ests of "the Altar and the Throne."

Amelius resumed.

"Well, will the House of Commons help us to get purer Christianity, and
cheaper government, by lawful and sufficient process of reform? Let me
again remind you that this assembly has the power--if it has the will.
Is it so constituted at present as to have the will? There is the
question! The number of members is a little over six hundred and fifty.
Out of this muster, one fifth only represent (or pretend to represent)
the trading interests of the country. As for the members charged
with the interests of the working class, they are more easily counted
still--they are two in number! Then, in heaven's name (you will ask),
what interest does the majority of members in this assembly represent?
There is but one answer--the military and aristocratic interest. In
these days of the decay of representative institutions, the House of
Commons has become a complete misnomer. The Commons are not represented;
modern members belong to classes of the community which have really no
interest in providing for popular needs and lightening popular burdens.
In one word, there is no sort of hope for us in the House of Commons.
And whose fault is this? I own it with shame and sorrow--it is
emphatically the fault of the people. Yes, I say to you plainly, it is
the disgrace and the peril of England that the people themselves have
elected the representative assembly which ignores the people's wants!
You voters, in town and county alike, have had every conceivable
freedom and encouragement secured to you in the exercise of your sacred
trust--and there is the modern House of Commons to prove that you are
thoroughly unworthy of it!"

These bold words produced an outbreak of disapprobation from the
audience, which, for the moment, completely overpowered the speaker's
voice. They were prepared to listen with inexhaustible patience to the
enumeration of their virtues and their wrongs--but they had not paid
sixpence each to be informed of the vicious and contemptible part which
they play in modern politics. They yelled and groaned and hissed--and
felt that their handsome young lecturer had insulted them!

Amelius waited quietly until the disturbance had worn itself out.

"I am sorry I have made you angry with me," he said, smiling. "The blame
for this little disturbance really rests with the public speakers who
are afraid of you and who flatter you--especially if you belong to the
working class