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Untitled Article
on such occasions ., may be before long brought into conformity with the standard of trujth . Consiifudional Servility . — -The language and fbtrms of British legislation , and of the administration of justice and other depart ? ments of Government , are in many instances Founded on so slavish
a theory of our political condition , that we should be astonished at their continuance , were it not that there is so much in our legal and ecclesiastical , institutions to sustain the faith of hypocrisy in the creed , of servility . An instance is before us , in the ceremony submitted to by the Speaker of the House of Commons , on his election . We take the record from the Morning Chronicle * of Saturday , Frt > . 21 :
HOUSE OP tiOftDS FRIDAY . 4 * The hour of three having arrived , the Lords Commissioners took their seats at the foot of the throne . "The Commissioners were , the Archbishop of Canterbury , the Lord Chancellor , Earl Jersey , Lord Wharficlitfe-, arid the Earl of Rosslyn . : ' The Usher of the Black Rod was then desired to summon the Commons .
* In a short time the Speaker , accompanied by a considerable number of the Members of the House of Commons , appeared at the Bar . The Speaker was not in his full robes of office , but wore a short wig , and appeared without his gown . The following form was then , gone through : —
' The Speaker , on presenting himself at the Bar , said : In obedience to his Majesty ' s commands , the Members of the House of Commons have proceeded , in the exercise of their undoubted right and privilege , to the election of a Speaker . [ What a jumble of the language of slaves and freemen ! What a mixture of submission and assumption ! Either the one is mere (grovelling , or the other mere braggadocio . The' undoubted right * of obedience is a rare privilege' to boast . ]
'I have now to acquaint your Lordships that their choice has mu worthily fallen on me , and I now submit myself to his Majesty ' s pleasure . [ Formerly the Speaker petitioned his Majesty to direct the Commons to choose a better man . This species of insincerity is now left to the nolo episcopari professors . Its shadow remains c unworthily 1 upon such a man , on such an occasion . ]
' The Lord Chancellor : We have it in charge to assure you that his Majesty is satisfied with your zeal for the service of the Commons , and your ample sufficiency for the duties of the office that they have selected you to discharge , and he most fully approves of their choice . { It is pleasant to find the King so well pleased with what he hates . If he speaks truth by the Chancellor ' s mouth , there must be bouncing lies uttered on his behalf by other authorities . ] * l he Speaker : With all humility I submit myself to his Majesty ' s pfaastn-e ; ctrulrt is now my * l uiy to ask and claim on behalf of his Ma-
Untitled Article
Ncles on the Newspapers . 207
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1835, page 207, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2643/page/63/
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