30 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
laid on the table, where it always remains during the sittings 
of the House while the Speaker is in the chair. Again sum- 
moned the following day, the Commons in much the same 
fashion return to the Senate Chamber, preceded by the 
Sergeant-at-Arms bearing the mace with the newly-elected 
Speaker in his robes af office, and wearing an air of gravity as 
he has a speech to make. Here you find the reason for apply- 
ing the name ‘‘ Speaker ’’ to the presiding officer of the House 
of Commons. He is in fact the Speaker of those who have 
elected him. In their name he addresses the Sovereign thus : 
‘« May it please your Excellency : 
The House of Commons have elected me their Speaker, 
though I am but little able to perform the important duties 
thus assigned to me. If in the performance of those duties 
I should at any time fall into error, I pray that,the fault may 
be imputed to me, and not to the Commons whose servant I 
am, and who, through me, the better to enable them to dis- 
charge their duty to their queen and country, humbly claim 
all their undoubted rights and privileges, especially that they 
may have freedom of speech in their debates, access to Your 
Excellency’s person at all reasonable times, and that their 
proceedings may receive from Your Excellency their most 
favourable interpretation.” 
Again, at the close of the session, before prorogation of 
the House and after formal assent has been given to the other 
bills of the session, the Speaker again addresses the represen- 
tative of the sovereign in presenting the ‘‘ Supply Bill,’’ being 
an act to grant to Her Majesty certain sums of money to de- 
fray certain expenses of the public service during the fiscal 
year. 
The reply is in these terms: ‘‘In Her Majesty’s name 
His Excellency, the Governor-General, thanks her loyal sub- 
jects, accepts their benevolence and assents to this bill.” 
This ceremony recalls the long struggle in the early years 
of British history with the king to establish the principle of 
the people’s right to govern themselves and to permit none 
other to tax them. 
