Page:Thomas Hare - The Election of Representatives, parliamentary and municipal.djvu/150

Nothing that has been said of the utter insufficiency of our traditional system of election for the new circumstances of society in which we are placed, must be understood as being said in forgetfulness of the illustrous names which the House of Commons still enrols amongst its members. To deny that tribute to it would be not less absurd than presumptuous. No age is, perhaps, wholly without its distinguished men; and no one can doubt that this age has its share unless he obstinately closes his eyes against all evidence. Eminence is far more difficult to attain than in any former age,—but that eminence is still attainable we have brilliant examples. It is no slight testimony to the truth of the principle—that when the disturbing causes are removed the fittest representatives will be commonly chosen,—that, amidst all the existing difficulties, some men of the highest order yet find their way to Parliament, and command the attention and respect of constituencies, fitful though that regard and respect may be. It must not be forgotten, that there is scarcely a man, however distinguished, whose exclusion from Parliament has not been at some time attempted; scarcely a man whose admission, notwithstanding a life-long public service, has not, at some time or other, been doubtful. Neither must it be forgotten—especially upon observing the distinguished names which would appear at the head of a table, prepared according to the scheme that has been suggested—how much the existing representative assembly owes to the traditional system which prevailed in times anterior to the Reform Bill, and which is now either departing, or no more.