New-York tribune., 1880-02-05
LOyG-LIVED PARLIAMENT.

The Queen is to open, to-day, with un-
wonted pomp and ceremony, the seventh, and
consequently, under the Septennial Act, the
last session of the present Parliament. That
legislative body is now within one month OF
its sixth year, and In point of age Is already
third in the list of Parlaments of the United
Kingdom which have assembled during the
present century. The Parliament which was
dissolved on July g. 1865, had lasted SIX years,
one month and SIX days, and an earlier
Parliament convened during the reign
of George " had exceeded that period by
three days. If the present Parliament re-
mains IN session until April 10, 1t Will be the
longest which has assembled since the union
with Ireland. The Septennial Act was passed
by the Wings under George l., and its repeal
was advocated by the Tories in 1874. and
again in l745, and subsequently by the
Wings themselves in 1892. Within the pres
ent generation Ministries of both political par
ties have entered upon the seventh year OF
the constitutional term.
The most distinguished advocate OF the Sep
tennial Act in the last century was Edmund
Burke. When a motion for shortening the
duration of Parliament was debated IN the
Commons. he opposed it with such consum-
mate skill that TO this day his arguments are
repeated whenever this constitutional question
il broachcd. He contcnded that frequency OF
elections would promote the corruDtlbihty OF
The members and strengthen unduly the Ia
luence of Court and Ministry. While
he confessed that lie reyerentaly looked
sup to the opinion OF the people with an awe
"that was almost supcrstiuOus," he appre-
bended that under the trIcnnal system the
legislators would cease to be public COUNSEL
lors, and become canyaSsers OF perpetual
election" Such change in the Constitution,
he thought, would be fraught with evil. The
legislators dependence on those who could
best support hlm at elections would be in
creased; canvassiug expenses would I'M
poyersh public men and the shorter
term woud render Legislators more cor
rupt, electors more yenal, and the body OF
the people more awless and debauched. These
arguments have been traversed by Lord
Macaulay and John Bright who have advoca-
ted the abrogatiOn of the Septcnnial Act. The
extension OF the suffrage, the reform of lcgisla-
tive abuses, the education of the masses In
self-government, and the elevation If public
sentiment have weakened the force of objcc-
and the corruptibility of their representatives,.
While election expenses are higher than
they were IN the last century, and the aver
are cost of a seat in Parliament Is steadily
increasing, the argument in favor Of shorter
term has been shifted TO higher ground.
Burke dismissed the subject with the cOntemp-
tuous inquiry a." What will be the consequences
"of triennial corruption, of trieDnial drunk
"enness, trienuial idIeness, triennial lawsuits.
Obligations, prosecutions, tricnpial frenzy, of
"socie.y dissolved, industry interrupted r.
The argument now turns upon the COM
parative independence Of Pariiaments elected
respectively for long and short terms,
and the necessity Of frequent renewals Of the
Legislature in order that Government may re-
tam its representative and popular character.
During the last SIX years as many as 123
vacancies, caused by death, resignation and
promotion to the peerage or to the bench,
have been filed by special elections, but the
relations OF the parties have not been re-
yersed, aud no Parliament has ever manifested
less independence. The majority have Obedi-
entiv registered the decisions Of the Ministry,
and Il Parliament elected on the narrow issue
of University education III Ireland has dis
posed of the most mOment0us questions OF
foreign policy which have arisen in England
since the NapOleOnic wars; and, mcanB Bhie,
the country has had no adequate opportunity
of EXPRESSING its concurrence or dissent.