DOI issue:
July 11, 1857
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16620#0032
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
MOVING THE HOUSE.
It seems that the stone of the Houses of Parliament is
crumbling to pieces. If the decay is not quickly put a
stop to, Parliament will no longer be in a position to face
the country, for every bit of its face will have peeled off
and tumbled into the water. It will become a most bare-
faced Legislature, worthy to stand by the side of the old
Barebones Parliament, or the present French Chamber of
Deputies. Bit by bit, the Houses will be dissolved, and
the Dissolution will be one not unsuggestive of Stony-
Batter. Members will be rather astonished to be met
some night with an announcement like the following :—
"no house this evening!"
"THE HOUSE HAS ADJOURNED TO THE MIDDLE
OF THE RIVER !!!"
An adjournment like that would be somewhat difficult
to withdraw. Members might move the rising of the House
in vain. We doubt if any of our illustrious representatives
—not even those for Cork, or Bath, or Poole, or Waterford
—would like to take their seats in a Parliament that could
offer them nothing but a watery bed to sit upon. The Peers
would probably feel the inconvenience of being in the
water considerably less.
However, there must be something very rotten in
our Legislature, when we see the two Houses gradually
losing their hold upon the country, and thus falling fast
away in the estimation of its own supporters.
THE NEW REGULATION MESS.
Swell Soldier. " What, dine off Woast and Boiled, just like Snobs—No!-
Br Jove!—I shall Cut the Army, and Go into the Church!"
St. Saul—of Tuam,
Dr. Mac Hale, on examination before the Mayo Com-
mittee, said that he did not consider himself precluded by
his office of archbishop, from exercising the rights of
citizenship. "St. Paul," he modestly added, "exercised
his right as a Roman citizen when he appealed to Caesar."
Yes, and was instantly packed off to Rome, a process of
deportation which the Mayo evidence would perfectly
justify in the case of Dr. Mac and his fellow con-
spirators against the tranquillity and liberty of Ireland.
Mac Hale, however, is decidedly like St. Paul—before
conversion.
THE PEERS AND THE PRESS.
HE falling of a bombshell into the House of
Lords, could have hardly caused more con-
sternation among several of their number,
than was occasioned lately by the motion of
the Earl op Donoughmore, that the printer
of a Newspaper should be brought into their
presence. The Earl of Derby shuddered
through at least five sentences at the bare idea
of having such a creature face to face with
him ; and poor Lord Malmesbury has
scarcely yet recovered from the fright it gave
him, to hear it was proposed to confer upon
the "person" the "distinction" of calling
him to the bar of the House. In the most
pathetic of duets they both sighed forth their
protest against such contamination, and were
loudly echoed by a chorus of " hear! hear ! "
As well introduce a sweep into a drawing-
room, or allow a Casino gent admission into Almack's, as let a common
newsprinter be brought into the Peers' chamber. No amount of fumi-
gation would be able to exterminate the smell of the wet broadsheet
which—it was not to be doubted—the animal would bring with him-
and all the laundresses in London would fail in effecting the removal
of the stain which the printing ink would leave upon the ermine of
iheir lordships.
Yet one would think it could have hardly been the simple fear of
contact with a creature of such low organisation as a printer, by which
alone their lordships' nerves were so much shattered. As the voice
of the people—to whom now even Peers have to render their account
—the Press is to be dreaded, even by a Derbv ; and the appearance of
a Newspaper in the person of its publisher would have much the same
effect upon the mind of a Malmesbury, as the shadow of a cat upon
the instinct of a mouse. Even as the owl delights to sit ki darkness,
so would certain of the Peers perhaps be not a little pleased if the
light of Press-publicity were never thrown upon the sittings. Obscurum
pro magnifico—of what splendid bursts of oratory the nation might
account them capable, were there no reporters to destroy the fond
delusion!
No doubt, many of their lordships agree perfectly in thinking that
Newspapers are of the things which in France, it has been said, are
under better management. And doubtless many sighs are breathed
upon the night air of St. Stephens', for a champion to rise in the
defence of dull debaters, and annihilate their enemies the penmen of
the Press. Still Punch sleeps in quiet, and has not the least idea of
finding his shop shutters up. Yet, were a massacre of Editors decreed,
who but he of all would be attacked the soonest ? Nevertheless, Mr.
Punch continues easy in his mind, even with this thought upon it.
For he concurs with Henry Brougham in thinking it were "useless
contending with the Press." John Bull may submit to many Paris
fashions, but it is quite certain that he never will to gagging.
Apropos.
Scene:— The Entrance to the Committee room of the National Fine
Art Commission. The Commissioners just breaking -up.
Lord Elcho {in the disguise of a linkman, calls). "The Prince Con-
sort's German Waagen stops the way ! "
-NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
In answer to scores of Correspondents Mr. Punch begs to state,
most emphatically, that he does not intend to buy another new hat
until after the launch of the Great Eastern, inasmuch as he has now by
him seven beautiful hats, on the top of which are seven red rings
caused by the paint from that preposterous steamboat's bottom, under
which seven beautiful ladies have been separately escorted by the said
Mr. Punch. It is of no use pestering him with further interrogatories
on the subject.
MOVING THE HOUSE.
It seems that the stone of the Houses of Parliament is
crumbling to pieces. If the decay is not quickly put a
stop to, Parliament will no longer be in a position to face
the country, for every bit of its face will have peeled off
and tumbled into the water. It will become a most bare-
faced Legislature, worthy to stand by the side of the old
Barebones Parliament, or the present French Chamber of
Deputies. Bit by bit, the Houses will be dissolved, and
the Dissolution will be one not unsuggestive of Stony-
Batter. Members will be rather astonished to be met
some night with an announcement like the following :—
"no house this evening!"
"THE HOUSE HAS ADJOURNED TO THE MIDDLE
OF THE RIVER !!!"
An adjournment like that would be somewhat difficult
to withdraw. Members might move the rising of the House
in vain. We doubt if any of our illustrious representatives
—not even those for Cork, or Bath, or Poole, or Waterford
—would like to take their seats in a Parliament that could
offer them nothing but a watery bed to sit upon. The Peers
would probably feel the inconvenience of being in the
water considerably less.
However, there must be something very rotten in
our Legislature, when we see the two Houses gradually
losing their hold upon the country, and thus falling fast
away in the estimation of its own supporters.
THE NEW REGULATION MESS.
Swell Soldier. " What, dine off Woast and Boiled, just like Snobs—No!-
Br Jove!—I shall Cut the Army, and Go into the Church!"
St. Saul—of Tuam,
Dr. Mac Hale, on examination before the Mayo Com-
mittee, said that he did not consider himself precluded by
his office of archbishop, from exercising the rights of
citizenship. "St. Paul," he modestly added, "exercised
his right as a Roman citizen when he appealed to Caesar."
Yes, and was instantly packed off to Rome, a process of
deportation which the Mayo evidence would perfectly
justify in the case of Dr. Mac and his fellow con-
spirators against the tranquillity and liberty of Ireland.
Mac Hale, however, is decidedly like St. Paul—before
conversion.
THE PEERS AND THE PRESS.
HE falling of a bombshell into the House of
Lords, could have hardly caused more con-
sternation among several of their number,
than was occasioned lately by the motion of
the Earl op Donoughmore, that the printer
of a Newspaper should be brought into their
presence. The Earl of Derby shuddered
through at least five sentences at the bare idea
of having such a creature face to face with
him ; and poor Lord Malmesbury has
scarcely yet recovered from the fright it gave
him, to hear it was proposed to confer upon
the "person" the "distinction" of calling
him to the bar of the House. In the most
pathetic of duets they both sighed forth their
protest against such contamination, and were
loudly echoed by a chorus of " hear! hear ! "
As well introduce a sweep into a drawing-
room, or allow a Casino gent admission into Almack's, as let a common
newsprinter be brought into the Peers' chamber. No amount of fumi-
gation would be able to exterminate the smell of the wet broadsheet
which—it was not to be doubted—the animal would bring with him-
and all the laundresses in London would fail in effecting the removal
of the stain which the printing ink would leave upon the ermine of
iheir lordships.
Yet one would think it could have hardly been the simple fear of
contact with a creature of such low organisation as a printer, by which
alone their lordships' nerves were so much shattered. As the voice
of the people—to whom now even Peers have to render their account
—the Press is to be dreaded, even by a Derbv ; and the appearance of
a Newspaper in the person of its publisher would have much the same
effect upon the mind of a Malmesbury, as the shadow of a cat upon
the instinct of a mouse. Even as the owl delights to sit ki darkness,
so would certain of the Peers perhaps be not a little pleased if the
light of Press-publicity were never thrown upon the sittings. Obscurum
pro magnifico—of what splendid bursts of oratory the nation might
account them capable, were there no reporters to destroy the fond
delusion!
No doubt, many of their lordships agree perfectly in thinking that
Newspapers are of the things which in France, it has been said, are
under better management. And doubtless many sighs are breathed
upon the night air of St. Stephens', for a champion to rise in the
defence of dull debaters, and annihilate their enemies the penmen of
the Press. Still Punch sleeps in quiet, and has not the least idea of
finding his shop shutters up. Yet, were a massacre of Editors decreed,
who but he of all would be attacked the soonest ? Nevertheless, Mr.
Punch continues easy in his mind, even with this thought upon it.
For he concurs with Henry Brougham in thinking it were "useless
contending with the Press." John Bull may submit to many Paris
fashions, but it is quite certain that he never will to gagging.
Apropos.
Scene:— The Entrance to the Committee room of the National Fine
Art Commission. The Commissioners just breaking -up.
Lord Elcho {in the disguise of a linkman, calls). "The Prince Con-
sort's German Waagen stops the way ! "
-NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.
In answer to scores of Correspondents Mr. Punch begs to state,
most emphatically, that he does not intend to buy another new hat
until after the launch of the Great Eastern, inasmuch as he has now by
him seven beautiful hats, on the top of which are seven red rings
caused by the paint from that preposterous steamboat's bottom, under
which seven beautiful ladies have been separately escorted by the said
Mr. Punch. It is of no use pestering him with further interrogatories
on the subject.