The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-10-23

devil, and put him down. And 80, amidst
mingled plaudiis and excavations, groans and
cheers, cries Of question: and 'order, orderp
the poor orator was actually obliged to stop not,
however, without making desperate effort TO
elevate his voice above the noise, and denounc-
ing the indecorum Of the house as unworthy Of
schoolboys which last ebulliton was received
with cheers and loud laughter by nearly all
present.
We assure our readers, this is fair specimen
OF what almost uniformly occurs, when a mem
Der whom the house has dislike for, or is tired
Of. persists in going on. The general appear
ance Of the assembly is that of eighty or hun
dred gentlemen met TO talk in a quiet way over
some matters Of no great importance 10 more
than three or four persons on each side. The
debate is conducted with conversational fami-
liarity. The majority Of the members and the
speaker are laughing and chatting. II is con
sidered very bad taste in the person addressing
the house TO look at the speaker, or TO appear
any way affected by the want of attention mani
tested by him and the members. There is,
however, in general, great respect shown to the
presiding officer. The clerks, door keepers, and
attendants, never come in or 90 out without
making two or three inclinations of the body to
the chair, and the members who sit usually with
their hats on, always uncover and make a bow
TO him when they cross the floor between him
and the door.
There is trick, for il does not deserve bet
ter name, frequently resorted TO by the ministe-
rial party, when they wish TO throw as much
cold water as possible on motion they have not
the courage TO oppose openly. This is called
counting OUT II is performed thus Suppose
Mr.. Bulwer, or Mr.. White Harvey, or any
other member, who pays his independence the
compliment of standing by il, and does not
suffer himself to be tied to the ministerial car,
krs,H< slatE f.
stamps on newspapers, for instance. There are
hundred members present when the chair is
taken, and Mr.. Bulwer commences an able and
eloquent speech. BY -and-by, you will see the
ministerial managers moving from their places,
and commencing operations, by drawing out one
member-then another-and so on, till the hun
dred have dwindIed down into thirty, before
Mr.. B. is half through his discourse. As soon
as this dimnution has been accomplished, up
starts one Of those who wear the ministerial
collar, and moves that the house be counted
II is well known, OF course, there is not quorum
present. But it is also known, there is in the
lobbies and smoking rooms an adequate force,
who have left the house for the purpose of get
ting rid of the motions Of the evening, but hold
themselves in readiness, in case the trick should
not succeed, TO come in, and swell the force of
ministers. We are sorry to be compelled to ad-
nit, that something like this contemplate prac-
tce is not uncommon in oar national Legislature.
Descending from the lobby Of. the house of
commons by few low steps, the visitor former
ly came to an apartment called the Long Gal
lery, from which door openedsnto the house
of peers. This was larger than the lower house.
and the furniture somewhat more valuable and
appropriate, though not superior to what may be
found in every dissenting meeting house in the
kingdom. The throne, which stood at one end,
was the only article in the room having the slight
est pretension to ornament. II consisted of ca
nopy Of crimson velvet, surmounted by crown,
and supported by columns richly gilt, and decorat
ed with oak leaves and acorns. The lord chancel-
lor, as is well known, sits upon the woolsack,
which has the appearance of huge well-stuffed
bag, covered with crimson cloth, with which the
benches occupied by the peers are also covered.
There was considerable space between the bar
and the door, which, together with a platform
behind the throne, was reserved for the men,
bers Of the lower house. 1t was, however, so
low and level, as to render il quite impossible
for any one who was not fortunate enough 10
get into the front row, either to or hear salts
factorily what was going on. And as all per
sons, except the peers themselves, are rigidly
kept without the bar, there is the greatest strug
gle among the commoners. on occasions Of much
interest, to reach the front row. Just above this
part Of the house was a small gallery divided
INTO TWO compartments-one for the ladies, the
other for gentlemen. The lords at that time
showed a more chivalric attention to the wishes
and convenience of the fair sex, than the com
mons, from the sight of whom ladies were al
together excluded, although they were gracious
ly allowed to hear what was doing, if they had
the hardihood to trust themselves within curl
Gus dark dungeon-like dome, placed above the
chapel of st. Stephen. There, by putting their
heads into small apertures, they might behold
not the collective WISDOM but THE vENTILAToR!
a large plate Of brass open-work, through which
were sent up from below, the eloquence Of the
warm debate, and the exhalations of numerous
lighted candles, &c. &C., to crafty the ears and
other equally sensitive organs of the fair lis
teners.
AT each sitting, the lord chancellor enters the
house in state preceded by the bearers Of the
seals and mace, He is arrayed usually in a
black silk gown, and full-bottomed wig. The
dress Of the masters in chancery who sits below
him is the same, with the exception of the wig,
which in their case is three tailed, inst ad of a
full bottomed. (Oh the majesty ofcurled whale
bone and powdered horsehair , The bishops
occupy benches little to the right Of the throne,
which is just behind the woolsack, and appear
in that costume which they wear at the sacred
desk.
The people of England are beginning to think
that these right reverend preates would do bet
ter service to Heaven by combining themselves
to their sacerdotal functions, than taking the af
fairs of State upon their shoulders, or engaging
in the low strife of party and temporary politics.
We think SO, too. The peers have their minis
teria and opposition benches as well as the
commons. They wear the ordinary dress of
the day their splendid scarlet robes being re-
served for extraordinary occasions-the opening
or Propagation of Parliament by the King, CO
ronaton, &c. The proceedings of the lords are
by much more gravity and cour-
tesy and more subdued tone of debate, than
those of any assembly we ever saw, excepting
the Senate Of the limited States which for do |