Even three years, in such
circumstances, are almost too long a period; and any longer term is
absolutely inadmissible. Where, on the contrary, democracy is the
ascendant power, and still tends to increase, requiring rather to be
moderated in its exercise than encouraged to any abnormal activity;
where unbounded publicity, and an ever-present newspaper press, give
the representative assurance that his every act will be immediately
known, discussed, and judged by his constituents, and that he is
always either gaining or losing ground in the estimation; while by the
same means the influence of their sentiments, and all other democratic
influences, are kept constantly alive and active in his own
mind-less than five years would hardly be a sufficient period to
prevent timid subserviency. The change which has taken place in
English politics as to all these features explains why annual
Parliaments, which forty years ago stood prominently in front of the
creed of the more advanced reformers, are so little cared for and so
seldom heard of at present. It deserves consideration that, whether
the term is short or long, during the last year of it the members
are in position in which they would always be if Parliaments were
annual: so that if the term were very brief, there would virtually
be annual Parliaments during a great proportion of all time. As things
now are, the period of seven years, though of unnecessary length, is
hardly worth altering for any benefit likely to be produced;
especially since the possibility, always impending, of an earlier
dissolution keeps the motives for standing well with constituents
always before the member's eyes.
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