The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-09 00:00:00

THE SCENE AT THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
(By one of our London Curreapondente )

Field days in the House of Commons have of late years be-
come so frequent that they fail to create the stir and bustle
'of former days. While the Great Reform debates of the past
two year, were dragging their weary length along, the air-
: proaches to St. Stephen's Hall were chocked with sightseers,
the Hall itself was blockaded with curious spectators, and
, the lobby reserved for those possessing members' orders was
crammed with a strange assemblage of shoehlacks, com-
missionaires, and costermongers. Sometimes this motley
' rabble gathered round the doorway while the cheers were
still ringing in the House above, and when the last member
had gone home, and the lights were turned down,
rushed In and took possession of the lobby, dozing
! out the long night among the marble effigies id
departed lkings mid orators, and wiling, away the
dreary daytime in whispered conversation, until the veritable
holders of the orders, for whom they were but substitutes ,
appeared, and pail them for their enforced attendance. 11l
those days, too, hundreds of eager politicians gathered
round the entrances, and lounged hi St. Stephen's Hall, to
learn news of the debate, to gaits the first intimation of the
divisions, and to forestall the _Arty morning newspapers.
Now, Within has grown satiated with politics, and a division
excites less Interest than a murder. The habitto4 of the
House of Commons have betaken themselves elsewhere;
partially because the game Is not worth the candle. and
partially because they are driven from their old haunts and
are no longer allowed to block the doorways, or possess
themselves of the passages, but are admitted to the galleries
by ballot and not by precedence.
A stranger passing from Charing Cross down to the II onset
of Parliament on the :Mem.. of Monday last, would have
failed to guess, from outward appearances, that we had
reached the height of a political crisis, or that the nation
was eagerly watching :Ind waiting for news from the House
—news td the fall of ii Ministry, and the triumph of a Party.
Indeed, Limilon seemed to have discarded business and to
have gives itself up to pleasure. Dashing equipages flew
and fro along Pall Mall, for the Prince of Wales was holding
a levee at St. James's Palace- In the name of the Queen.
Loungers by lalllarkldEl were gathered in the shade of the big
bronze lions at the foot of Nelson's pillar, or leaned over the
balustrades of Trafalgar-square, watching the fountains
splashing in the bright sunlight. While the awning-covered
and sentry-guarded-entrance of the Royal Academy Rooms,
and the brilliant crowd of "fair women and brave men "who
passed up and down the steps, to and from the double row
of carriages which lined either side of the roadway, declared
that the votaries of Art, In this quarter at least, outnumbered
the devotees at polities. Even as far down as Whitehall rat
perceptil de commotion was visible. Folks went about their
ordinary business, aid the mounted soldiers at the
Horse Guards relieved guard and went to barracks,
and the government clerks from Downing-street trod the
homeward path, chatting gaily, apparently alike and hi-
different to the fact that they might have a change of masters
ere the morrow. The number of clergymen patrolling the
streets MILS has over noticeable to the cockney eye. There
were rude and countrified members of the profession,
dressed In a garb of most unmistakeable rural manufacture,
anal decorated with neckties of herculean dimenstomt and
dazzling brilliance ; and there were prime leaders of city
flocks, attired is faultless raiment, and cravatted with white
tape. There were Jolly fox-hunting looking old parsons, w ith
top boots and broad brimmed hats; and there were young
gentlemen of lofty tendencies, with coats without collars,
and white stocks of a military out. There were clergymen
with wile-awakes and clergymen with broad-brims, clergy-
men with aprons, and clergymen with strings through the
sides of their hats. From curates to bishops, from the
broadest church to the highest, all were represented and all
were eager and anxious.
. . .

Down"nt-ae-liouse id Parliament people began to collect
as early as three o'clock, and when four o'clock came there
was quite a crowd. Even at the earlier of these hours mem-
bers began to come down, anxious to secure for themselves
places in what was sure to be a crowded House. Few of
these, however, were men of mark, and the spectators would
haVe been sorely at a loss to pass the time had not the
authorities kindly seen fit to uncover the statue of Sir Robert
Feel anal expose it to public criticism. Sir Robert has been
rolled up his cotton nig for months, but the weather has had
such as pernicious effect upon his wrapping that it was ab_
solutely necessary either to provide anew night shirt for him
or to let the people see him. The great statesman is repre-
sented as suffering froni a severe attack of liver complaint,
and his left hand spasmodically clutches his side. The right
squeezes is crumpled sheet of paper tightly down upon
harbour pile, lie is dressed in a suit of twilled cloth, surtout
vest and pantaloons complete; sports a huge nectie and
stand-up collar, and seeing by his look to intimate that he
does not, nor ever did care for anything In particular.
But about four o'clock the notable men began to arrive,
and as they came, swamis of the A Reserves drove the spec-
tators out of Palace Tani into the street or into the Hall,
where severatl hundreds soon took up their positions. The
folks outside had the best slit, for only the rank and file of
the menthos enter by the members' entnince,—the officers
preferring to reach their seats by the back door. When the
stream had once tiepin to flow, it flowed on without inter.
mission. Carriages dashed incessantly through the gateway
and pullet up at the Hall entrance. Heavy old-fashioned
faintly coaches, drawn by horses decorated with blue ribbons,
set down Tory dowagers anti their daughters, all anxious to
, see the right side win. Other equipages disgorged the
unadorned wives and daughters of Oppositiedi Lords mid
Commoners. Steady members came down in broughams,
stylish members in barouches, sportingonemberis in minia-
ture drags, and horsey menibers groonrattended on liorse•
hack, but the principal means of conveyance was the hansom
cab—fare one shilling, promptly and exactly paid.
From the scattered nature the crowd, no demonstration,
as as rule, took place, awl beyond a whispered Dimmer when
, well-known gentlemen appeared, the members were allowed
to pass in quietly. Air. Disraeli came down early, and had
almost got past unobsemed, when Ins plain brougham was
recognised, and a rush was made towards it. The police,
however, checked it; and something between a hiss and a
howl anal a cheer arose, which must but faintly and du-
biously have reached the ears of the premier. When Mr.
Gladstone and Mr. Bright came a little later, the crowd were
more MI the alert, anal gave them a most unquestionable
" Hurrah F"lben for a long while there was a 11;11, and all
eyes were directed towards the coronetted carriages, which
rolled away towards the peers' entrance, the most con.
spicuous of their lordships hieing the Earl of Shaftesbury
and the Deli? of Argyll. Then the galaxy of ladles who
were driven towards the gilded gratings of the House of
I...lemons attracted attention and admiration. ly and by,
the Bishop of Oili and arrived on horseback, top boots and
hat complete—a sturdy man on a sturdy steed. Then when
the interest was flagging, and folks were beginning to go
away, a carriage with the Royal Crown on the panels drove
through the gateway, the cry rose, "The Pence id Wales
the crowd broke thwugh the police guards, and tore away
down to the private entrance, shouting and cheering lustily.
In indignation the police restored their loroken ranks and
lhove them outside, and the crowd, seeing that the fun ryas
past, dispersed and went home ; while three who hail
Pennissi ~,, to enter the galleries turned their facet thither.
The scene inside the House was nwst disamwinting. Not
I that there was an empty HOW. The place was crammed
I the strangers' gallery was terrible to we, and the Speaker's
gallery uncomtnitable to feel. Royalty and nobility were
there, and them was no abundance of beauty dimly per-
ceived. The reporters were slaving at their task, and the
House was blocked up with members. But somehow the
House of commons never lioks well by daylight. It is a
nasty little place, with a great deal too much of the normal
school element about it, anal it requires all the accessories
, of common curtains and mellowed gas light to elevate
I it into the rank of a national Senate Chamber. So it was
wit until the sun had net and the softened light from above
toned down its faults that the scene became impressive
There were hi reality only four speeches—those of Disraeli,
Gladstone, Lowe, and Bright, and all wem good. Mr. Disraeli
wa.s perhaps rather prolix in his statements awl rather long
in coming to his future intentions ; far honourable members
below yawned in his face, and strangers above yawned con-
sumedly into their handkerchiefn.. lie was, however, well
supported on the right side of the Howie, and when he de-
clared his intention of sticking to his post yet a little while
the Tories gave him a ringing cheer .d the Liberals a hearty
groan. Air. Gladstone w-as bold, mid candid, and scornful
throughout. You saw that lie felt himself in power again,
that lie hail a united party at his back, and that, whether
rightly or wrongly, lie did not fear the threatened appeal to
the new constituencies. Of course the cheering this time was
from the left and the sneering from the right Then for a
little while the combatants took a breathing space while
the attempted assassination of the Duke of Edinburgh was
before the House, lint the battle sons renewed afresh
when the Irish Church was again brought on the tapis
This time all the lighting was on the Liberal side Mr.
Lowe, the brilliant regenade who makes such a splendid
friend, and such a terrible foe, rose and exposed the Govern-
mental policy from his point of view; and Mr. Bright fol-
lowed in language no less scathing. Cheers and counter-
cheers rang out in quick succession, mingled with hearty
laughter, and when the debate was closed, and the House
I went into Committee of Ways and Means, both sides of the
, House seemed equally well pleased with theniselvea, and the
spectators in the galleries were heartily sorry that it was
over. One final treat remained to all—to learn that two-
pence a pound into be added to the income-tax, and requisite
authority basing been given, the House rose at half-past
iming agreed to accept the negative guidance of the
Disraeli Ministry fur a little longer

A WONIA?I DEPOSITS NOT A VOTE NUT A
VOTER. —The following item is from the Hartford (Ct)
Courant: Women can go to the polls, it seems, pro-
vided they carry a man on their backs, but they must
never deposit a ballot themselves. Oh, no, that would
be highly improper. And for carrying a man there they
will be very likely to be rewarded. This woman had
a purse of 200 dots, made up for her on the spot :
" In the fourth ward an amusing incident occurred
just before the closing of the polls. A hack containing
a man and woman drove up. The woman alighted,
backed up to the door of the hack, and took her hus-
band, an invalid, on her back, and carried him into
the engine-house, and around to all the boxes, and back
to the carriage after he had voted. A large crowd was
about the polls, and this incident caused the wildest
excitement and merriment. The crowd mounted
benches, and cheered, laughed, and shouted at the
strange spectacle of a woman carrying a man 'pie-a.
back to the ballot-boa."