Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-09-09
The British Parliament.

The following picture of the two Houses Of
Parliament, is from the graphic pen of Rev. 1.
L. Cuyler, of New York:
"About o'clock, yesterday, went to visit
the Houses of Parliament. The new buildings
are o perfect wilderness Of Gothic towers, grain
ed ceilings, superb halls lined with marble stat
ues of departed statesmen and warriors. Mil
lions of money (enough to endow school in
every parish) have been lavished on this gor-
geous ed6ce. As we reached the door of the
House of Commons, the elegantly dressed door
keeper called out, THE Speaker is in the chair
| was shown to seat in the small Speakers
gallery. The hall is grand in ornament; of OBJ
long shape, with rows ofgreen cushioned bench
es on either side, and no desks in front of men,
bers. The Speaker wears a huge wig and gown.
The members, most outlandishly, all wear their
hats, except while speaking; the effect is ex'
ceedingly bad. was also surprised at the
youthful appearance of many in the House; at
least score of them seemed like members Of a
senior class in college. Considerable loud con-
versation was carried on during the debates, and
members were walking about continually.
"The speaker of the evening most listened to,
was Mr.. Gladstone, of Oxford. He is an easy,
a.0nchalant converser, with no elaborate Ian
guage, but his style was very attractive. While
he was speaking there was q constant cry OF
hear, hear which sounded like 'yeh-yeh-
yeh After him followed the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, graceful, fluent statement maker.
Lord Palmerston pulled off his hat and spoke in
q slow, careless tone for half an hour He does
not look so old as expected. Sir James Ora
ham is huge, easy country gentleman, who
sat like man of leisure in coffee room. The
only outre and shabby member, in face, figure
and dress, is the radical, Roebuck, of Sheffield
He has a waspish petulance in his tone, and is
the man for inquiries and Investigation The
old heroes, Sir Charles Napier and Gen. Will
ams, of Kars, attracted much attention. AS
body of men, the House of Commons Is not So
imposing in appearance as our American Senate.
Lord John Russell sat smiling and silent. Dis
raeli looked sarcastic and sullen. LIE Is the
sharpest debater of them all.
From the House of Commons we 60 by a
splendid hall to the House of Lords. Their
room is the most superb in the kingdom. 1t is
ablaze with crimson and gold. AS we enter, we
see the noble Lord Shaftesbury on the red cusll-
ion by the door. Beside him, that handsome,
youthful face, under the thick, golden hair, be.
longs to the Duke of Argyle, the rising hope OF
the Scotch Presbyterians. Old Lord Aberdeen
sits next in deep reverie Across the floor, in
front of the 'woolsack,' walks feebly an old man
in green buff vest, and check trowsers, with
short white hair and that unmistakable turn up
nose. As we look at the bent, decrepid vet
eran, it is hard to recognize in him the once gal
liant Harry Brougham,' of the House of Com
mons. He sits down by Aberdeen--two an.
tiquities together. We hear speeches from Lord
Camden, Lord Granville, and the dashy Duke ol
Newcastle.
Those magnificent women in yonder gallery
are the wives and daughters of the Peers. ! dc
not know enough of millinery to describe their
rig to your lady readers; but it may be some
qualification to American ladies to know that
the lace and pearled bonnets on the heads OF tile
Duchesses and Countesses were fully as large as
q saucer! Their faces were generally 1alr ano
brilliant in beauty. -
81 came away from the House of Lords (Which
contains many able and noble characters) IN nc
wise converted to belief in hereditary houses o.
legislation Among the forty or fifty Lords pres
emf, could recognize in Lords Brougham, Lynd
hurst. Belper and Campbell, the only men who
lave attained a seat in that splendid chamber
by apy other than the accident of birth. lcame
home last night, american to the core"
Mosr STUPID IGNORANCE is very strange
that men will attempt to thrust themselves be-
fore the people to get elected to high public sta
tions such as our State Senate, Congress, ano
other places. who are SO contemptlbly ignoran
that if q school boy ten years old was to make
the same miserable display OF ignorance Una
these Lawmakers do daily, they would run th'
.orndtv hirched The other day