Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-27
WHO ARE THEY?
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Representative Assembly OF All Cta.sc. ar
she People Of 'hc kmpiro-- aris,ocrats ana

the next House of Commons, IL will be
Of interest TO glance at some Of tho
men who comprise the popular branch
OF the British Parliament.
Ii may be mentioned in passing that
this is Tor will be) the eleventh Parlia-
ment OF Queen Victoria, whose reign
now nearly covers period of forty-
nine years. 1t is the twenty-third since
the union with Ireland, and nav vet
become historically celebrated as the
one in which that act of union was re.
pealed.
II was expected that the new condi-
tons of election would deluge the as
sembly with radical members. pledged.
according to the average Tory idea,
to the abolition Of everything" The
election has come and gone, but the
deluge is nowhere. Only in Ireland
have the prophets Of revolution been
justified. In England, Scotland, and
Wales the representative material re-
mains the same rs before. An analysis
Of the last Parliament by occupation
and comparison with the present one
would show little real difference.
:" The Nctbrs,' as Lord Palmerston
once said, "are the same, only they
play to the galleries instead Of to the
dreSs-circle.n
The compilers Of radical reform sta
tisticS will be compelled to admit, as of
old. the soul-haTTowing fact that the
ariStocratic, the landed, the fighting,
the money and the law interests arc
just as strongly represented as ever.
The first of these, the aristocratic
and landed interests, have lost no influ-
ence by vote more democratic than
any before in English history. The great
dncal houses are fully represented by
heirs, younger sons, brothers, or
other immediate dependents. The
Duke of DevOnshire by his heir, the
Marquis Of Harrington; Marlborough.
Lord Randolph Churchill; Rutland,
Lord John Manners Northumberland.
Earl Percy; Sutherland, Marquis of
Stafford; Richmond, Earl of March {;
Abercorn, Lords Claude and George
Hamilton, ETC., etc. The Duke Of
Argy S heir was candidate, but even
metropolitan Radical section was not
equal TO the task of returning the son
Of great Scotch landowner, the huS-
band Of princess Of the royal family,
in such a grotesque
DISGUISE As 4 RADICAL REFORMER.
\ dazzling array Of courtesy :"
titled commoners, relatives of peers,
are returned. The list Of the new
members briStles with marQuises, earlS,
viscountS, lords, and honorableS. :"
the latter titles indicating either the
sons Of barons or younger members Of
those higher in the peerage. Thus the
aIistocratic and landed interests are
represented by $50 at least of those
who have but to wait few years to be
promoted 10 the upper house, where
they may legislate without the annoy
ance Of previous election.
OF these aTistocratic members the
Marquis of Harrington brings back
more than his mere title. Lord John
Manners is an old man, whose success
sion to his elder brother dukedom will
come late if it ever comes, for Lord
John is seyenty-one years old. The
Marquis Of Stafford came very near
winning the distinction of defeat on
his fathers land, among his fathers
tenants. by poor crofter, also named
Sutherland, who came within 200 votes
of his noble " competitor. The Earl
of March will be Duke of Richmond
and Gordon, and his only claim to dis
tinction and the proof Of his ability to
wear the double-barrelled title is a
mastery absence from his duties
in the House and passion for yachting.
The sons Of the late Duke Of Abercorn,
Lords George, Frederick, and Claude
Hamilton, are each able men, and
would have won their way, title or no
title, in any community where brains
happened to be in demand. Another
ducal scion. Lord Randolph Churchill,
is too well known to need more than
the mere mention Of his name. II he
owes ANYTHING to his title he is able to
abundantly keep his end mp from his
personal qualities. But when these are
deducted the remainder of the peers
sons do not present any particular Tea
ture of interest. Lord Charles BereS-
ford. brother of the present Marquis Of
Waterford, is an exception but he
rather takes his place IN
THE FIGHTING" INTERESTS.
These &" fighting interests " are well
represented. A large number of gene
rails appeared before the electors, ask
ing the privilege of seat in the Com
mons. 1t may be surmised that some
OF them desired to oppose Wclseley, Tor
they include many Of his seyerest critics
and opponents. General Sir E. Ham
lev. returned for Birkenhead, Is the au-
thor Of military works said to be OF
very high character. He was chief OF
staff TO Wolseley at the tune oil the
Tel.el-Kebir campaign. Ills critics
claim that the aulhor-soldier was dis
pusted because Wolseley did aipp'
his plan. Wolseley was successful
and 80 Hamley has distinct grudge
against him. In the natdre Of thInsS
il is easy to surmi-e that he would nave
more easily forgiven Wolseley II he had
been defeated.
From London constituencies come
General Fraser. Victoria-cross man
General Goldsworthy, and MAJOR
General Pelly. One Of the divisions o.
Durham returns Sir Henry llayelock'
Allan. a distinguished son OF a yet more
distinguished father. who also wears
the Victoria cross. There are a host Of
lesser military men-colonels, majors
and captains candidates to say
nothing OF the hosts who have re'lreu'
and whose military titles have been ios'
in the more recen,ly-acquired civic d'S
,ipctions. The navy is well repre-
scented. both on It's adminis.ra
tive and fighting side. wee al
,o;,al Sir John COmmerell, whC
was second in command of the 'iee'
Nth which Beaconsfeld enforced h''
IDEAS of the revision Of the treaty o.
San stefano, is a member Tor South
a. L.. = tpnteT. duN