Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-04
II Jeweled Railway
Hampdens at +. A. Boern-
er's.
A CONVENTION FOR GREAT BRITAIN.
An Experience of Forty Years Ago Re
called by the Home Rule Bill.

An Experience Of Forty Years Ago Re
called by the Home Rule Bill.
It is 40 years or more since received n
visit in Worcester. Mas, from a young
Englishmsn who has since risen TO high dis
tinction. He was glad to hear me talk on
American politics, and enlightened him us
/ could
Among other things told him he must
stay in Albany long enough to see the con-
vention which was remaking the constitu-
tion Of the state Of New York. And said
he would be interested in seeing in session
Mt the same time the legislature OF New
York, carrying on It's business under the
old constitution ut the same time when the
convention was making another. | said
that II the French had understood our sys-
TEN and had separate convention to make
the constitution, with separate parlia-
ment to govern France, they would have
done better, for this was not long after their
revolution Of lS4s
Ny friend looked ut me with surprise and
said that wha, proposed was impossible.
lie said that one OF the two bodies must be
superior In authority to the other. The
other then would either refuse to act or
would act merely TO register the decree OF a
higher power
So began all over again as you do with
such people, and explained again that the
business OF making n constitution is one
thing, the business OF governing u state OF
nntion il another. You might as well say
TINT while you were sailing a ship the sea
men should occupy their leisure in making
n steam engine for her IN to say that II leg
islative bod ilt for one business should
turn to making constitution, which is
quite another business.
In fact, there IS n sort OF risl, in letting the
legislature mHkea constitution, for II it has
that power another legislature can unmake
1t, and then nothing is really constituted.
My friend listened to me with the courtesy
Of an English gentlemen, and then with the
solidity. or s;olidity, which they sometimes
show he said: what you propose is inn
possible. One body must have control over
the other" And so babe him goodby-on
one OF the hottest days OF this century. And
he took the train to Albany to see the next
day, as suppose, the constitutional con-
ventlon and the legislature Of New York
sitting and working In the same city at the
same time-to soc his impossibility made
possible.
have never seen him again, except in
| his seat IN the house of commons, being
in mine in the gallery.
do not know II he Is In the house Of com
I mons now, or indeed II he is living. II he is,
Iwonderif he ever marks bach" to that day
in Albany forthe house of commons iswork-
ing that same well nigh impossible under
taking, which has brought France such mis-
cry so often, and which America never at
tempts-that Is, the house Of commons is
trying TO DO constitutional convention.
The regular legislation OF Great Britain Is
neglected because the house IL revising the
constitution. And the revision OF the con-
stitution linps and is hindered because
tho house is trying to carry on legislation
mt the same time.
Now, constitution making Ia one thing,
and legislation is another.
| In this matter OF home rule Great Britain
is fond Of studying American experience
and Hungarian Austrian experience and
other federal experiments. Why will they
not try our habit Of callingn Constitution
I al convention" which shall have nothing
to decide but the change in the constltu-
| tioni In tmee month"; time, according to
| Mr.. Gladstone, our federal convention
struck OF constitution involving more
| political wisdom thHn any other work OF
the same time Why will not Great Brit
ain do like thing in three other monthsi
The house of lords will refuse TO pass the
| present home rule bill The way is then
open for IN net OF parliament which shall
call n constitutional convention TO act on
that subject and on no other. This conven-
ton cnn meet in the recess of parliament.
It's work will not In any way interfere with
that Of parliament. Men will be willing to
sit in IL who would not or could not be
chosen to parliament, Jurists will sit there,
close students Of politics, and men OF af-
fairs quite outside Of political lines would
sit In 1t. Party lines would govern the
choice OF delegates in pnrt but not cxclu-
siyely. Noblemen and commoncrs would
sit in the same house
And it is quite within the possibilities
that such constitutional convention
would make "a plan for home rule which
would satisfy England and scotland and
Wales and Ireland, ~ Edward Everett Hale
In New York Recorder,