DOI issue:
June 22, 1861
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16867#0257
-Tune 22, 1861.1
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
249
A CHALLENGE FOR BLONDIN.
PUNCH’S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
June 10, Monday The Lords have been very uneasy over this Bank-
ruptcy Bill, and to-night the Government were beaten by 98 to 61 on a
clause proposed by Lord Chelmsford, for preventing the Act from
having a retrospective effect. It was decided that Debtors and
Creditors should start fair, from the time of the Bill becoming law.
The Commons had a smart debate on the Bill for Appropriating
the four seats vacant by the doom now irrevocably pronounced upon
Saint Albans and Sudhury. Earl Jermyn made a plaintive appeal
against punishing the latter place so dreadfully, but nobody had a
word to say for the borough of the First Christian martyred in England.
Mumcipium pro cnminibus disfranchizatum may now be inscribed on the
Town Halls of those places. We have not heard that either suffers
much from having been saved from occasional Saturnalia, Sudbury con-
tinues to be the stupidest town in England, and St. Albans is thinking
more of spiritual than temporal matters, and hopes to have its
noble Abbey elevated into a Cathedral, and to have a Bishop
who shall take half of the overgrown diocese of Dr. Wigram
The battle to-night was on the allotment of the seats. A new
Member for the West Biding, and one for South Lancashire
were agreed to after some debate. But when it was proposed to unite
Chelsea and Kensington into one borough, and give Members to the
Union, the House rose in its wrath. “ What *” said the British Par-
liament, “have we not had enough of men of the type of Mister
Boupell, and Harvey Lewis, and Harper Twelyetrees the bug-
destroyer, and Jabez Inwards, and Nicholay the Skinman, and
Diffanger the Spouter, and Cox of Finsbury, but you must go and
make another borough that will swamp the educated classes, and elect,
by force of publicans, two more of the breed? By the Nine Gods,
no! ” Yainly did the Government shuffle; it was not a question of
•politics, but, of social endurance. Men rushed together, to prevent
the creation of more Metropolitan Members, as they rush, in the
instinct of self-preservation, to blackball a Club candidate who is
known to put his knife into his mouth. The majority showed the
terror into which Parliament had been thrown. Government were
beaten by more than One Hundred. They begged time to consider
what they should do, aud Mr. Disraeli graciously granted them a
week. Mr. Punch has rarely seen such an instant and spontaneous
demonstration of the feeling of the country in regard to the Metro-
politan Constituencies. If the latter had any pluck, or sense of
shame, they would call meetings, and seriously consider their position,
and see whether, by purifying the Parliamentary roll, they could not
do something to reinstate themselves in the opinion of the nation.
The fate of St. Albans and Sudbury is far happier than that of
boroughs permitted to exist upon such contemptuous terms.
Tuesday. The Duke of Somerset declared that the Navy was in
fine order, that the Warrior would be ready one of these days, and
that the Government were resolved to maintain the Naval Supremacy
of England. With true official instinct, he abused Admiral Elliott
for having visited the French dockyards, and for having reported what
he saw there. The Duke intimated that the Admiral ought to have
said nothing publicly, but should have called on Lord. .Derby, and
told him, and Lord Derby should have called on Lord Pal-
merston and told him, aud then Lord Palmerston could have sent
for the Doke of Somerset, and told him. Doubtless this is the gen-
tlemanly and high-bred wav of doing business, but when the welfare of
a nation is at stake, Mr. Punch can forgive a blunt sailor, for sailing
right in the wind’s eye, contrary to all diplomatic nauticalities.
And joy to every scribbling Coon
Who wastes the midnight taper,
On this eleventh day of June
The Lords they danced to Gladstone’s tune,
And smashed the Tax on Paper.
The Chicory Budget Bill was read a Third Time and passed. . One
young author instantly sent, for Mr. Barry, and requested. him to
make plans for a mansion which the former proposed to erect in Hyde
Park Gardens ; another has written to say that if there is any difficulty
about, finding a Master for the Flat Hat Hounds, he will take them
arid hunt that country, as he means to buy an estate there; and a
third is building a Steam Yacht, in which he intends to pervade the
Mediterranean, sending home his copy regularly every week in his
boats. Astrcea Redux and despite Mr. Buckle, the Golden Age has
come back.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
249
A CHALLENGE FOR BLONDIN.
PUNCH’S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
June 10, Monday The Lords have been very uneasy over this Bank-
ruptcy Bill, and to-night the Government were beaten by 98 to 61 on a
clause proposed by Lord Chelmsford, for preventing the Act from
having a retrospective effect. It was decided that Debtors and
Creditors should start fair, from the time of the Bill becoming law.
The Commons had a smart debate on the Bill for Appropriating
the four seats vacant by the doom now irrevocably pronounced upon
Saint Albans and Sudhury. Earl Jermyn made a plaintive appeal
against punishing the latter place so dreadfully, but nobody had a
word to say for the borough of the First Christian martyred in England.
Mumcipium pro cnminibus disfranchizatum may now be inscribed on the
Town Halls of those places. We have not heard that either suffers
much from having been saved from occasional Saturnalia, Sudbury con-
tinues to be the stupidest town in England, and St. Albans is thinking
more of spiritual than temporal matters, and hopes to have its
noble Abbey elevated into a Cathedral, and to have a Bishop
who shall take half of the overgrown diocese of Dr. Wigram
The battle to-night was on the allotment of the seats. A new
Member for the West Biding, and one for South Lancashire
were agreed to after some debate. But when it was proposed to unite
Chelsea and Kensington into one borough, and give Members to the
Union, the House rose in its wrath. “ What *” said the British Par-
liament, “have we not had enough of men of the type of Mister
Boupell, and Harvey Lewis, and Harper Twelyetrees the bug-
destroyer, and Jabez Inwards, and Nicholay the Skinman, and
Diffanger the Spouter, and Cox of Finsbury, but you must go and
make another borough that will swamp the educated classes, and elect,
by force of publicans, two more of the breed? By the Nine Gods,
no! ” Yainly did the Government shuffle; it was not a question of
•politics, but, of social endurance. Men rushed together, to prevent
the creation of more Metropolitan Members, as they rush, in the
instinct of self-preservation, to blackball a Club candidate who is
known to put his knife into his mouth. The majority showed the
terror into which Parliament had been thrown. Government were
beaten by more than One Hundred. They begged time to consider
what they should do, aud Mr. Disraeli graciously granted them a
week. Mr. Punch has rarely seen such an instant and spontaneous
demonstration of the feeling of the country in regard to the Metro-
politan Constituencies. If the latter had any pluck, or sense of
shame, they would call meetings, and seriously consider their position,
and see whether, by purifying the Parliamentary roll, they could not
do something to reinstate themselves in the opinion of the nation.
The fate of St. Albans and Sudbury is far happier than that of
boroughs permitted to exist upon such contemptuous terms.
Tuesday. The Duke of Somerset declared that the Navy was in
fine order, that the Warrior would be ready one of these days, and
that the Government were resolved to maintain the Naval Supremacy
of England. With true official instinct, he abused Admiral Elliott
for having visited the French dockyards, and for having reported what
he saw there. The Duke intimated that the Admiral ought to have
said nothing publicly, but should have called on Lord. .Derby, and
told him, and Lord Derby should have called on Lord Pal-
merston and told him, aud then Lord Palmerston could have sent
for the Doke of Somerset, and told him. Doubtless this is the gen-
tlemanly and high-bred wav of doing business, but when the welfare of
a nation is at stake, Mr. Punch can forgive a blunt sailor, for sailing
right in the wind’s eye, contrary to all diplomatic nauticalities.
And joy to every scribbling Coon
Who wastes the midnight taper,
On this eleventh day of June
The Lords they danced to Gladstone’s tune,
And smashed the Tax on Paper.
The Chicory Budget Bill was read a Third Time and passed. . One
young author instantly sent, for Mr. Barry, and requested. him to
make plans for a mansion which the former proposed to erect in Hyde
Park Gardens ; another has written to say that if there is any difficulty
about, finding a Master for the Flat Hat Hounds, he will take them
arid hunt that country, as he means to buy an estate there; and a
third is building a Steam Yacht, in which he intends to pervade the
Mediterranean, sending home his copy regularly every week in his
boats. Astrcea Redux and despite Mr. Buckle, the Golden Age has
come back.