Great Britain. Parliament; Great Britain. Parliament -- History; Representative government and representation
Members who are anxious to bring a debate to a close still have
recourse to sound, crying, "'Vide! 'Vide!" in an earsplitting
fashion, which occasionally evokes a rebuke from the Speaker. But
there is seldom, nowadays, such a scene of violence as occurred in
both Houses upon the dissolution of Parliament in April, 1831. The
Commons indulged in a painful scene "of bellowing, and roaring, and
gnashing of teeth, which it was almost frightful to look at," says
Cockburn.[300] In the Upper House peers behaved no less childishly.
Lord Mansfield doubled up his fist, elbowed Lord Shaftesbury into the
Chair, and hooted Lord Brougham as he left the House.[301] Lord
Lyndhurst, meanwhile, was threatening the Duke of Richmond with
physical violence, and the uproar was only quelled by the arrival of
the King.[302] One must not, of course, forget the notorious modern
instance of ill manners, already described,[303] when, in 1893,
members exchanged blows upon the floor of the Commons. This, however,
is a painful exception, little likely to recur.
[300] Cockburn's "Life of Jeffrey," vol. i. p. 317.
[301] Duncombe's "Life of his Father," vol. i. p. 115.
[302] Brougham's "Life," vol. iii. p. 117.
[303] Supra, p. 131.
Politicians have learnt to control their feelings, and the present
publicity of parliamentary proceedings acts as a salutary deterrent to
outbursts of the elemental passions. Neither House to-day would dream
of expressing its emotion in the open fashion common to Parliaments of
long ago. The sight of a Lower Chamber dissolved in tears is no longer
possible. Yet, in 1626, when, by the King's command, no discussion was
permitted on the question of Buckingham's impeachment, a lachrymose
Speaker led the whole House of Commons in a chorus of weeping. Two
years later Sir Edward Coke welcomed the introduction of the Petition
of Right in a voice choked with sobs. Wingfield wept for joy when
monopolies were abolished in Queen Elizabeth's reign,[304] and we have
already noted the tears shed by Colonel Wanklyn when he was expelled,
and by Speaker Finch when he was forcibly detained in the Chair. Fox
shed frequent tears in the House of Commons; Pitt wept bitterly when
his friend, Lord Melville, was impeached. Lord Chancellors, too, were
not ashamed to express their feelings in loud sobs, Eldon's eyes
becoming sympathetically moist, while even the "rugged Thurlow"
sprinkled the Woolsack with his tears.
[304] Townshend's "Proceedings of Both Houses," p. 252.
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