The Washington herald., 1907-07-14

The journals of the British House of
Commons contain a resolution that a rep
resentative duly chosen by a constitu-
ency cannot refuse to serve. It was pass
ed so far back as 1923, when country gen.
tlemen were somewhat reluctant to I'M
dertake the duties and responsibilities Of
a member of Parliament. and. absurd as
1t may seem in these days Of eager COM
petition for the letters m. P"-costly,
troublesome, yet most alluring and desir-
able-the good old constitution. which
never unlearns anything, still ia theory
suppOses that the representatives Of the
people serve in Parliament against their
will.
If member be convicted of felony. he
IS forthwith expelled from the House.
says Michael McDonough. in the Grand
Magazine Should he have the misfortune
to become a lunatic or an idiot, his seat
is declared vacant If he is elevated to
the House of Lords, he ceases. ipsO factO.
TO be a member OF the House of Com
mons. But if he should grow tired of his
parliamentary duties. or become incapa-
bic Of discharging them because of old
age or M-health, or feel himself unable
conscientiously TO support the policy Of
his party, or desire TO retire to private life
upon any pretext OF consideration what
ever, he is powerless to do so by the nat
ural and simple expedient of sending a
letter Of resignation to the speaker or to
his constituents.
The One Condition.
On one condition only are the gates Of
st. Stephens thrown open and a malcon-
tent representative allowed 10 depart in
peace during the life of the Parliament
He must obtain IAN Office Of profit under
the Crown" A member of Parliament
who accepts such a position by that very
act vacates his seat. Now, 'an Office Of
profit under the Crown" is usually a cosy
berth, with light duties and liberal sal
airy. The sole exception. perhaps IS the
stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds"
and that is the position to which a mem
Der Of the House of Commons wishing to
resign is appointed
Not until the middle of the eighteenth
century was this agency or expedient pro
vided by which a member could formally
quit the house before the Parliament 10
which he had been elected came to an
end by dissolution. Before that period an
NJ p. weary of St. Stephens had to ap-
peal 10 the House for his discharge.
That he shall still serve. and that he
shall not be removed" Such was the
sharp and perempt0ry order of the House
IN the case Of John Hassard, one Of the
members for Lyme Regis, who in 1906
represented that ne was suffering from
sickness by the joint" and desired that
he might be allowed 10 resign his seat.
-Four years passed. and as the Parliament
the first Of James Twas still in exist
ence. John Hassard was still reluctantly
VI. P In 1903 his constituents petitioued
the House that he might be released. Was
It not hard on the borough, they asked
that it should BE deprived of the serv-
ices Of one of its representatives? The
house yielded so far as to appoint a COM
mittee 20 inquire into the case. They
reported that Hassard was bedridden OF
an incurable disease On this report the
house was induced to yield, and a new
writ was issued.
Provisions of Place Act.
At last. a dodge for opening the gates
Of ST. Stephens TO reluctant legislators
was afforded by the famous Place act of
17O5. one of the really great events in that
long, growing. and eliminating process,
the evolution of the British constitution.
The House Of Commons, IN the first sti.-
rings Of a desire for independence. natur-
ally became jealous Of the presence Of Of
fce-hOldeTs and pensioners under the
Crown who We're disposed to be subser-
Went TO the sovereign. The act passed in
100. settling the crown on the House Of
Hanover, contained the clause: THAT no
person who has an Office or place of
profit under the Crown, or receives q. pen
sion from the Crown. shall be capable of
serving as a member Of the House of
Commons"
The clause was never put into oper-
alton. 1t was found impracticable to ex-
clude ministers from the House But the
act Of Queen Anne safeguarded the indie
pendence of the House by establishing
the great principle that ala office-holder
qualified 20 sit in Parliament should give
his constituency the opportunity Of pass
ing Judgment on his acceptance Of office.
Provided always. says the act Of I705.
that If any person being chosen a mem
Der of the House Of Commons shall at any
time after the dissolution or determination
OF this present Parliament accept Of any
Office Of profit from the Crown during
such time as he shall continue a member.
his election shall be. and is hereby, de-
clared 10 be void. and a new writ shall
issue for a new election, as if such person
so accepting was naturally dead: provided.
nevertheless. that such person shall be
capable Of being again elected. as If his
place had not become void as aforesaid"
Object Was TvvofoId.
The object OF this provision was two
fold-frst. TO make 1t impossible for. the
sovereign 10 appoint a member of Par
lament to o lucrative post and retain his
services in the House of Commons as a
subservient placeman Independently of the
wishes Of the constituents, and, secondly.
10 enable a member Of Parliament to ac-
cept an Office in the government and still
retain his seat in the House of Commons.
Under this act members Of Parliament
were at last provided with means of es-
cape from the House of Commons. But
the statute had been forty-five years in
operation before ii WIS thus ingeniouslv
turned 10 a purpose for which il was orig
inaly never intended. There was an an
Gent ofncehOlder called a Crown stew
ard. He was the custodian of one of the
manors or hundreds belonging to the roy
al demesne. The abuses perpetrated bvI
many Of the stewards led to the success
sive reduction of their numbers and now
ers. until under Charles IT most Of the
stewardships were abolished. One OF the
few which survived was that Of "the
three Hundreds of Chiltern in the County
Of Bucks. that is To say. Stoke. Desbor
Ough, and Bonenham." which from ear
lest Norman times had been IT. the hands
of my lord the King Sophisticated and
sold under the commonwealth, it revert
ed to the Crown at the Restoration. ana
annpars 10 haVn hnAn Iaasna frl,r,, 1c-n !.