In the latter part of the eighteenth century Parliamentary corruption became notoriously prevalent. In 1793 the Duke of Norfolk had eleven seats for rotten boroughs in his gift, and many other wealthy men were answerable for a lesser number. Moreover, many great towns had no representatives whatever in the House of Commons. After various abortive attempts at the reform of Parliamentary representation by the younger William Pitt and others, the question became acute at the close of the Napoleonic wars and (lid not cease to agitate the kingdom (luring the greater part of the nine teenth century. Legislative measures began with the great Refo•nm Bill of 1832, which was passed after the opposition of the peers had been OVerCOIlle by the threat of creations. This act completely remodeled Parliament. In England 143 votes were taken from boroughs and redistributed among the counties and large towns. The county franchise was given to freeholders or ('opyholde•s to the value of £10 a year, to leaseholders for twenty years whose annual rent was £50, and to tenants at will who paid £50 a year. The borough franchise was given to all holders of houses to the annual value of £10. For Scotland the number of members was in creased from 45 to 53, of whom 30 were to sit for the counties and 23 for the cities and boroughs. The county franchise was given to all holders of property to the annual value of £10, while the borough franchise was made the same as that of England. For Ireland the number of members was raised from 100 to 105. Both the borough franchise and the county franchise wore given as in England, except that the occupation franchise in the counties was limited to holders of land to the value of £20 per annum. This provision was designed to prevent the control of the priests, who were much feared after the Catholic Eman cipation Act of 1829. With the Reform Bill the parties took new names. the Tories being suc ceeded by the Conservatives, the Whigs by the Liberals. Since then Parliament has undergone little change in its essential featitres. though several reform acts have been passed. In 1867 household suffrage was established in boroughs, with a lodge• franchise at a value of £111: in the counties existing qualifications were reduced by one-half and an occupation franchise at f12 was created. There was also a slight redistribu tion of seats. In 1872 voting by secret ballot was established. In 1884 there was a thorough redistribution of seats. with an attempt to make equal electoral districts, and an assimilation of the county and borough franchises. In 1885 the franchise was again somewhat extended so that at present there is nearly nniversal suffrage in Great Britain and Ireland. Meanwhile the House of Commons has become by far the most impor tant branch of the Government. It rules the country absolutely and is quickly responsive to popular demands. The following table illustrates the composition of the House of in 1903: Details concerning the existing system of par liamentary government will be found in the section Government under GREAT BRITAIN, but something remains to be said of certain customs of Parliament. The Houses of Parlia
ment or New Palace of Westminster. in which Parliament sits, were opened in 1S52, though the assembly has had its abode on that site for six centuries. The former building was destroyed by fire in 1S34. The Commons' Chamber is in the north side of the building, the Lords' in the south. About them are the retiring rooms of their respective members. and the resi dences and bureaus of their officials, aside from a great number of other apartments. Unless sooner dissolved. a Parliament lasts for seven years. It meets about the middle of .January or early in February. and when it has completed its work it is prorogued, though either House may adjourn for a short time on its own initia tive. Business is now rarely completed before August or September. A new Parliament is opened with imposing ceremonies. the hour fixed being usually two o'clock. In the morning the vaults are searched for possible bombs and the like, in memory of the plot of Guy Fawkes (q.v.). By one o'clock every seat in the House of Commons is occupied. since there are many more members than seats. The members of the Government party occupy the benches—there are no desks—to the right of the Speaker: the members of the Opposition those to the left. A member secures a seat by placing upon it his hat, o• since 1805 a card marked with his name. The House is opened by the clerk, who is chair man till the Speaker is elected. The first in cident of the session is the summoning of the Commons to the Peers' Chamber by the Black Bud, the messenger of the Upper House, to hear the royal message. When the King doe: not open Parliament in person. this is read by the Lord Chancellor. Before the actual reading of the King's speech. the Commons return to their own chamber to elect a Speaker. The Speaker is not a party leader, as in the United States, but is supposed to he strictly impartial, and is usually reelected regardless of the party in power. Ile receives an annual salary of £5000, and has some perquisites, such as an official resi dence. He ranks as first commoner, and when he retires he is usually rewarded with a peerage and a yearly pension of £4000. The chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor, whose official seat is the celebrated Woolsack. lle is ordinarily a member of the Cabinet. Most of the measures introduced into Parliann•nt are Government hills, and a vote is taken by the members passing out of different doors into the lobby and being counted in the process. Each party has designated members. known as 'whips,' who gather the party forces for important di visions in the House of Commons.
Besides the general histories, which will be found in the bibliography under GREAT BRITAIN, consult: Gneist. The English Parliament in Its Transformations of a Thousand Years. Eng. trans. (4th ed., London. 15951: Smith, History of the English Parliament (ib., 1892) ; Skottowe, short History of Parliament tilt., 18S6) ; Dickinson. The Derelopment of Parliament Dur ing the Nineteenth Century (ib., 1895). For the many interesting customs of Parliament and its method of work, consult MacDonagh, The Book of Parliament (ib., 1897).