06Jul1871, House of Commons Can't Work

LONDON, July 6th, 1871.
—I can't take any interest in this dull, cross Session, with its endless powder-of-post talk. A fragment of the Army Bill has passed, and does duty for the whole ; the Ballot (which I hate) is now on the stocks. The only measure I liked, the Licensing Bill, was dropped long ago. The worst of the whole business is that people begin to say the House of Commons can't or won't work, and that it is becoming unworthy of exercising its high functions. Oh for working sub-committees, such as we work Woodford with !