ll be exercised. While the
conferences in private society, and the addresses at public meetings,
would continue, and perhaps be increased in importance, there would be a
much greater activity of sectional discussion, than at present; in fact,
the sectional deliberations, preparatory to motions in the House, would
become an organized institution. A certain number of rooms would be set
aside for the use of the different sections; and the meetings would rise
into public importance, and have their record in the public press. The
speaking that now protracts the sittings of the House would be
transferred to these; even the highest oratory would not disdain to
shine where the reward of publicity would still be reaped. As no man
would be allowed to engage the attention of the House without a
following, it would be in the sections, in addition to private society
and the press, that new opinions would have to be ventilated, and the
first converts gained.

Among the innovations that are justified by the principle of avoiding at
all points hurried decisions, there is nothing that would appear more
defensible than to give an interval between the close of a debate and
the taking of the vote. I apprehend that the chief and only reason why
this has never been thought of is, that most bodies have to finish a
mass of current business at one sitting. In assemblies that meet day
after day, the votes on all concluded debates could be postponed till
next day; giving a deliberate interval in private that might improve,
and could not: deteriorate, the chances of a good decision. Let us
imagine that, in the House of Commons, for example, the first hour at
each meeting should be occupied with the divisions growing out of the
previous day's debates. The consequences would be enormous, but would
any of them be bad? The hollowness of the oral debate as a means of
persuasion would doubtless receive a blasting exposure; many would come
up to vote, few would remain to listen to speeches. The greater number
of those that cared to know what was said, would rest satisfied with the
reports in the morning papers.

* * * * *

We need to take account of the fact that even greater moderation in the
length of speeches would not entirely overcome the real difficulty--the
quantity of business thrown upon our legislative bodies. Doubtless, if
there were less talk upon burning questions there would be more
attention given to unobt