The British House of Commons.
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but by name—"Mr. Lowther," that being to take the oath unless the usual formality is complied with. Nevertheless, it is true the cognomen of the present chairman. In referring to members of the House, the that the late Dr. Kenealy, in 1875, was by word "Honorable" must not be omitted. A special resolution, and! after some delay, lawyer is referred to as "honorable and permitted to receive the oath from the clerk learned"; a soldier as "honorable and without being escorted from the bar" by gallant; a Cabinet Minister as "Right the customary sponsors. This case is Honorable. And although there has been unique, the reason for the resolution being a case in which a man had been convicted that no member was willing to introduce the of a criminal offence prior to his expulsion Tichborne claimant's counsel to the House from the House, yet during a debate in after he had teen disbarred for unprofes sional conduct. , which he was mentioned, the word "honor The retirement of a member is much more able" was punctiliously employed whenever remarkable than his initiation. He cannot his name was spoken. The rules of the House of Commons are resign in the way that a person relinquishes strict. For example, it is a breach of order his membership of a club or society, and if for a member to read a newspaper when he becomes bankrupt or insane he, ipso seated in the Chamber, although he may facto, ceases to be a representative of the quote an excerpt from one in the course of people. Moreover, if he is guilty of infa a speech; but if he should attempt to peruse mous conduct, he is sure to be expelled. anything that looked like a daily or weekly Whenever a member of Parliament accepts paper while a debate was in progress, his from the monarch any position of honor or reward, his seat becomes vacant, and a new ears would be assailed by the sound of "Or der, order," from the Chair as soon as the election must be held. This fact enables a legislator who wishes to close his parliamen Speaker saw what he was doing. It is as tary career to do so by accepting some post serted that some members resort to the de ception practised by a young lady who put of profit from the Crown, such as the ste "Trilby" in the binding of a New Testament, wardship of the Chiltern Hundreds, to which and was observed reading it in church. It no duties are attached. An application for the office must be made to the Govern is certainly possible to put part of a news paper inside the programme known as "the ment, and if it is granted a nominal sum is orders of the day," which is delivered at paid to the applicant; but if any suspicion of disgraceful behavior has been aroused, the every member's London address each morn ing, and to read it in this way without being stewardship will >be refused, and a motion discovered. If the Speaker's attention were to expel the offender from the House will be drawn to this deception, however, the offend | promptly made. This procedure does not ing member would be sternly requested to prevent his re-election by the voters. observe the rules of the House. No business can be transacted in Great When a newly-elected member makes his Britain's elective Chamber unless a quorum appearance at "the bar" of the Chamber, of forty members is present. But when a he is escorted to the table to take the oath debate has once commenced, it proceeds, by two other members. This custom is a | even if the Speaker and the member who is talking have the House to themselves, for relic of the time when personation was pos the former pays no attention- to the empty sible: and although a representative's cre benches until his notice is directed to them dentials are now ample proof of his iden tity, yet it is not likely that he will be allowed by a representative of the people. As soon
