New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A PARLIAMENTARY CICERoNE.

Mead e. Co.
In his Book Of the Parliament" Mr.. Mac
donagh does in large what every clever London
correspondent does in little: he gives the pict-
uresque aspects Of British Parliamentary life.
He points out and explains such things as would
interest the man in the visitors gallery. the
young Parliamentary reporter on the lookout
for fresh copy, and the new member uncertain
Of himself as he watches In his first session the
etiquette and acts Of legislation. The cere-
mona Of the two houses, at times quaint ana
brilliant. at times quaint and staid, but oftener
to the uniformed eye the counterfeit present
ment " informaty and negligence. he makes
Ineligible and interesting. Even the ordinary
routine OF busin he so embellishes with
anecdotes Of its Enthusiastically British vio-
iations and exceptions that he imparts 10 IL
a pcturesqueness of association and tradition.
With the same freedom of tone ne describes
the prophecies and amenities OF the CABINET
meetings and the activities OF the canvass and
its Uogarthian accessories. He takes the aspir-
ing politician through his career from his nurs-
ing Of his first constituency TO his place as a
Junior member of Her MaJestys Ministry. Ana
on all these matters his book is storehouse OF
gossip collected from the Hobbies OF the mousse
the files Of the newspapers and the political
biographies of the last one hundred and hfty
years
But Mr. Macdonaghs method can best be
represented by quotations. In the days OF FOX
and Sheridan and. indeed. IN those OF Feel ana
Palmersto1. well, the various devices III
vogue for corrupting the electors gave pi-
ouancy to the canvass which has been iost LOT
the most part in these days OF comparative
honesty. 1t was in the reign OF George ILL., 80
testiAes Lord stanhope that the beautiful young
,onAf ha
unavoidable butcher by kiss. Clever were
the evasions OF the loosely phrased laws then IN
force against bribery Brinsley Sheridan was
apparently so fond OF peas during his sue
cessful contest of Hafford" that he bought
them from desirable voter at f. rs I'd. per
mart Half q century later candidate OF
Sudbury purchased from a greengroees VINO
hsd q vote In the constituency. two cabbages
for go and plate Of gooseberrieS Tor TO
He paid the butcher. the grocer. the paKer the
tailor. the printer. the blsticker. on equai'!
liberal terms" One could quote from MT Mac
douagh's volume many q sketch OF electloheei-
ing In the days Of the Rotten Boroughs 'ha'
would be as good these. But perhaps the
best of them Is that of Mr.. Mcleod Bannatine
IN the County Of Butte. Scotland Apparently ne
included in his own person the whole constitu-
ency The writ Of election was transmitted 70
him as Sheriff
He named the day Of nomination and issued
his prccept for the election. On the DAY OF
nomination Mr. Bannatine was the only free
holder qualified to be present. He accorolneV
took the chair and went through an III, me p,s
scribed forms. AS Sheriff, ne produced the VIII!
Of election. read the writ and the oaths agalns.
bribery at elections. AS Sheriff he administered
the oath of allegiance. SUPREMACY and ab)ura
ton 10 himself. "a chairman. He signed the
oaths as chairman and Sheriff. AS charma.
ne named himself clerk to the meeting ana
~ fvpnh
which contained only HIS own name. He then
proposed himself as candidate. seconded his own
nomination. and, as there was no opposi'lon;
declared himself duly elected. He dictated ana
signed the minutes of election as chairman and
as Sheriff he transmitted the return to the writ
TO the Crown Office at Westminster
Not a little Of Mr. Macdonagh's liveliness OF
style Is due to his readiness to see the humor-
Gus side Of life. His own humor, though always
eood-natured. is masculine and aggressive. He
is ready 70 enjoy Joke. whether 1t be one OF
Lord Rosebery's polished phrases or the clumsy
fooling OF some practical joker in the Hobbies,
and he enjoys both sorts Unfortunately. The
Poloniuses that find their way into Parliament,
and they are astonishingy many. furnish him
merry tests which he succeeds In telling with
broad hut effective strokes Of wit. Such an In
spirer OF irreverence was the old and eccentric
gentleman who "vainly endeavored during half
q century Of Parliamentary life to get passed
into law bill for preventing persons from
standing outside windows while cleaning them.
During his last session the poor old gentleman
is said 10 have complained 10 colleague that
his object In introducing the bill had been quite
misunderstood by the House for these nifty
years I introduced the BILL. said he. not for
the sake Of the window-cleaners but for the
sake Of the people below. on whom they might
fall The idea Of the bill was suggested to me
tnhf IA
on myself"
Much Of the authors gossip and anecdote can
be found by the curious in books and periodi-
calls of the past; some o. It. even. Ii measuraoiy
familiar; there is a residue. however that Is
\ original from his hands One cannot read be-
tween the lines without surmising that the
author IL most at home In the reporters gal
ler1es and in the lobby Of the House. AT least
II Is from these points Of view that he draws his
freshest and most significant pictures. A more
advantageous point Of view could hardly be
chosen. The fact that such decorous peers as
Lord Salisbury and Lord Rosebery, when In
the upper house. always address their speeches
in loud, deliberate and distinct tones" toward
the gallery of reporters will have for the reader
an illuminating force. II is eminently from
these points Of view that political life becomes
spectacular. the houses Of Parliament a stage
and all the great and little there mere actors.
1t Is Just here that the authors work diners
from the recollections Of the House OF Com
mons which recently appeared from the pen OF
the late William White Both have dealt with
human phases Of their subject. but Mr. Whites
book, in Its somewhat staid fashion. deals with
what In vital Mr.. Macdonagh. far more pict-
uresquely deals chiefly with what is casual.
He describes not so much the essential charac-
teristicc Of the British Constitution as its &C.
centric surface. the angles and protuberances
against which the inexperienced politician
breaks his shin. When he turns to individual
statesmen he describes not their habits or
,hourht but their habits Of life, their uncon-