As All Speeches Are Directed To The Speaker, All The Members Always
Preface Their Speeches With "Sir" And He, On
Being thus addressed,
generally moves his hat a little, but immediately puts it on again.
This "Sir" is often introduced
In the course of their speeches, and
serves to connect what is said. It seems also to stand the orator
in some stead when any one's memory fails him, or he is otherwise at
a loss for matter. For while he is saying "Sir," and has thus
obtained a little pause, he recollects what is to follow. Yet I
have sometimes seen some members draw a kind of memorandum-book out
of their pockets, like a candidate who is at a loss in his sermon.
This is the only instance in which a member of the British
parliament seems to read his speeches.
The first day that I was at the House of Commons an English
gentleman who sat next to me in the gallery very obligingly pointed
out to me the principal members, such as Fox, Burke, Rigby, etc.,
all of whom I heard speak. The debate happened to be whether,
besides being made a peer, any other specific reward should be
bestowed by the nation on their gallant admiral Rodney. In the
course of the debate, I remember, Mr. Fox was very sharply
reprimanded by young Lord Fielding for having, when minister,
opposed the election of Admiral Hood as a member for Westminster.
Fox was sitting to the right of the Speaker, not far from the table
on which the gilt sceptre lay.
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