The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-04 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.

The initiative step was taken to-day in what promises
to be hereafter known as one of the most eventful and
extraordinary sessions of Parliament during the present
reign. The doors of the House of Peers were open pre-
cisely at twelve o'clock, and from that hour the arrival
of company was continuous and rapid. As usual,
on these important occasions, the assembly was com-
posed chiefly of ladies. The whole of the benches, with
the exception of those in front, were appropriated to
their sole use. The side galleries, and the strangers'
galleries were also exclusively occupied by them.
An hour was passed very agreeably in the examination
of the magnificent proportions and decorations of the
hall. The walls were covered with crimson cloth, and
in the niches around the gallery there were placed
statues of the Barons of Rannymede. Only six or eight
of these were there yesterday; but when the series is
completed, the following distinguished historical cha-
racters will grace the apartment:—
Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury.
William, Earl of Salisbury.
Henri de Londres, Archbishop of Dublin.
William, Earl of Pembroke.
Almeria, Master of Knights Templars.
Waryn, Earl of Warren.
William, Earl of Arundel.
Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent.
Richard, Earl of Clare.
William, Earl of Aumerle.
Geoffrey, Earl of Gloucester.
Laher, Earl of Winchester.
Harry, Earl of Hereford.
Roger, Earl of Norfolk.
Robert, Earl of Oxford.
Robert Fitzwalter.
Eustace de Vesci.
William de Mowbray.

The number of Peeresses present was very
lonsiderable. Indeed there is seldom ever seen,
except at the opening and close of Parliament by her
Majesty in person, so gay, brilliant, and vast an assem-
bly of the fairer sex as,were collected together to-day in
the magnificent chamber which Barry's genius has
created. Very few Peers arrived until past one
o'clock. Among the first arrivals were Lord
Monteagle and Lord Nelson, but they were not
in their robes. Mr. Sergeant Manning, the Queen's
Ancient Sergeant, was the first individual who made his
appearance in a scarlet gown. The Learned Gentleman
paraded up and down the floor by himself for some time,
and was taken by strangers to be some one of no ordi-
nary importance.

The Duke of Wellington was the first Peer who en-
tered the House in his robes. The distinguished warrior
looked well, but it was impossible not to see that feeble-
ness is growing upon him. For a brief space he stood
opposite the Throne, and surveyed the scene with great
attention. He was warmly greeted by several Peeresses
as they came in, and shook hands most heartily with
several of the Foreign Ambassadors who accosted him.
The benches behind the Bishops were devoted to the
corps diplomatique, who attended in considerable num
bers. Their rich and varied costumes contributed
greatly to the brilliant and animated appearance of the
House.

The Judges present were Lord Campbell, Mr. Justice
Coleridge, Mr. Justice Erle, Mr. Baron Platt, Mr. Justice
Patteson, the Lord Chief Baron, Mr. Baron Parke, Mr.
Justice Maule, Mr. Justice Williams, Lord Chief Justice
Jervis, Mr. Justice Talfourd, Mr. Justice Cresswell, and
Lord Cranworth. When seated on the centre benches
they presented a perfect sea of full-bottomed wigs.
There was only a limited attendance of Bishops.
Among them we noticed the Archbishops of Canterbury
and York, the Bishop of London, and the Bishop o f
Oxford.
The only members of the Government who entered
before two o'clock were the Earl of Carlisle, Lord Clan-
ricarde, and Lord Granville.
The Lord Chancellor arrived shortly before two.
The other Peers whose countenances we were able to
distinguish amidst the accumulation of scarlet and er-
mine were the Earl of Enniskillen, Lord Strangford,
Earl Cardigan, Earl Talbot, Earl Shaftesbury, Earl
Wilton, Lord Dysart, Earl Uxbridge, Earl Devon, and
Lord Roxburgh.
At a quarter-past two the booming of cannon excited
some emotion in the gorgeous throng—the Peers, who
had hitherto been conversing on the floor in groups,
ran to their seats, and the utmost silence was im-
mediately observed. In about five minutes after-
wards, the entrance of pages by the door on the left
of the Throne, indicated the approach of the Queen.
This caused some surpise, as the arrival of her Majesty
is generally preceded by a flourish of trumpets,
but probably the distance of the chief entrance
from the House prevented those instruments being heard.
The assembly hereupon rose. The Queen then entered,i
preceded and followed by the usual procession. (-)
taking her seat on the throne she commandekdßher
people to be seated, and then the Usher of the Blaienter.omd
was ordered to summon the Commons. Daring the
Com' -
attention was anxiously directed to the bar.. The
mona arrived with less bustle and confubsiorn,
former occasions. The two foremost Mere
and were an
Morn.
we were
F. O'Connor and Mr. Chisholm Anstey,
surprised not to see any of the principal members of the
Cabinet. a,
speech, which is
Her Majesty then read the roy
given in another column, with such i
great distinctness
and good emphasis that nearly every word was heard
dress, and acobmriplloiasenat
at the furthest end of the ball.
tier Majesty wore a silver tissue
tiara of diamonds. Her robe and train "here
Prince.gold
bse
_
of dark crimson velvet,
embroideredonsorwt
uniformd of a Field-Marshal.
was accompanied by her Royalhrte,
in-rtahpepeare to us to look extremely
who was attired in
The august ivy's. Pa,
well. I Speech was read her
oYa Majesty and
When the R
the procession retired in the same order as they entered.

LORD PALMEBSTON.
Lord Palmerston entered the Louse almost immedi-
ately after the last notice was give. t, and took his seat
on the bench below the gangway.
Lord John Russell, accompanied b.v Sir F. Baring,
followed him in, and some merriment wt. 's occasioned by
,Ir. F. O'Connor rush;ng up to the N .Ible Lord and
shaking him frantically by the hand.
the A DDR
RoyalESs:
... .
The SPEAKERDEIAT EhavOinNg
TreiladE
the throne, vech from
Sir R. B. BULKELEY, who appeared in 1 tlilitary
uniform, then rose to move the Address, %' egged
and . 4
the indulgence of
the House on behalf of one
who had never ventured to obtrude hii vaelf
upon it before, when he was about to advert to subj acts
of
no ordinary importance in no ordinary times. r—_,
(hear.) Ho then observed that the Member who mos, "d
the Address was generally considered an uncompromisint
supporter of the Government. That he owned was
precisely his own position.—(Hear.) He had been in
Parliament many years, and during that .time he had
seen many advantageous measures invodueed for
the benefit of the people, and also many institu-
tions improved and extended—(Hear, Lear)—and
they had at last achieved a degree of prosperity
which, in his conscience, he believed bad never ,been ex-
pelled.—(Cheers.) The throne had never been' better
supported, the Estalished Church had in-
erased its usefulness, her revenues had ,hoen
more equitably distributed and her duties more rifo'dll
enforced; hundreds of churches had grown up, and
HOUSE OF COMMONS. thousands of tho lower orders had been added' to Om r
The doors of the New,Uouse of Commons were thrown congregation...
- Education had been more widely ex-
soon after twelve
open o'clock, the entrance tended and reduced to something like a system. Con \o'er!:
being
through Westminster Hall; but un •had been enlarged and commercial monopoly rein ova"'
until the hour ap-
~an
preached for the arrival of her Majesty,there was not --(Cheers.) They had been preserved from Enron ~.an
a very full attendance ofand maintained domestic tranquillity, an d
Members. Durin the wars,
recess the interior of the House has been wonderfullyg above all,
the social condition of the people had
improved. The prevailing colour of the fittings is dark been improved, for without such
imPrv°o °their '
green, relieved with gold ornaments; while the ventila- it was worse than useless to attempt to
impvreements he
lion is obtained by means of low stained glass windows; morals.—(Hear.) These blessings and
imPhrtened views
but at night the House is lighted with eight massive ascribed to the sound policy and ennlidg
he, as a
chandaliers in bronze, suspended from the ceiling by a of a Liberal Administration, 8
if
unjust if he
thick crimson rope. It should be observed also that the Reformer, would consider
higu
at the head of the
colour of the two boxes at the end of the table, which did not claim for the Noble Lord
fthe merit in bringing
some Hon. Members are so fond of rapping in the heat Government the chief shale of o
his unflinching advocacy
of debate, has also been changed from red to green. about such happy results.
i nal liberal sympathies
The roof roof is low and heavy, and upon first entering, and his strong consthitousteomoa
sures which first Exton dad
the chamber has an excessively sombre aspect, but this cribed the success
dof :hen
improved the social condition
feeling gradually subsides as the eye becomes familiarised political rights awes
of the people of this country-
to the place. Nevertheless there is a great deficiency of the great
l the reasons why for twenty years be
Of light in the day time, and if something could be done These, then, were
humble
but not less anxious supporter of the
to remedy this defect the house would be as comfort- had bean a
and his Administration ; and these
able as it is handsome. The Reporter's Gallery, and Noble
Lord
reasons which induced him on the
the retiring apartments attached to it are fitted up in were the
.occasion
the same elaborate style; and we are bound to say, that present to unchrtake a task from which
avewillingly shrunk.—(Hear.)
h
the convenience of the Reporters has been consulted to he would otherwise M
b then alluded in
em er. to the paragraph the
The Hon'
the fullest possible extent.
Royal Speech, stating that her Majesty had assur-
Amongst the earliest members in attendance, we
of the most friendly relations with foreign
noticed Sir R. H. Inglis, Sir David Dundee, Mr.
powers.Bro-
"et That was, he said, most acceptable information
therton, Mr. Muntz, Sir Joshua Walmsley, Lord Dudley
the country a t lar. e.—(H the interest of
ear.) It was
Stuart, Mr. Sharman Crawford, Sir B. Hall, Colonel I
le, that we
i th
country, as well as the wish of the p
Sibthorp, Mr. Hume, Mr. Spooner, and Mr. Roebua'
shouldte rem 3 'aim at heenePrevolutiona
peace.—(Hear.)
The form of balloting for positions in the Speaker's 1
Wl
3 going on then
peers, as surrounded 1, and there were strugg
be-
train, on his progress to the House of edeaired liberty
was tvveen the peopl a on the one hand, who
adopted towards the close of last Session,