Section III, 1889. f 38 1 Trans. Eoy. Soc. Canada. 



VII. — Â Prnhlnn in PoJitical Science. 



By Sandfobd Fleminc4. 



( Read May 8, 1889. ) 



I propose to direct attention to a scientific question within the domain of politics or 

 civil government which appears to me to be of general interest. It presents a problem 

 which up to the present time remains unsolved. 



The institution of Parliament, as we all know, is of ancient date. In England a general 

 assembly or council of the nation has been held imraemorially under various names. 

 Before the Couciuest three designations were at various times assigned to it : — 



1. Mycel Synoth, or great synod. 



2. Mycel G-emot, or great council. 



3. Witenagemot, or council of the wise men. 



The name of "Parliament" was not given to the National Council in England until 

 after the Conc[uest, when the French language was exclusively used by the dominant 

 class, and French became the official language of the English nation. 



Parliament has greatly changed since its early days. It has grown and developed 

 from century to century, and it may be said to be still in a condition of growth and 

 development. 



Whatever may haA'e been the character of the meetings of the wise men before the 

 Conquest, or of the Parliaments which followed, the central idea of Parliament at the 

 present day, is an assembly of individuals representing the whole nation. The functions 

 of Parliament are to act on behalf of the nation as the supreme authority, and — representing 

 the nation — it possesses every power and every right and every attribute which the nation 

 possesses. The fundamental idea and guiding principle of Parliament is, that it embraces 

 all the separate parts which compose the realm, that in fact it is the nation in essence. 



This is the theoretical and proper idea of Parliament, but it cannot be affirmed that 

 the ideal Parliament has ever yet been realized. Indeed it may be held that the means 

 taken to constitute Parliament cannot, in the nature of things, result in x^i'oducing a 

 national assembly in which every individual elector may be fairly represented and his 

 voice heard. As a matter of fact, under the existing system, it is not practicable to have 

 in the elective house every part of the nation represented : some parts must necessarily 

 remain unrej)resented. 



Such being the case, the problem which science may be asked to solve, is simply 

 this : to devise the means of forming an elective assembly ivhich prarticalli/ as iveli as tlieoretical/i/ 

 wilt be the nation in essence. 



Sec. Ill, 1889. .5. 



