The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-08-11
THE oHiLrERN HUNDREDS.
and Whsrs They Are. and Ho
Many There Are Of Them.
From Chamber journal

What and Whsrs They Are, and How
Many There Are Of Them i
From Ohsmbsrs' journal
A multitude d questions on tho sub
ect present themselves. What are these
Hundreds, and how many in number9
hey q steward, and has he any duties to
nlfill7 Is he paid, whether for duties or
so2 Why do members of Parliament 30
frequently ask for and obtain the stew
udship7 Let no one be ashamed OF tg-
torrance on these points; he has plenty
If Intelligent aud generally well-in-
,ormed men to bear him company and
Keep him in ~countenance. Just a
'ew words concerning locality. The Chill
aern Hills extend IN a diagonal line
Lcross many counties, including Berks,
ilucks, Herts and Bedford, and present
.ii.erent characteristics in different
;arts. That portion which traverses the
county OF Buckingham was in Ole times
{, early covered with forests of beech
!rees, grand and magnificent. but in
fAsted with robbers who had nothing OF
ile romance of Robin Hood md Maid
lIarian in them. Tho Grown, as a
means Of protection to the neighboring
Inhabitants, appointed q Steward or
I3ailiff for the three Chiltern hundreds
Of stoke, D~csborough and bohemian,
Sr Bohemian. lie had a business Office,
,.uties to perform and O salary for pr
Iorming them. A sweeping change has
long ngo taken place. forest, robbers,
place OF business, duties, salary, all have
vanished. But-and this "a the singular
part of 1.-THE nominal Office is still
kept up; because 1t lends itself TO a very
peculiar stratagem or mannnvre adopt.
to extricate members OF the House OF
from an occasional dilemma.
II the Stewardship OF the Chiltern Hun
lreds happens not to be vacant at q time
when some one member wants it, hat Of
the manors Of East Hendred, Eorths-
head, and Helpholme will answer the
same purpose. "A very remarkable usage
Of Parliament ia tneimain cause to which
al this is due. Sir Erskine May, Chief
Clerk OF the House Of Commons, and the
leading living authority on all matters
relating to the laws, rulos, orders, II
proceedings Of that branch Of the legis-
lature, tells us that o member after due
election cannot resign his seat; Whatever
else he may do, he cannot do this II he
ceases to hold his membership,
1t is because in effect it Is
Iaken away from him, willingly or
;mwillingly on his part. Hence
rrise certain mannuvres which are in
reality shams. II he wish for any reason
TO resign his seat in the House of Com
mons, he asks for and obtains n post or
office under the Grown, that Of Steward
of the Chiltern Hundreds. Now. there
Is a law in force which enacts that for
any office created or founded since the
beginning Of the last century, If a MEM
Der accepts it, he thereby at once for
feits his seat and the House knows him
not. II he holds no such office, but
nevertheless wishes to resign his seat, he
applies fer tho Stewardship. The Prime
Minister for the time being represents
the Grown or this occasion. As matter
pro forma he nearly always assents, and
the recipient may, and often does, sur
render the honor on the very next day,
when it has answered his purpose. The
ofice, as we have said, 10 merely nominal
mo plnce Of business or OF meeting, NO
responsibilities, no duties, no powers, no
salary or fees. es -