Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-08-13
A Scene in the British Parliament.

We often hear the great and unieniablc
corruptions which exist in our state and ma
tional governments spoken of in drawi ng
comparisons between this and other forms of
the idea that these evils exist in conse quence
Of the effectiveness of our system of govern
ment. Especially do Englishmen with
little of the (Britsh) Esprit of '76" in their
makeup draw disparagiug deductions from
the defects of the administration, and point
to their home government as a model Of per-
lection. But the fact is that under their
"strict enforcement of the laws" and with
all "subject to one responsible head" &c,
there is as much vicousness aud corruption
and fraud-nay mOrc-in the high places of
England, mot to go across the channel and
speak of the administration Of affairs in Ire
land) as in any nation on earth which lays
claims to being civilized. Tho late affair Of
Mr. Plimsoll, 10 the British House of Com
mons, shows how effectualy the many are
governed for the benefit Of the few. The
merchant marine OF Britain embraces very
many vessels which are really unfit for use,
and many capitalists who are making money
by sending such vessels to sea are determined
to prevent any legislations which shall pre-
vent the employment of these unsafe vessels
and the jeopardizing Of thousands Of lives
and the government with Mr. DisrRli at its
head, helps them We quote some of the
language Of Mr. Plimsoll on the floor Of the
House, and which the speaker declared would
be quite in order if made on the proper
motion.
"Ever since 1862 the board Of trade let
matters concerning the shipping trade get
worse and worse, and with the aid Of ship
owners Of murderous tendencies out Of doors
and who we're well represented inside
had succeeded in stamping out or talking to
death every effort to improve the condition
OF our merchant navy. What
is the consequence of this sort Of thing
Why, that continually hundreds and hum
dreds OF brave men are sent to death and
their wives are made widows and their chill
dren are made orphans, so that few spec
ulative scoundrels may make unhallowed
gains"
Mr.. p, named several vessels which had
been lost, with loss of life, aud which were
known to be unseaworthy. In the course of
his remarks having called one member by
name as being implicated in these oings-
Edward Bates, the member for Plymouth
he said, ~ am determined to unmask the
villains who send 10 death and destruction"
Here he was interrupted by the speaker,
who said he hoped the member had not ap-
piled the term "yllain" to any member of
of the House. Plimsol replied, al did, sir,
and don't mean 10 withdraw it," For his
supplementary conduct he was censured
and compelled to withdraw from the House
for week, But the occasion of his being so
excited as to use such language remains Mr.
Disreli had announced that the government
had found itself unable to consider all the
bills in hand, and had selected certain for
completion, and among those to be left over
until another session was Mr.. Plimsoll's
merchant shipping BILL" Against this de
lay Of what he regarded as a vital measure,
aud the selection for consideration Of 9th err