Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-28
How Reforms are Carried in England


Mr.. NJ. D. Conway in the Cincinnati Com
mereial thus describes the tedious process by
which reformatory LEGISLATION makes its way
through the British parliament:
The normal process of legislation appears to
be about as follows: Somebody with wild de-
fusion that thing should be established because
it is obviously just, begins to discuss it. He is
not even attended to until there occurs some
frightful practical grievance under the existing
state of things. Then the idealist, who had
been so long preaching vainly, is called re-
former, and the poor in the cities, particularly
the mechanics begin to listen to him. When
some meetings have been held, the newspapers
will begin to discuss the question somewhat
contemptuously Then, if the movement is
lucky, another grievance-perhaps one or two
will occur. Then some romantic literary man
or politician will take the novelty up. Next
question will be asked on the subject in the
house of commons, and some member of it
will jocularly express his surprise that so des-
picable an agitation should have been thought
worthy a moments attention of that house.
This will spur the reiormers to greater clamors.
Some newspaper will take their side. After a
year or two, some politician-it may be from con-
viction or from keen eye to the future-will ask
leave to bring in a bill on the subject. His
application will of course be acceded to, but it
will be amid what the Times will describe as
"much laughter" and cries of "Oh, OH" The
bill being formally introduced, will be disagreed
to on the second reading, with only two or three
hands held up for it, and again amid "much
laughter" and cries of ooh, OH" Then things
will go on as before. Twenty or thirty thou
sand names will be got TO petitions in favor of
it. And after being secuted without debate for
some five or six years, the members in its favor
in the house of commons will be sufficient to
secure discussion. The bill will be again in
troduced, and the government will set apart
some Wednesday afternoon for it. When a
thing is set apart for a Wednesday afternoon, it
is a sign that it is in the political Hades, pale
shadow destined to walk up and down many
Wednesday on its Stygian shore before it can be
terTied by the Charon of the treasury bench to
the elysium Of success. On Wednesday the
parliament sits only from twelve to six, and
it has become like the land of the lotus
eaters, where it is always afternoon" Well,
after many Wednesday afternoons, the
shadowy bill draws into sympathy
one member after another, until some day
it gets vote large enough to excite the alarm
Of the tories. The tories taunt the liberals with
fayoring the novel beresy; the liberals (whigs
facetiouslv call themselves so,) Indignantly re-
pudiate the charge The liberals thus become
the first rank of the tories for that particular
measure. Gradually they are conquered, lit
takes years to do it, though they generally take
as much ofthe pith out of the reform as they can
before adopting it. When, after these many
toisome years, the measure of reform, whatever
it may be, has been one-third spoilt to conciiate
the wings, it is thrown into COMMITTEE" as il
is called. By measures "going through commit
tee" means that a second-third of its value shall
be, bit by Bit removed, in order to concate the
tories. One-third, therefore, Of the original and
complete measure of reform comes out finally as
an act of parliament, and is formally presented
to the house of lords, whose approval is meekly
prayed for. The house of lords takes up the
measure with a pair of tongs; it is carried
around that every noble peer may spit upon it;
aud it is then returned to the house of commons.
The next year the house passes the bill again,
and sends it TO the lords. Then the lords hold
it up in 1figy, and vent their rage and sarcasm
upon il. The house again passes it; and the
lords discuss ii several nights before rejecting
it. Nay, they take division, and about fourth
or third of them vote for it, This springs
great agitation on the country. The people
meet in vast crowds in the great cities; they
stop the thorOughfares, and fill the parks, per-
haps break down park ratings if the gates are
closed against them; and they question all the
candidates or members furiously when they ap-
pear among their constituencies, making them
pledge themselves TO urge the measure, If the
lords refuse the bill when sent from the house
OF commons fourth, or certainly if they return
1t unapproyed fifth time, then the agi-
tatlon in the country is transformed from
the advocacy of the particular bill, and
takes the shape of radical attack on the house
of lords ITSELF Many who care nothing about
the special Dill are aroused about what is de-
nounced as the unconstitutional resistance of
the lords to the will of the ople." When the
movement assumes this phase it brings to the
surface all The democracy, all the revoutionists,
and in its train the mob. Then there is wild
talk about removing the bishops" pitching
the house of lords into the Thames" and "es.
tablishing a republic" whereat their lordships
do plainly quake and temble, and when the
bill is brought before them again they Weld
and vote for it without even an effort to conceal
the cowardice. 1t is the opinion of Mr.. Biglow
that
| "a marciful Proverdunce fashun'd us boiler
purpose thet we might our principals swoller."
Every reform that passes thi ough the house
| of lords illustrates the observation.