First commune
OF England" is always member OF the rh''
Gil. which gives him the title Of Right ho"orao,v
and he ranks Immediately next the Barons' In ,he
hast century the estimate Of his position was nisne'
,hsn 10 now There is story told of the speaker
carriage having broken down, in one oil 'ne s"es'' u
London, leaving it's occupant IN tne n'uu' "' IL
xtanty made his servants stop the hrst private oou'"
that was passing by, and ordered Hs owner 10 aio"'
This DONE he entered the coach, as IL were hiS Owl"
only remarkng, as he drove on tha' II was "''''o
for a pryste gentleman to walk, when, by doing So
che eould convenience such parsonage a. the
"Speaker.'
The duties of Speaker generally resemble those OF
Abe sneaker Of our own House Of Representatives.
Until August, 1853, no provision was made Tor tue
Transaction Of business during his absence from illness
or other unavoidable causes 1t was then agreed that,
On ,uch a contingency, the chairman OF Committees
shall preside in his stead
Its the Speaker who commits offenders into CUSTODY
until the pleasure of the House be signhed' lie is-
The mouthpece of the Commons whether he returns
thanks 10 individuals or reprmands for misconduct
Heexamnes witnesses at the bar of the House. And at
tbe close Of the Session. when he presents money-bs
For the Royal assent he addresses the Sovereign, re-
captivating the chief measures passed IN the Session
He never votes except when the numbers happen to
be equal, when he has the casting vote lie cannot
debate save in Committees of the whole House, when
he sits as an ordinary member. One OF his duties Is
20 entertain the members at dinner in due succession
during each Session. On such occasion, and also
his Ievees every person wears the full court dress
an attire properly described being ludcrous some
thing between the formal cut OF Quaker apParel,
and the livery Of funkey
tits customary avoid eectng an aged person to the
Office of Speaker nasmuch as in such case he must
retire in very short time, and fall as burden upon
the country-as a pensioner-too speedily
The Parliament which sat when hundred Irish
Copmoners and twenty-eght Irish Peers added
TO it by the Union was elected in 1885, and had for its
Speaker (chosen in 1882, Mr.. Henry Arlington, who
was only thrty-two years old when chosen. He re-
fired early in 1901 to become Prime Minister, as
successor to Mr. Pitt, and raised to the Peerage'
ms Viscount Sidmoutb, in 1906. He was deficient in
many of the qualifications requisite for Speaker and
disappointed the expectations of the Pitt party, who
chose him in 1885, by majority of "a over Sir Gilbert
Elliot. afterward GOvemOr-General of India, and
created Earl of Mimic. Arlington was gentlemanly
and inofensive assiduous in hunting for precedents,
and perpacious asserting the privileges of Parlia
nent He secured the "a 900 retiring pension for him
self and son. and made of his patronage, as Prime
Minister QS0-1S0 to secure also to that son life
patent for the lucrative snecure of Clerk of the Rolls
Early in 1901, Addington succeeded as Speaker
by Sir John Freeman Milford, who was then aged 50.
He was lawyer, and had been Attorney General. He
occupied the Speakers Chair about year, having
7 ord NJ Ira1a in Eehr1
1902 when he was raised to the Peerage, as Baron
Redesdale but had to resign the Irish Seals early in
1906 when Fox came into office. He complained very
bitterly of being turned out to make room for Ponson
by thick-headed partisan the other side, but had
che solace of retreatiug with pension Of $4,000,
which his son receives to this hour.
Charles Abbott, also a lawyer, was elected Speaker
in 1902, and retained that Office until 1917 When
chosen he was As years old and had previously dis
tngushed himself as Irish Chief Secretary. In 1895,
on the question whether Lord Melville should be i'm
oeached by the Commons the votes being equal, Mr..
Abbott gave the casting VOTE Speaker, in favor of
ahe impeachment (which took place., on the ground
that he was bound to vote in his Office for the people
He was an efficient officer and instituted the private
hill Office 1t was his duty on many occasions during
the war with Napoleon, to convey the thanks Of the
Commons to distinguished misary and naval officers,
and this duty he performed impressiyey and with
marked ability, sometimes almost eloquently. When
he retired in 1877 he received the usual pension and
WAS created Baron Colchester. His eldest still re-
eeves the pension
In 1877 at the unusually early age of 81 Mr. Charles
Manncrs Sutton was elected Speaker without opposi-
ton. He was of the Archbishop of Canterbury
and nearly related to the Duke of Rutland. At the
age Of %, thanks to family connection, he was made
Judge Advocate General. Mr. Sutton, although
avowedly Tory, was one of the most impartial Of
Speakers. His manner was dignifed, his knowledge
Of forms great, his temper excellent, his voice
sonorous and his whole bearing commanding with
out assumption. In 1882, when the Reform bill
was passed, he minated his intention of retiring.
Lord Grey, then Prime Minister, did not Object
TO his having the retiring pension, but, instead of
raising him to the House of Lords, in which ii was
feared he might be troublesome opponent, would
only give him the Grand Cross of the Order of the
Bath. Early in 1893, wishing that man of tried expe
renee should preside the newly -elected Reform
Parliament, Lord Grey urgently invited Sir c. NJ.
Sutton to occupy his old post. He con-
scented, and was elected by large ma
jority over Mr. Lrleton. He became popular
with the new Parliament he had been with its pre-
decessors However, in November, 1884, the Minis
try Of Lord Melbourne was suddenly dismissed by
William w., who then sent to Italy for Sir Robert
Peel. 1t was alleged that Sir c. NJ Sgtton had iu-
tgued with his friends the Tories, against the Reform
party, and when the PeeLsummOned Parliament met,
On February 9, 1895, he was opposed by Mr.. Jane.
Abercromby, and, after fierce debate, in which he
vindcated himself from the charge OF having advised
the dissolution of the previous Parliament, de-