In general, it may be affirmed that speech-making is the
greatest
nor to finish the goods with any care or accuracy. Of all things obstacle to the despatch of Parliamentary business. In a thirty or on earth, an Act of Parliament, generally speaking, is the most forty hours debate on a single question—a very ordinary occur slovenly, the most bungling. A legislative measure is hardly rence—the grains of wheat, the facts and arguments which really ever introduced from any provident view of futurity. it bear upon the result, are lost in the mountains of chaff, which is hastily resolved upon in consequence of some suddee consist of idle verbiage, rhetorical displays, sophistical quibbles, emergency, or of its being Clamoured for by some particular inte- and bad jokes. All this debating goes for absolutely nothing in rest in the community. It is concocted by some Government so- so far as concerns its ostensible object of deliberation on the ques- licitor or his clerks ' - and when it comes into the House, that tion at issue. In the course of these colossal debates, nothing like august body thinks it does its duty sufficiently if it carry on a deliberation can take place. It has hitherto been the case, that in wordy war about the general principles or policy of the measure. those great political questions which are considered as trials of Its precision of language, and the efficiency and consistency of its strength between the Ins and Outs, the debate is looked upon as provisions, are beneath the notice of the legislators ; and, except a kinl of grand assaut d'armes, a great oratorical fencing-rnatch, on great occasions, when parties are induced by mutual hostility to of which the House are the spectators, for their amusement only battle every inch of ground, the details of the Bill are left to the They listen till they are tired, and then walk away ; taking care
profound lawyer or statesman who drew it up. to be back at the only part of the game in which they are called The consequence is, that our Acts of Parliament are swelled on to play a part—the division. The independent members who strain of such outrageous abuse, if he had not meant to make the House of Commons an instrument of agitation in Ireland ? We When the People feel themselves to be represented by men of their choice, such appeals will neither be necessary nor be
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