TOPICS OF THE DAY.

DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT.

IN considering the question of internal Parliamentary Reform, the most salient as well as the most generally interesting point for re- mark concerns the debates. It is not one which promises much for practical improvement indeed; for—besides the difficulty of getting any body of men to modify, of their own act, a system affecting the presumed amount of their personal influence and importance— it is easier to espy defects and inconveniences in the interior con- stitution and practice of Parliament, than to suggest the practicable remedies for them: but it is a subject which, in a review of the internal condition of the Houses, can hardly be passed over with propriety ; and its discussion, if not fruitful in more solid results, may nevertheless be of some use if it lead to a correct view of the working of the present system.

Our Government may well be called a " representative " govern- ment—in one sense, at best, it is much too representative. The principle of delegation far exceeds, virtually, both the point marked out by the public good and that contemplated by the constitution. .a'enirailly, there is but one delegation—that by which the elective body cominits its interests to the custody of its representatives ; virtnally, there is delegation in every department of the political community, and not less within than without the walls of Parlia- ment. If the poor elector represents, not his own opinions or hi- forests, but those of his landlord or his employer ; and if the latter again represents, not himself, but his nobleman or his bishop, his wealthy customer or powerful superior; so within Parliament the same system of delegation goes on, and even the member or repre- sentative represents neither himself nor his constituents, in most eases, but only some superior member—some leader or orator, to whom he is content, and in a manner obliged, to delegate his allure of political influence. If we analyze the House of Commons agree- ably to this view, we shall find that it consists of a very few members indeed, but a great many quasi electors. The equality of the mem- bers of that House is a mere imagination—a fiction of the law. They are of all shades of rank and authority : their formal privi- leges may be the same, but not their real power. One thing at least they ought to have in common—a vote ; and yet hoas many Members of the House can say that they have this right? how many can affirm that their vote is their own ? It was thought very ridiculous, in boroughmongering times, to return a member for a few sticks in a field ; but it is much more ridiculous to return the sticks themselves—which is what we have been doing ever since. Nor is it more evident what we have gained in point of honesty, than of independence and ability, since those times. Of what con- sequence is it whether a borough be called "rotten" or not, if the member it returns is rotten? In this sense we must reverse the common political adage, and say " Men, not measures"—for so long as there is no political purity or independence to be found in individuals, systems are reformed in vain. It is of small use clean- ing out a kennel if there are none but dirty dogs to be put into it. Now there can be no doubt, that one reason for the system of de- legation practised in Parliament—generally involving, as it does, a gross surrender of individual judgment—is to be found in the na- ture and principles of debating. We do not of course keep out of view the inevitable disparities of genius, which in every assembly of men must operate to create unequal conditions and a certain subjection and denendence on the part of some to others; but, in in the first place, it is certain that a sound system of representa- tion would exhibit, amongst its other results, a for greater propor- tion of men of talent and independent judgment than Parliament now boasts • and, in the next place, a natural and prudent defer- ence of the less-informed to the better-informed, is something very different front a blind and corrupt adhesion through thick and thin to a particular man or a particular party. There will no doubt always be some " suns " in the Parliamentary hemi- sphere at whose coming the stars will " hide their diminished heads :" but the light of the stars is not less because that of the sun is more, and the " diminished heads" of Parliament, in the same manner, need not surrender their whole quota of brains be- cause other heads happen to be more capacious. Deference need not be servility. " Heads" may be " diminished" without becoming " tolls."

. The principles of debating tend directly to confirm some of the worst propensities of public men. That the charms of oratory and the excitements of disputation are incompatible with the due pro- gress of the public business or the objects of fair inquiry, we will neither affirm nor deny. As we have often said—the experiment

of a representative assembly has nerer been tried. How the above objects might be reconciled in sad/ an assembly, we cannot say : there must be talking, and the best talker, emteris par/bus, will

always command most attention ; neither, in a House of honest and independent members, would disputation be all for victory and none for truth : but that those objects arc not reconciled, and not capable of being reconciled, constituted as the House of Commons now is, appears to us beyond dispute. To say nothing here of those debates which are little more than mere forums—debates the issue of which are known with numerical precision, by all expe- rienced political observers, before they have commenced—let the reader scrutinize the best and fifirest his memory furnishes, and say, first, what proportion the chaff bears to the wheat, and secondly, what general view it seems to him to afford of the moral and Intel- kctual calibre of the house. We are very much mistaken if he do for favours or compliments, doing corrupt services, a making pri-

vate revenges, bolstering up a factitious consistency, &e. &e., every not report, that what with vanity and parade, truckling, playing!, a part, coquetting with power, compassing personal objects, fishing; use is made of the right of free speech—but that of asserting Ow eternal principles of truth and justice for their own sake. It is strange, and might surprise us, if any thing could sm•prise us in that quarter, that the best argument and strongest protesf against the system of Parliamentary debate as pursued in •his coun.

try, has proceeded from (me who of all other gladiator.; in the arena of Parliament, in our time, has shown himself at owe Ow most able and the most obnoxious to his own reproaches. From

an article, well known to be written by Lord linovonasi, rhmieh appeared in the Edinburgh Review, No. CXXXV1I., we tran- scribe the following striking passage, as one of the best Means r.t supporting the views we have been advancil es. After commemo- rating the varied and brilliant qualities which distinguished hie early political friends in Parliament and elsen here, the writer t!ets proceeds- " Suppose some one from another limoispinwe or ;mother worlti admitted to the spectacle which we find so familiar, aid eonler what would be its tir.,:t effect itpon his mind. 'Here,' lee would smv, `S..1111A the chiicest ,pits of iheit age; the greata!st wits, the noblest orators, the wisest politicians, the most Rios - trious patriots. Here they stand whose hands have been led for t hCir (1/1111try, whose magical eloquence has shooks the i‘pheres, wine,: genius Las

poured out strains worthy the inspiration of the Gods, whme lives wee dt.eoted to the purity of their principles, whose memories wen. Ik‘imall..:1 to a rme

grateful for benefits received :mai their sufferh•gs and their sacritices. Here stand all these 'lights of tie world and demigods of fanie,'—but here they stand not ranged on one side of this gallery, serving a common country. With the same bright object in their view,-1:This must be takea emu bwo.ro, coarse ; though, indeed, "bright object" Should not be lirderstood,-perhap,, as denoting Inariotieta—tthich it woull be too goo(l-natured in the noble to:d learned lord to attribute 0) ::7( those " Riff the wm!ld " whose brief biographer lie has become—but tut signifying something else equally and equally uni- versal as the "object in view,-1=-----t1icir efforts were !divided, not united ; they fiercely combated each ollwr,aid not together assailed some c.,nnnen foe: th'!il great exertiotm Itf bestowed, their more than mortal foenes were eapeo•b io jUrthering the Leateeal gocal, not ia resistiny oncoies, l::t :n Pets among themm!ecs; all their triumphs were Wall NY!' (TICh other, sial :,11 their sufferim,,s were endured at other' hands : Is it,' the unen1ighre,c4 stranger would add, ' a reality that I survey, or a trei:'del. i tli,t MC, my sight ? Ant I, iml:ed, contaniplating the inime 4 1::!..n :11, -,:st rall•'. •!l• 1s( 1;1s, (Jr the Coeyplwi of a baud Uf lIt7111‘6P )i •.• vey the cells cf. someitii l;Tin:lilted for the insane; or is it, pet!.nlventm •. the vaults of some pandemonium through which 1: cy,•s Iken sulfereo wander till my vision aches and iny brain is dim: " TIMS far the untutored native of 301TIC 11,X :::stai.t wild cm earth. know more; we apprehend things better. But lot as, et en is: oar u id enlightened wisdom, pause Mr a moment to r_llect el: this most ;:nomai.: state of things—das tawangonent epii,: ' eludes at least one-hayqf the great men of ecwh age porn dole e:•ootro's and devotes both classes infinitely more to maintaining a essass. another th:itt to furthering the general good. And here, it may ceu 1 1 at once, that nothing can be less correct than their vies who e,..i.;.u!t rlw• ministration of affairs as.prarticallyiii tiro hands of only in.I-1.;z1; whilst the excluded por:lon14 solely oceupied la tliwaning th‘si p.oc,, 'I1, of both 1)artiv3 is exerted, awl ?...!ve!n,-•.:1- el! tile maehine poetakes of both the forces 1111111%2PSe 1 11, • ; cl!

rection of the one nor of the other, but a • Me.. het tvcea hotil. • imed Bum:rats:a nmst 1.0 considered as speaking ied,i,.iice to tiem thnes nimalde to hiloseif—when ca....1 cm:id

and the • et,-, :whine ' had lint Use) end!! T!! • 11,.,!

been inveet, .t-. CU then, and presents :t vtwy !hull I • pieces ; and C.! influences' are no longer to 1.!.. coilces on, na doubt, greatly lessens the etii :r ••0 rentovingIr. Why mast there always be ,d.111■1.' ■ not every one immediately perceite law: it - t .

service in gieat , ,

SOtlidhlag :tad more harm ? BeAde,.. if it requires a ew.-•;!.::: !. ti mischief and the mahine (II 1.41114 in V!::: 1E,

ot o hat u .0 41414!

boasted represe,;tative government, which is desi.,e:a• ! !_!:\ ti:c a con- trol over their riders, and serves 1.0 other purpFe In conclusi:gu, Lord Bitosa 11AM gl,aleeS :11 ,!iS 60111(` ::1

this gladiatorial exercise and sUiu•p ;soli sv se, i :fed (;;...t

well declared) to be so foreign from tis..• •.: p u • fitction- " It twist not be suppth:ed. that hi tlo,se pronouncing a very &LIM voisafe on ail publi2 Or ill A ourselves on an :•,..inence r,..mov,d from lit., 14 it tentiuns. [ [lure fella ws 2111 0,...114if 0:446..41 14.514.] Tie blame row east upon politicialts affects 41-11401 oIl 141(1141 '.1.. only like that whieb ethical reasoners or; OW 11141i■1411 theory !• F:_lmos:•dto thro, all human conduct. la filet, our hiaane i. dividaals, but to the system; and that system 1514 bola t the Lilac:As • f country, corrupting CO the veldt!, inj nth, : .1 Iola: and at the Amy best a clumsy contrivance for carrying ,m ti. ! • • f the state."

In making and marking the ab0 \1; Wi:■11 not to Le understood as expressing entire the mutter t I. vy contain, but as eonsidenug them to snits' .iss• •1:00 with regard t an important part of political condta t, has perhaps ng • • before been put forth in a netuuer sale ulated to bespeak at; tion. The writer is evidently Limecif conscious of certain evils the Parliamentary system ; Lest it eatu:,,t ho said that he eitlea traces them to their fountsinhead, ci t'iat aff'ords us the least clue to their remedy. The terms of' the passare would lead to the impression that he sought to abolish debate in tofu, and to esta- blish some Utopia of political unanimity, in which we might all vote the supplies . . . . gg nt(liSCOrdillfr TlACC, As once we did till disproportiou'd Sin Jarid against lure's chime."

*Li not the noble and learned lorr- grammar here less remarkable for exaeu.e.,• than his philosophy?

This would be pretty enough, but as there is no hope of return to the "perfect diapason," the object must be to seek the utmost practicable reduction of the "jar" (query, jaw?) The observations of the noble and learned lord, though admirable in spirit, and par- ticularly candid in so old a political prizefighter, are only not so admirable as they might be, inasmuch as they overleap the mark of judicious and discriminative objection, thus forfeiting the con- viction they might otherwise have commanded. With respect to as much of the censure as applies to the spirit of selfish, disputatious strife, and party exhibitions in Parliament it may he observed as an aggravation of our present condition in that matter, that we suffer all the evils and inconveniences arising from those causes, without possessing—unless it be in the very person of the extraordinary man, the writer of the above remarks— even the compensation of powerful eloquence or transcendant talent.