, 1873-11-29

uCJClAi iOo az ItlLCl lClCtiCC5 JlIC IlOu6C VI
Commons has always resented the in
t%rusion, and taken measures against "a
repetition of the act. In 1861 Mr..
Gladstone included the whole Budget
in a single Bill for the purpose of
forcing the House of Lords either to ac-
cept the abolition of the Paper duty or to
reject the Budget as a whole. The
Danish Landthing possesses by constitu-
tiOnaI enactment the functions of which
the House Of Lords has been practically
deprived; but the FOIkthing is resolved
to appropriate to Itself absolute financial
power; and the contest which has c0nse-
quentIy arisen involves the issue whether
it is possible for the Houses to remain poll
tically equal. The Foikthiug has passed
a vote Of want Of confidence in the Minis
ters, who are supported by a large maio
rity OF the Landthing. The, King has re
fused compliance with an address for the
removal Of the Ministers, and he has finally
resorted 0 a dissolution. If the electors
should return a majority in ia or Of the
Ministers, the collision will be ayerted on
postponed but in the more probable
event OF a victory of the opposition, it will
become necessary to decide between the
conflicting wishes Of the two Houses.
The FoIkthjng will probably refuse the o
supplies, or otherwise put a financial pres
sure on the Government to enforce com
piiance with its demands.
Only two Second Chambers have sue
ceeded in exercising independent authori-
ty and neither of them was arbitrarily
invented The House of Lords still re-
toi,1 q oi,0r0 Of ,NOyvror hn0o1cO n .OrinIDollv
oyershadowed tie House of Commons,
and also because its members possess great
social and political influence apart from
their legislative functions A century and
a half ago Kings and ministers were more
anxious for the support o. thesHOuse of
Lords than for the coAfdenc3 of the House
Of Commons. The change which has
taken place in the interval has been so
gradual that the Peers have had time to
accustom themselves to give way to the
superior power of the Lower House.
Their leaders sill maintain equality or
superiority in debate and the growing
difficulty Of finding seats in the House of
Commons for official members secures to
the House of Lords a large share in the
compositions OF every Ministry. The IN
lluence OF great possessions and the respect
which is still paid in England to birth and
station compensate in some degree the
House of Lords in its corporate character
for the loss of directly political power,
The Senate Of the United States also, al
though it is Of comparatively modern
origin, was not manufactured like a new
tangled European Assembly, after a pat
tern deliberately selected. When the
States agreed with one another to form
a Union, they were at least as anxious to
maintain their respective rights and
powers as to render the common govern
ment efficient. The House of Represen-
tatives as its name implies, was to be elect
ed by the whole community but the
Senate represented the sovereignty and
equality Of the States. While every State
regulates according to its choice the
mode of nom. mating its Senators, the choice
is generally entrusted to the local Legis-
Iature, which accordingly elects some lead
er of the dominant party. The standard
of fitness is consequently far higher in the
Senate than in the House of Representa-
tives nor would the several States allow
their nominees to be overridden by any
~usurpation of the more popular body.
The control over diplomacy, and over fede-
raj appointments, which the Senate shares
with the Prpsidant. increases its cODstitu-