Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1875 — The Blind Member of Parliament. [ARTICLE]

The Blind Member of Parliament.

A writer in Hargrr* says: “The visitor to the House of Cbmmon*, waiting fit the door of the Strangers’ Gallery and watching the members of Parliament as they file in by the main entrance, will no doubt have his eye particularly arrested by a tall, fair-haired young man, evidently blind,led up to the door by a youthful, petite lady, with sparkling eyes and blooming cheeks. ske will reluctantly leave him at the door. The British Con‘stitution would be quite upset were a woman to invade the floor of the House of Commons after the Chaplain's incantation had been heard, even so far as to conduct her blind husband to his scat, so she has to consign him to a youth who stands waiting to Itad the blind member to his place. As she turns away many'"a friendly face will smile and many a pleasant word attend her as she trips lightly up the stairway leading to the Ladies’ Cage near the roof of the house. The Whisper passes around: ‘One day, perhaps not far off, she will take her seat beside her husband and remain there.’ And certain it is that when ladies have the suffrage . the first female member of Parliament will be the lady of whom I write —Mrs. Fawcett. Not onehalf of the members pf that body are so competent as she to think deeply and speak finely on matters of public policy, while not the daintiest live doll moving about London drawing-rooms surpasses her in the care of her househotdj her husband and her child. The two whom I have mentioned are as wellknown figures as any who approach the sacred precinct of the Legislature. The policemen bow low as they pass, the crowd in the lobbv make a path, the door-keeper, Mr. White —the most amiable Cerberus who ever guarded an entrance —utters his friendly welcome. The strangers ask who is that and a dozen bystanders respond: ‘Prof. Fawcett.’ No one can look upon him but he wiil see on his face the characters of courage, frankness and intelligence. He is six feet two inches in height, very blond, his light hair and complexion and his smooth, beardless lace giving him something of the air of a boy. His features are at once strongly marked and regular. He narrowly escaped being handsome and his expression is very winning. His countenance is habitually serene and no cloud or frown ever passes over it. His smile is gentle and winning. It is probable that no blind % man has ever before been able to enter upon so important a political career as Prof. Fawcett, who, yet under .forty years of age, is the most influential of the independent Liberals in Parliament. From the moment that he took his seat in that body he has been able —and this is unusual—to command the close attention of the House. He has a clear, fine voice, speaks with the utmost fluency, has none of the university intonation, and none of the hesitation or uneasy attitudes of the average Parliamentary speaker. He scorns all subterfuges, speaks honestly his whole mind, and comes to the point. At times he is eloquent and he is always interesting. He is known to be-a man of convictions. The usual English political theory that you need not prove a thing right in prinifTyou can show that it, for trie time, works without disaster is one which Prof. Fawcett ignores. He defends the right against the wrong, with little respect to consequences. He, Sir Charles Dilke, P. A. Taylor and Auberon Herbert are intimate friends, and are looked upon as the tour irreconcilables of the House of Commons.”