DOI Heft:
March 8, 1856
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16617#0099
March 8, 1856:] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 91
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
HE favourite article of
pastry, known as
Humble-Pie, was twice
devoured by Her Ma-
jesty's Ministers du-
ring the past week.
This evening, {Monday,
February 25, when the
President of the Coun-
cil begged for time to
consider what should
be done in the case
of the Wensleydale
Peerage, and entreated,
: byegones might be
byegones," and on the
followingevening,when,
awed by the threats
and clamour of the job-
bing Corporations, the
Premier shelved the
Local Dues Bill. Too
frequent indulgence in
this surfeiting comes-
tible is to be deprecated
by those who desire to
see a Ministry in a
healthy and vigorous
condition. The Report
of the Committee of
Privileges was received and recorded; and the victorious Lords no doubt think they have
done a very clever thing. In the year 1956, a Life-Peer will, perhaps, quote to the House
(all being Life-Peers) a sentence from the Macaulay of the day, who, describing our time,
may begin—"Tottering, yet sustained by prescription and by prejudice, Hereditary Nobility,
anile and rash, staggered, this session, under a self-inflicted blow, which hastened"—and
so forth.
Mr. Punch apologises for alluding to so insignificant a thing as a Colony; but as Tas-
mania, formerly Van Diemen's Land, is at feud wiih its Governor, Sir H. Young, who has
been playing a Tasmanian Cromwell to the Legislative Assembly, it must be mentioned
that Mr. Labouchere "hopes the irritation will pass away." If the Colony passes
away with it, Mr. Labouchere, or his successor, will have some sonorous platitudes for our
consolation.
On the motion for the second reading of the Local Dues Bill, Sir Frederick Thesiger
moved its rejection. He raised anew the old bug-bear, set up whenever it is sought to
reform a system or abolish a nuisance—the sacredness of Vested Rights. Every rascality has,
in its time, stood on its vested rights. The Slave-trade, Pocket Boroughs, Corn Laws,
Chancery, Smithfield, each abomination has had its Thesiger to plead vested right. Perhaps
the impudence of the plea in the case of Corporations is specially flagrant, because the
property battled for is not a thing actually acquired—a nigger in one's possession, a
bought Old Sarum, an inherited office, a subsisting muck-heap—but only authority to
commit future extortions. Captain Macheath is not protesting his right to the purse,
gold snuff-box, and diamond necklace which be took from the Bath mail last night, and has
given to Polly and Lucy, but his right to all the plunder which he may collect from all
the coaches on the road, until he is hung. And Macheath has won the day. Mr. Lowe
fought gallantly for his reform bill, and the debate was adjourned until next day, when Lord
Palmerston declared that the Government retained its opinion that the bill was just and
politic, but that as a complication of interests was involved in its details, it should be sent to
a select committee. There is an end of the matter for the present session. Mr. Disraeli,
who has the faculty, common to himself, a leech, and a lawyer, of instinctively fastening on
a sore place, exulted elaborately, and then abused Ministers for all sorts of " blunders, mistakes,
defeats, and discomfitures." Mr. Labouchere's answer was a good one, regarded as a
Parliamentary blow, but Mr. Punch has no more interest in such battles than in any other
prize-fights, and he regretfully records that Justice has been defeated by the Jobbing
interests.
The question of the proposed road across St. James's Park was raised, and Lord
Palmerston stated that the Government had no pet plan, but merely desired the conve-
nience of the public. The affair goes before a Select Committee, chiefly of Swells, three
lords, three barts, and two colonels included, but Sir Joseph Paxton, also nominated,
is not a bad referee on such a subject.
Tuesday. Lord Stanhope wishes a National Portrait Gallery to be founded at Brompton»
evidently desirous to get his own likeness painted at the expense of the British nation. _ Mr.
Punch almost forgets the noble Stanhope's appearance, but will take an early opportunity of
looking into the Lords, and seeing how far this ambition is justified. He will report the
result. The Lord Chancellor brought in two bills for amending the law of trade and
commerce in England and in Scotland, and they were referred to a Committee. Lord
Campbell incidentally mentioned that " not one child in fifty, from Carlisle all round the
coast of Scotland to the German Ocean, knew whether he was legitimate or not," and John
urged a reform of the Scotch marriage law. Lord Granville stated that Government had
no intention of alterieg the ticket-of-leave system.
Lord Palmerston gave the names of the new Commissioners who are to revise MNeill
a^d Tulloch's verdict on Bottom. The only one about whom the public knows anything is 1
Lord Seaton, a gallant soldier and a successful
ex-governor, with_ a pension of £2000 a-year.
The idea of keeping the proceedings secret is
given up; but the Commission is to have dis-
cretion to close doors if it pleases. The aban-
donment of the Local Dues Bill disgraced the
remainder of the evening.
Wednesday. The Commons did nothing, and
then got off at two o'clock to attend the
Levee. Much pleasanter than to record any
nonsense of theirs, is to read that the
" Queen wore a train of white poplin, embroidered in
gold and coloured flowers, and trimmed with fringe to
correspond. The petticoat was white satin, trimmed with
white satin ribband. Heb Majesti's head-dress was
formed of emeralds and diamonds."
Thursday. The Parke "row" (as Lord
in his own words, that ^AM™?LL says) hxs produced one good effect.
Ihe ridiculous Appeal system in the Lords will
be overhauled, and on Lord Derby's motion,
a Committee was appointed to inquire into the
subject.
In the Commons a debate took place, which,
as Mr. Punch has before hinted, would have
commanded the gravest and most earnest con-
sideration of a representative assembly—had we
only the good fortune to possess one. The subject
was the Currency Question; in the right under-
standing of which even Mr. Disraeli has re-
corded his conviction that the whole vitality of a
civilised nation is involved. As it was, the
principal speakers were Muntz, Drummond,
Spooner, and Charles Wood ; and there seems
to have been a good deal of lun. Wood face-
tiously offered to define a Pound; and answered
the celebrated Peel Problem thus :—" A Pound
is 125 grains of standard gold." It was a good
Sell; and we wonder it did not provoke the
retort that, if Ministers were insolvent, and put
Charley Wood in his right place, they might
proclaim a dividend of One Donkey in the
Pound. However, if the House laughs at such
subjects, let us all laugh also.
" Laymen have leave to dance, while parsons play."
Mr. J. G. Phillimore (N.B. Copy the ad-
dress) then advertised his forensic talent very
effectively, by delivering a long speech upon the
details of a painful and disgusting case recently
tried in Ireland. In these days, no mode of at-
tracting notoriety can be called unworthy. The
question of the guilt or innocence of an accused
wife was involved in the motion. An Honour-
able Member certainly rose, and stated that
"the father and brother of the unfortunate lady
had been averse to the raising such a discussion %
and that Mr. Phillimore had that afternoon
received a letter from the brother, deprecating
the step the Learned Gentleman was about tr>
take;" but that did not stop him. He was
induced, however, after a debate, to withdraw
his motion.
Friday. The subject of torture in India was
at last brought up in a manner which renders it
impossible tor the, effrontery or the shuffling of
the East India House champions to screen the
Company much longer. Lord Albemarle has
manfully dragged the Indian Government to the
Bar of the Lords, and the atrocious system
which employs torture as a means of collecting
taxation will now be understood by the country.
The returns for which he moved will be delayed
as long as possible, but they must be had at
last.
Mr. Roebuck brought forward a motion con-
demning the Bottom Commission; the folly and
injustice of which he denounced in an effective
harangue. Sir John Pakington would not
support the motion; but was quite prepared to
censure Government, both now, and when the
Commission should report; no matter what it
said. Fred Peel delivered a long speech (which
Sir de Lacy Evans told him he had learned
by heart), intended to be most bewildering, but
which clumsily let the Government into a hole,
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
HE favourite article of
pastry, known as
Humble-Pie, was twice
devoured by Her Ma-
jesty's Ministers du-
ring the past week.
This evening, {Monday,
February 25, when the
President of the Coun-
cil begged for time to
consider what should
be done in the case
of the Wensleydale
Peerage, and entreated,
: byegones might be
byegones," and on the
followingevening,when,
awed by the threats
and clamour of the job-
bing Corporations, the
Premier shelved the
Local Dues Bill. Too
frequent indulgence in
this surfeiting comes-
tible is to be deprecated
by those who desire to
see a Ministry in a
healthy and vigorous
condition. The Report
of the Committee of
Privileges was received and recorded; and the victorious Lords no doubt think they have
done a very clever thing. In the year 1956, a Life-Peer will, perhaps, quote to the House
(all being Life-Peers) a sentence from the Macaulay of the day, who, describing our time,
may begin—"Tottering, yet sustained by prescription and by prejudice, Hereditary Nobility,
anile and rash, staggered, this session, under a self-inflicted blow, which hastened"—and
so forth.
Mr. Punch apologises for alluding to so insignificant a thing as a Colony; but as Tas-
mania, formerly Van Diemen's Land, is at feud wiih its Governor, Sir H. Young, who has
been playing a Tasmanian Cromwell to the Legislative Assembly, it must be mentioned
that Mr. Labouchere "hopes the irritation will pass away." If the Colony passes
away with it, Mr. Labouchere, or his successor, will have some sonorous platitudes for our
consolation.
On the motion for the second reading of the Local Dues Bill, Sir Frederick Thesiger
moved its rejection. He raised anew the old bug-bear, set up whenever it is sought to
reform a system or abolish a nuisance—the sacredness of Vested Rights. Every rascality has,
in its time, stood on its vested rights. The Slave-trade, Pocket Boroughs, Corn Laws,
Chancery, Smithfield, each abomination has had its Thesiger to plead vested right. Perhaps
the impudence of the plea in the case of Corporations is specially flagrant, because the
property battled for is not a thing actually acquired—a nigger in one's possession, a
bought Old Sarum, an inherited office, a subsisting muck-heap—but only authority to
commit future extortions. Captain Macheath is not protesting his right to the purse,
gold snuff-box, and diamond necklace which be took from the Bath mail last night, and has
given to Polly and Lucy, but his right to all the plunder which he may collect from all
the coaches on the road, until he is hung. And Macheath has won the day. Mr. Lowe
fought gallantly for his reform bill, and the debate was adjourned until next day, when Lord
Palmerston declared that the Government retained its opinion that the bill was just and
politic, but that as a complication of interests was involved in its details, it should be sent to
a select committee. There is an end of the matter for the present session. Mr. Disraeli,
who has the faculty, common to himself, a leech, and a lawyer, of instinctively fastening on
a sore place, exulted elaborately, and then abused Ministers for all sorts of " blunders, mistakes,
defeats, and discomfitures." Mr. Labouchere's answer was a good one, regarded as a
Parliamentary blow, but Mr. Punch has no more interest in such battles than in any other
prize-fights, and he regretfully records that Justice has been defeated by the Jobbing
interests.
The question of the proposed road across St. James's Park was raised, and Lord
Palmerston stated that the Government had no pet plan, but merely desired the conve-
nience of the public. The affair goes before a Select Committee, chiefly of Swells, three
lords, three barts, and two colonels included, but Sir Joseph Paxton, also nominated,
is not a bad referee on such a subject.
Tuesday. Lord Stanhope wishes a National Portrait Gallery to be founded at Brompton»
evidently desirous to get his own likeness painted at the expense of the British nation. _ Mr.
Punch almost forgets the noble Stanhope's appearance, but will take an early opportunity of
looking into the Lords, and seeing how far this ambition is justified. He will report the
result. The Lord Chancellor brought in two bills for amending the law of trade and
commerce in England and in Scotland, and they were referred to a Committee. Lord
Campbell incidentally mentioned that " not one child in fifty, from Carlisle all round the
coast of Scotland to the German Ocean, knew whether he was legitimate or not," and John
urged a reform of the Scotch marriage law. Lord Granville stated that Government had
no intention of alterieg the ticket-of-leave system.
Lord Palmerston gave the names of the new Commissioners who are to revise MNeill
a^d Tulloch's verdict on Bottom. The only one about whom the public knows anything is 1
Lord Seaton, a gallant soldier and a successful
ex-governor, with_ a pension of £2000 a-year.
The idea of keeping the proceedings secret is
given up; but the Commission is to have dis-
cretion to close doors if it pleases. The aban-
donment of the Local Dues Bill disgraced the
remainder of the evening.
Wednesday. The Commons did nothing, and
then got off at two o'clock to attend the
Levee. Much pleasanter than to record any
nonsense of theirs, is to read that the
" Queen wore a train of white poplin, embroidered in
gold and coloured flowers, and trimmed with fringe to
correspond. The petticoat was white satin, trimmed with
white satin ribband. Heb Majesti's head-dress was
formed of emeralds and diamonds."
Thursday. The Parke "row" (as Lord
in his own words, that ^AM™?LL says) hxs produced one good effect.
Ihe ridiculous Appeal system in the Lords will
be overhauled, and on Lord Derby's motion,
a Committee was appointed to inquire into the
subject.
In the Commons a debate took place, which,
as Mr. Punch has before hinted, would have
commanded the gravest and most earnest con-
sideration of a representative assembly—had we
only the good fortune to possess one. The subject
was the Currency Question; in the right under-
standing of which even Mr. Disraeli has re-
corded his conviction that the whole vitality of a
civilised nation is involved. As it was, the
principal speakers were Muntz, Drummond,
Spooner, and Charles Wood ; and there seems
to have been a good deal of lun. Wood face-
tiously offered to define a Pound; and answered
the celebrated Peel Problem thus :—" A Pound
is 125 grains of standard gold." It was a good
Sell; and we wonder it did not provoke the
retort that, if Ministers were insolvent, and put
Charley Wood in his right place, they might
proclaim a dividend of One Donkey in the
Pound. However, if the House laughs at such
subjects, let us all laugh also.
" Laymen have leave to dance, while parsons play."
Mr. J. G. Phillimore (N.B. Copy the ad-
dress) then advertised his forensic talent very
effectively, by delivering a long speech upon the
details of a painful and disgusting case recently
tried in Ireland. In these days, no mode of at-
tracting notoriety can be called unworthy. The
question of the guilt or innocence of an accused
wife was involved in the motion. An Honour-
able Member certainly rose, and stated that
"the father and brother of the unfortunate lady
had been averse to the raising such a discussion %
and that Mr. Phillimore had that afternoon
received a letter from the brother, deprecating
the step the Learned Gentleman was about tr>
take;" but that did not stop him. He was
induced, however, after a debate, to withdraw
his motion.
Friday. The subject of torture in India was
at last brought up in a manner which renders it
impossible tor the, effrontery or the shuffling of
the East India House champions to screen the
Company much longer. Lord Albemarle has
manfully dragged the Indian Government to the
Bar of the Lords, and the atrocious system
which employs torture as a means of collecting
taxation will now be understood by the country.
The returns for which he moved will be delayed
as long as possible, but they must be had at
last.
Mr. Roebuck brought forward a motion con-
demning the Bottom Commission; the folly and
injustice of which he denounced in an effective
harangue. Sir John Pakington would not
support the motion; but was quite prepared to
censure Government, both now, and when the
Commission should report; no matter what it
said. Fred Peel delivered a long speech (which
Sir de Lacy Evans told him he had learned
by heart), intended to be most bewildering, but
which clumsily let the Government into a hole,