The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-07
THE HUMoRs OF PARLIAMENT
Alleged Wit of Various English Legislators.

Alleged Wit of Various English Legislators.
Notet and Queries question of th
regency had been raised by the Hines
of George III, and Thurlow had beel
intriguing with both political parties
Having made up his mind that his in
terest lay on the Kings side, he left tn
woolsack and addressed the House 0
Lords, concluding with the impressive
exclamation: "And when l forget M
King may God forget me !" On hearing
Lord Thurlow's impreCation, Pitt is saiC
to have rushed out of the House, ex
claiming several times: Ca, what ras
cal p Burke, on the same occasion
muttered: "The best thing that can hap
pen to YOU; and Wilkes, cycling tnt
Chancellor askance, said, sotto voce
"God forget you, He would see yor
damned 6r,t"
George Nv. was protesting that hC
could not do what he had said, on hi
honor as gentleman, he would not dC
it. Pardon me, SIRE" said the Duke o
Wellington, II don't agree with you a
all. Your majesty is not gentleman
The King started. "Your majesty,
say" continued the imperturbabe sold
ier, "is not a gentleman, but the Sover
eign Of England, with duties to your peo
pie far above any to yourself"
When Fergus 0'Connor was charged
in the House with being a Republican he
denied it and said he did not care
whether the Queen or the devil was on
the throne. Peel replied: When the
honorable gentleman sees the sovereign
of his choice on the throne of these
realms 1 hope he'll enjoy, and l know
he'll deserve, the confidence of tie
crown
Lord Eldon is credited with a neat re
tort. He was presenting an anti Catho.
lie petition from the Glasgow company
of tailors, when Lyndhurst, VINO had
lately changed sides on the question of
Catholic relief, said, in stage whisper:
'Whall do tailors trouble themselves
with such 'measules?' Ny noble and
learned friend, replied Lord Eldon,
might have been aware that tailors can
not like 'turnCOats.'
On an occasion when Colonel Barre
brought forward a motion on the British
navy, Lord North said to a friend of his
sitting near him: Now Barre will give
us our naval history from the beginning
not forgetting Sir Francis Drake and the
Armada All that is nothing to me; 30
let me sleep on, and wake me when we
come near our own times.' His friend
at length aroused him, when Lord North
exclaimed: Where are we2' At the bat.
tie of La Hogue, my lord.' Oh, my dear
friend eaid North You have woke me
a century too soon.'
Mr.. Jennings recalls O'Connell's COM
ment on the defense set up by P4rlia
mentary reporter for misquoJing the Lib
orators speech, VIZ: that the rain had
streamed into his pockets and washed
out his notes. This said O'Connell,
was the most Extraordinary shower of
rain he had ever heard Of lnasmuch as
it not only washed out the speech he did
make, but washed in another and an en-
TREY different one.' Familiar is
0'Connell's sneer at the fewness of Lord
Stanley's personal adherents after some
general election:
Thus down the hill romantic Ashbourne glides,
The Derby dilly carrying six insides,
Equally ready was his parody on three
members of Parliamenl-Colonels Slb-
thorp, PerCeval ana Vernon, two OF whom
looked as if they never needed razor,
and the third as if he repudiated one:
Three colonels, in three distant counties born,
Lincoln, Armagh and Sligo did adorn;
The first in matchless impudence surpassed
The next IN bigotry in both the last
The force Of nature could no further go.
To beard the third she shaved the other two.
John Bright's ScripturaI illustrations
are often marked by singular beauty
as well as pertinence. Referring to his
own reluctance to accept office, he said
that he had always been charmed by the
blOly VI WOlldu
in single verse of the Old Testament.
In return for her hospitality the prophet
wished to make her some amends, aud
said Shall speak for thee to the King,
or to the captain of the hostP' Bright
went on to say that it had always ap.
peared to him great answer that the
woman returned, She said
i dwell among my own people,
Sheridan described Dundas as one
who generally resOrted to his memory
for his jokes, and to his Imagination for
his facts.' Asked by someone, on the
conclusion Of his speech on the Hast
ings trial, how he came to compliment
Gibson with the epithet luminous
which 30 delighted the historian, Sheri.
dan answered in a half whisper, L said
voluminous.' But perhaps none of Sher-
idan's elaborate epigrams produced such
an effect upon his auditors as an unpre.
meditated sentence uttered in the course
of debate on the liberty of the press.
Give them, said he, "a corrupt House of
Lords, give them venal House of Com
mons, give them a tyranical Prince, give
them trucking court, and let me have
an unfettered press, l will defy them to
enCroach hairs breadth's upon the lib.
critics of England"