The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-03-09
The British Parliament and Orators.

statesmen of the country is from the pen of Mr..
Matthews F. Ward, of Arkansas young gentle
man, who some time ago gave an earnest of his
fine talents and eloquence in a speech in political
convention, which was extensively copied and ad
mred Mr.. Ward is the son of our esteemed fel-
low citizen, RobertJ. Ward, Esq. He is now ira
yelling in Europe, and writes his observations for
the n. Orleans Delta. We do not know when we
have read so many truths, so we'll told, as con-
tanned in this letter, respecting the pecularties of
Englishmen, their manners, their appearance, and
oratory of their prominent men, e:-[O. State
Journal
LONDON, July, 1s49.
The old house, libraries, &C., of Parliament. ha-
wing been destroyed by fire in 1885, temporary
accommodations were provided among the ruins
for the sitting of the two houses and plans were
Immediately ordered for new buildings.
The new houses. or ''the Palace of Westmns-
ter" as they are generrlly called, are much the
most considerable architectural work which has
been undertaken in England since the re-edifca-
ton of St Pauls Cathedral So colossal a pile of
building has not been erectedin London since that
period. The 'front.' extending along the river
Thames, measures nearly one thousand feet in
length and portion of the building is to be sur
mounted by tower four hundred feet high The
whole edihce, when completed, will contain be-
tween FIVE and six hundred different apartments
and will cover an arena of nine acres 1t isin the
Gothic STYLE; but though it is boasted of BY Eng
lishmen, as the most beautiful specimen of archi-
lecture in England since the erection of Henry the
Seventies Chapel, yet there is Il minuteness of de-
tail in its ornaments, which think offends the eye
and is but ll-suited to the massive proportions of
the building The lords have already taken pos
session of their house, which is apartment nine
ty feet by ortv-ve and is forty feet in heighth 1t
is gorceousy decorated by rich carving, beautiful
colorng and the most elaborate gliding; yet its
naments are so crowned, so piled upon each other,
as to present the same offensive "ginger- bread" eff
feet of the exterior. 1t is lighted by twelve lofty
windows filed with stained glass, representing the
kings and queens of England and Scotland. ''The
body of the house, is said to be capable of contain
ing the four hundred and forty lords spiritual and
temporal. The table and woolsack occupy the mid
die of the floor and at each side of these are pla-
ced, on ascending steps, five rows of benches CO.
vered with red morocco leather, for the exclusive
accommodation of their lordships 1t may have
been imagination, but the whole room looked close
and narrow to me.
Whilst seated in the strangers gallery, the other
evening, l looked around in vain for those dstin-
evidencns of noble blood and high breeding which
many of my more fortunate countrymen have been
able to discover in these lucky descendants from
Norman robbers and illegitimate children of kings
They looked to me as other Englishmen do whe
ther they happen to be walters gentlemen, lords
or dukes They all have an especially clean, sleek
look with an abundance of cravat and great su.
perabundance of sty y-starched shirt collar, and al
their movements nearly resemble the evolutions o.
badly constructed automaton, whose wheels re-
qure greasing In the coffee-rooms it would be
next thing to impossible to distinguish waters from
guests, but by the badge ofServitude borne by the
former in the shape of napkin. Really, I could
not conceive of nation in which the different graz
dations of society were so strictly observed in So
cia intercourse, and so slightly marked by person
al appearance, And think their lordships have
displayed much more wisdom in putting their SER
wants in livery than was developed during the de-
bate had the pleasure of hearing, for Hephestion
was mistaken for Alexander, as he happened to he
much the best looking fellow of the two and the
valet if not in livery, might be mistaken for the
master.
Among their lordships did see few very fine
tall, robust-looking fellows but the large ma aiortY
of them I shall unhestatngly pronounce very or
dinary looking Englishmen, and according to Just
classification of the whole nation, I do not think
any OF Cnem WOulu rank nl9llST ItldH PoOu Oruiu
ary'' as we say about cotton We hear much in
America about the Thoroughbred appearance OF
English noblemen. If by this sporting term is
meant their sleek oily cheeks and rotund persons
can without difficulty, understand it. for these dc
certainly indicate very high feeding" but as tt
any other marked indications of ''hlood," am as
shamed To confess I could not find them, unless il
he their honorable lordships have very red puffy
faces. If I were called upon to select from the
animal kingdom an appropriate simile for them,
should, without intending the slightest dsrespec
to the noble gentlemen, mitch sooner think of com
narinw them to the plump, pampered, well-curec
Berkshire pig than the clean-limed race-horse.
But to their lordshins' eloquence. It CONSISTED
chiefly in that low, curling, n1onnnotonous sounC
produced bv water flowin~ from half-pmptv bot
| tie Considerable sound, but little point-violen
gestculation, but no fire. Had l been deaf,
might have imagined from the frequent tossing O
| the arms, constant humping of the table, and en-
phatic nodding Of the head that they were maxim
some very spirited appeal to the house in rathe
awkward manner-but, being fortunately gifte
with full powers of hearing l was astonished Il
find how poorly the tame sentiments accorded wit
the animated gesticulation of their speeches.
An evident anxiety and struggle to obtain tn
floor continued during my whole stay. And 500
discovered that the noble gentlemen were as muc
tckled by the sound of their own voices as if the
had, like most of our Congressman, acquired
fondness for hearing themselves talk by being we
feed in earlier life to spin long yarns for clients,