Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-30
The Brt,sh Houses of Parliament

me BritlM houses Of PdrtG'nent.
listened to a debate in the House of Commons,
in which Lord John Russell, the Duke of Grafton,
Lytton Bulwer DIsraeli and other distinguished
| Lords and gentem en-, occupied the floor till one
O'Clock in the morning the malt tax, proposed to
be largely increased by the present Ministry and
during that debate it was apparent there, as with
us, that the people the real Sovereigns the power
to which her Majesty and her Majesty's Ministers
look as the ultimate power in the state. The Re-
form bills, the Catholic Emancipation bill, and
other such modern measures of common Justice and
rational progress show that the examples of the past
have not failed to instruct the present, and time
alone show whether there is yet to arise mon
arch and arisocracy, that shall make obstinate
and demented stand against Church reform, Educa-
tional reform, Suffrage reform, other great popu.
lar demand. till the great ground swell upon which
the Throne, and the Lords and the bench OF Bishops
sometimes rocked even now, shall break into an
angry and sweep them all away, hereditary
powers and substitute for thsm, IN Elective Mon
archy and Senate, and Voluntary Church.
The two Houses of Parliament q speak of the
rooms which they mcet) are fine rooms for their
respective purposes the character and constitution
and idiosyncracy of the the two bodies being con-
sdered. 1t is we'll known that the members sit on
benchc short parallel benches ON each side of the
chamber, rising one above the other, from broad
passage in the centre of which at the head Of the
room is the Speaker, Chair, aud the tables of the
clerks, &c. The seats finely cushioned, and the
who'll room well fitted up. There Is also gallery
which i, sometimes, perhaps always, occupied by
members. What struck 'rc exceedingly singular
{ ~, C,,.t that pf siN
hundred members there seats taking gallery
/ aud all, for only about four hundred, possibly
with great crowdng, four hundred and fifty, it be-
ing supposed that about hundred will be absent.
The Administration party lit on the right of the
Speaker, and tho opposition ON the left, the ministry
occupying the bench lowest and nearest to the chair.
All lit with their hats Spectators are not allow
ed To- wear their hats. They have tables
desks, and seem very nOnchalant and easy, The
speaker of the House does not his hat, but sits
much 1T his ease, in his flowing wig and gown, coi-
ver,,s with those who near him, and joins i'll the
laugh il anything nusins occurs, All the clerks
of the House also wcaI wig. The members in
THEN usual Dies.
Tho House opens punctuully at the time appoint
ed. At the strike of the clock, the Speaker leaves
his preceded by the officer bearing the massive
gilt mrcc the insignia of the speakers Office. The
train OF the SPEAKERS gown is borne by train bear
cr., an he marches rapidly in, aud Is followed by
the rae nhcrs who are there. The doors closed,
psal, i. read aud short aud appropriate service
ct pa. is reformed, at which non, but mcmbers
are all we'd to be present, That being finished, the
llou- proc 'cd To bushes, if there he forty
hers pr "ut, rather .man quorum should think