Iron County register., 1904-03-10
SEATS IN THE COMMONS,
Laws of Great Britain Bar Aliens and
Clergymen from Membership
in Parliament.

With the prospects of general elec-
ion at hand, it is as well to know who
you may nominate to represent you in
the house of commons and perhaps the
best manner in which to do this is to
mention those persons who are disquali-
fed from holding Office as members OF
parliament, says London Answers.
For instance, no English or Scotch
peer may be elected member of the
house of commons, but an Irish peer
may sit, providing he is not one of the
28 Irish peers chosen to sit in the house
of lords. A famous peer, who played a
prominent part in politics in the house
of commons in the middle of last GEN.
tury, was Lord Palmerston, who was an
Irish peer.
Clergymen of the English church and
ministers of the Scotch church are not
permitted to become possessors of the
proud title of IN. P" nor Roman Cath
Ollie priests. But up to the beginning of
the last century the question of the ad-
mission of the clergy to the house of
commons was involved in considerable
doubt.
There was heated discussion in the
house about that time when Rev. j.
Horne Tooke was elected for the
borough of old Sarum. Eventually the
reverend gentleman was allowed to re-
tain his seat, but a resolution was passed
which provided that no clergyman was
IN "a allowed tn in or in futura With
in recent times, however, a law has been
passed which enables clergymen to give
up their positions and become private
individuals, and if they avail themselves
of this privilege they may then enter
parliament.
Infants or persons under full age have
always been disqualified from sitting.
but until the reign of William III. 1t
was not enacted by law. And after this
time the law seems to have been broken,
for Charles James Fox, one of the great
est of statesmen, rival of William Pitt,
took his seat and spoke in debate while
under age, and later Lord John Russell
was returned to parliament before he
was 21.
Strange to say, though, Lord John
rang the deathknell of the hopes of am
bilious young men who aspired to enter
parliament before they had attained
their majority, for he was instrumental
in passing the great reform bill, which
touched on that point, and since that
time the law has been strictly observed
"Aliens" may not sit in the house OF
commons unless they have become BRIT
ish subjects according to the forms pre-
scribed by law, nor can anyone who has
been convicted of treason or felony, un-
less he has received pardon or served
his term of punishment. A person con-
victed of any minor offense is not actual
ly disqualified from sitting, but he can
be expelled by vote of the house.
A bankrupt may be elected, but while
he is undischarged he is not allowed to
attend to his parliamentary duties, and
if he remains undischarged for longer
period than six months the seat is de-
clared vacant. A man who has beeL
found guilty of corrupt practices-such
as bribery at party election-may
never again sit for the place at which
the offense was committed, nor until
seven years after for any other place.
The holding of certain Offices disqual-
ifies some persons. Judges cannot act
as members of parliament, since, by vir-
tue of their office, they can be summoned
to attend and give advice in the house
of lords; neither can paid charity COM
missioner, nor member of the council
of India, while no returning officer can
sit for the place for which he exercises
his duties. Likewise, number of pen
sioners of the crown and persons who
hold or undertake any contracts or COM
missions for the public service may not
be elected. If any of the latter should
be returned the election would at once
be declared void and they would be liza.
BILE to a fine of $500 for every day on
which they sat in the house.