Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-16
From, The Albion.
A BIRDS EYE VIEW OF PARIIA-
MENT.
"COLLECITDE. WLSDO.Un


Extracts from pamphlet just published un-
dcrthc above title:
I'VE have Burlett upon ficld-days, Broupi
am upon occasion%, Huskisson and Robinson mr.
on business, Canning 10 brush off the flies, and
Hume, like the poor, VIC have with us always.
''Eacb speaker is to run. Imagine that il is
about two O'clock, and that you, who have come
from distance, and are most anx ious TO be en-
lightencd by the wisdom and warmed by the e.
loquencc OF the Senate, have stuffed your pock-
ct with sandwiches, and are elbowiDg through
the crowd in Westminster Hall. You come
bump upon dark passage, through which
Briton must grope towards either House of Par
Lament. You squeeze into the lobby, and YOU
poke your Dosehali-way in at the door, by which
the collective" arc dropping in, to stick upon
the benches bits OF paper expressing the name
and quality of the wisdom .yfici. is to occupy
them for the night. You assail the staircase,
and, if you be strong in the legs and clever at
The elbows, work your way to the door of the
Messengers lobby--not, however, I'll. ;our
sandwiches get fair offer of entering your sto-
mach laterally. You stand there for full two
hours; and, while your ribs are elbowed and
your toes trod upon, you see the ample bald
sconcc of Mr.. Wright moving to and fro, as he
admits by the private door those who have
more newly worked keys than your half crown.
Inc Speaker enters, the door opens, aud you
'''Oe q" 10y hoiH tbc idHuiDG- place across
the steps, and up to tie gallery door, as if
goodly charge ofgunpowder w ere at our heels
You get into the gallery; and the front rows
are full, excepting just room for one gentleman
IN tie middle. Some wag invites YOU there,
and you squat yourself down under the shade of
the ciock-casc, where you can see nothing.
''You have now time 10 look about YOU and
the inst thing that strikes you is the mean and
soIn6rc appearance of the House. .The Cha
pei Oh ST. StcphcB-tbe scene of so many great
sayings-tl,c theatre Of tie collective Wig
dom, why, it is not half as large, or one
third as tasteful, as my own parish church ~
just before youis the table, upon the near end
OF winch lies tie mace and at the far end sit the
CLERKS. Dcyond that is the Speaker with
most graceful wig aud manner, and some Young
lay Member, chatting with him, Just to show TO
random constituent III the gallery (iiaply your
self that he can approach the Chair. To your
LETT are the Ministers upon the bench next the
table; behind them the ministerial scCondcrs
then the "country gentlemen" behind whom
sit a mixed multitude TO your right, upon the
iirst bench, are tiac heavy artillery of tine OPP
position, and behind them the light troops
The benches on both sides are rounded away.
and mingic and arc lost behind the Speakers
chair: where, as at a neutral ground, Tories
and Wings cxchabgc ciyiIitics and snuff boxes.
behind you sit 'the morning papers - point
ing pens and pencils, and complimentine the
speakers, of the night in the inverse
ratio OF their anticipated speeches. You are a.
Inazed That any sci OF Inen-espcciaIy set Of