Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-11-27
MISCELLANEOUS
BROOKS LETTERS

COMM0NC
july, 1885.
felt great desire to getnto the House of Commons
ior TWO reasons; The one TO see those prominent n
whose names reach and hear their speeches. and the
other, to contrast them with prominent men in Con
gress Asits not an easy thing get into the House
oil Commons 1t being part of the English system TO
throw many obstacles possible the door of every
thing to be visited selected what thought would be
the best night and the easiest way-which was To Inv
in, giving the keeper fee of two shings and
sIxPence-about sixty cents. The Irish Church Bill or
rather the bill to divide the plus of the funds of the
Established Church in Ireland among the people for ,b
purpose Of education, TO be upon the table and Sir
Robert Peel was to bring in the debate the leader of m
opPositlon went to the entrance of the Commons Hall
at o'clock, p. NJ so as TO have peep at the nrel;;
naries About this time, and little later scores of
members came riding to the door; many horseback
with their servants TO take of their horses nd
ny in carriages with their servants in rich liyeres
About o'clock, "stand aside stand aside was cried
on all sdes--and there then along not a very tall
man. with his head and half his shoulders covered over
with wig, and whole posse of officers in his train -
This wgged gentleman thus escorted was The SnaaL
ol the House linen there n rush for the stairs
OF the gallery, and soon these filed but the door
was not yet opened. When opened and the door
keeper had received his fee, pass from some mem.
per only one OF which he is allowed TO rive believe
we were ushered before the House of Commons Is,w
not very large hall not much larger than the hall of
the Congressional Library; not large as the halls of
many OF our State Legislatures; with seats rpnni,n
iepgth-w on both sides, obong area in the middle
fronting which, on the right of the Speaker were The
ministerial benches, where the Wing sit and on his le
the opposition where the Tories before the Sneo
err not very large desk which we should cali liz
clerks desk, but not at his desk, the minsry-Air
spring Rice, the Chancellor of the Excheque Lord Jon
Russell and others, and directly opposite not feet in
'front.' OF the other side of the desk Sir Robert Peel
and the focus of the opposition The Speaker percbcd
IN low chair back of the Clerk desk looked very ike
an owl as his face peered out the thick wig Noa In
pie TO write upon was before any of the members the mi
nlstry Sir Robert Peel was table to be seen I'm,
at the further end OF the hall, and this small mar.
row. and quite Inaccessible. The seats for the nembers
were in ranges, and they crowded thickly together
L saw some few members writing notes on their knees
and Mr. Spring Rice, and other orators thus took ali
o tie fall
we nave TO hand up petitions TO the Speaker but every
menoe handed up his own petitions, and did his own
the Ministry ~ "
After some preminares, such as the settlement of
divorce case, which must be very sorry case by The
way II not in the love list in the cost of the siiCr
every private bill in Parliament about scotland
alter an oddooking figure had in from the Lords
Dowing and tripping most gracously, with the lannon's
black rod in his hand-ihe backing out and MAKING
three graciOus bows with his face to the Comnon
las the Lords turn their backs upon thc
CommonsD requesting the Speaker 20 to the House
Of Lords 70 receive the ROYAL assent by nroxu ., s
certain bills After this display of form and foIly NJ
which laughed much, and much TO the horror ton ,c
some good loyal subjects me- Lord Morpeth 0of I'M
from the ministerial bench and moved The Older f ,Lp
day. " ''e
Soon Sir Robert Peel was on his feet and On his or
hsaImS say Tor his exordium than half pro.
houhGeo Wmle he was azily leaning the clerk desk
with his legs crosscdand this too all visible stnndin
as he did IN the open area when every syllable Of the
hherto turbulent house hushed, and all was st 40
the grave, save the lazy drawn words that the ORA
tor was uttering Anon there a tremendous outcrv
of "hear hear, hear beginning in tvbisoers an ,y
mounting to screains-hrst slow and distinct and then
booming forth in uninterrupted below; and all tbis
was over some not very remarkable thing that he said
out rather over what he threatened say an he stretched
out ms white pantaOoned legs and outed the tail of h
irock coat, while throwing his in the air hetoken
ing sPasm OF oratory in embryo. This enthusiastic crv
OF SO many voices warmed up the orator. and for a while
ne stood upon both legs, and spoke like other men
Sir Robert Peel spoke for five six hours and
delivered as the tory newspapers say the most splendid
speech he made in his life In truth il was ar adrot
and skilfu speech in which lac made most ingenious
argument prove that the Protestant Church of faJ
RECEIVING all the uhes, though making but small part
Of the Irish people, yet had surplus funds to give 10
Cathocs or Protestans for other purposes! did moi
iee inc force OF his argument, but its ingenuity
ana tnoa amused me much We have such a speaker
as Sir Robert Peel-none Of his class from Ma5nc =,
LouIslanS' lhai have ever met with Indeed his man.
nsI Woud not be tolerated with u.s. not that so bad
but that IT is Affected theatrical so much the o,a
tory that the college boy brings from the schools AZ
rise, says he, "Mr Speaker under the deem ct I,loo
very emphatic and guttoraD impression (Jerv J,Hy ~
common) Of the magnitude (magnitude very loud again
in the like tone with deep) Of this subject 6 I gam
mon, and all slow)oppressed loud and with triG Of
the y by the reflection (natural and comnon) of o Co.,
inability Cloud and rising to do Justice VERY low Sc
ana thus did this regular variation Of tone from eycrg
iong 70 every other long word, rather this sngsong
Continue throughout Che whole speech
IiIs enuncision is very slow and distinct In his Ian
Rnage ne seldom attempted any oratorcal niohts I'm
me- manner he attempting Il all the timeIaod tho
ne met win constant cheers from his side Of the House
YET such cheers IN many cases only displavcd e, ,,
party feeling for their bad taste AS a mste,ae g.,
speech cannot say TOO much in its praise knowing ybst
vas ntenoeo IOf as an effort Of orator. 20 FAR as
the worst possible taste " '''OS'
Aher sir Robert PEEL had concluded and the Q h.
near, hears were over, continued for Al leost , ~
nuies BY foil 900 members, screaming as logd a. ,i,
could the Chancellor Of the ExchcqBer Mr. gpri, -
obtained hearing IN reply. Mr. Rice vas ali g9onrs'
pared and both ia his and bis mailer no -,
sorry figure. The speech, a speech was benea,6
contempt and yet his party, matter Of course m,
"''sy ohsefed q when ihsy could and when his psrty