y be debated several times over, it is rare that any measure
comes up without such an amount of previous discussion out of doors as
fully to bring out the points for attack and defence. Moreover, the oral
debate, as usually conducted, contains little of the reality of
effective rejoinder by each successive speaker to the one preceding.

The combined plan of printing speeches, and of requiring twenty backers
to every proposal, while tolerable perhaps in the introduction of bills,
and in resolutions of great moment, will seem to stand self-condemned
in passing the bills through Committee, clause by clause. That every
amendment, however trivial, should have to go through such a roundabout
course, may well appear ridiculous in the extreme. To this I would say,
in the first place, that the exposing of every clause of every measure
of importance to the criticism of a large assembly, has long been
regarded as the weak point of the Parliamentary system. It is thirty
years since I heard the remark that a Code would never get through the
House of Commons; so many people thinking themselves qualified to cavil
at its details. In Mill's "Representative Government," there is a
suggestion to the effect, that Parliament should be assisted in passing
great measures by consultative commissions, who would have the
preparation of the details; and that the House should not make
alterations in the clauses, but recommit the whole with some expression
of disapproval that would guide the commission in recasting the measure.

[DIFFICULTIES OF PRINTING IN COMMITTEES.]

It must be self-evident that only a small body can work advantageously
in adjusting the details of a measure, including the verbal expressions.
If this work is set before an assembly of two hundred, it is only by the
reticence of one hundred and ninety that progress can be made.
Amendments to the clauses of a bill may come under two heads: those of
principle, where the force of parties expends itself; and those of
wording or expression, for clearing away ambiguities or misconstruction.
For the one class, all the machinery that I have described is fully
applicable. To mature and present an amendment of principle, there
should be a concurrence of the same number as is needed to move or
oppose a second reading; there should be the same giving in of reasons,
and the same unrestricted speech (in print) of individual members,
culminating in replies by the movers. If this had to be done