The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-09-10

LONDON, July 81, 1857.
AT four o'clock last evening went to visit
the House of Parliament with Mr.. Kinnaird,
member for Perth. The new buildings are a
perfect wilderness Of Gothic towers, grained
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 eor-
geous edifice. As we reached the door of the
House of Commons the elegantly dressed
doorkeeper called out, s'Ihe Speaker is in the
chair!' was shown to a seat in the small
Speakers gallery. The hall is superb in or
nament; Of oblong shape, with rows Of green
cushioned benches on each side, and no desks
in front of members. The Speaker wears
huge wig and gown. The members, most OUT
landishly, all wear their hats, except while
speaking. The effect is exceedingly bad. l
was also surprised at the youthful appearance
Of many of the House; at least score of them
seemed like members senior class in college,
A considerable loud conversation was carried
on during the debates, and members were
walking about continually.
The speaker most listened 10 was Mr.. Glad
stone, Of Oxford. He is an easy, nenchalant
converser, with no elaborate harrangue, but
his style was very attractive. While he was
speaking there was constant cry Of aHear,
heal" which sounded like sYeh--yeh--yeh.n -
After him came the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, graceful, hnent statement-maker.
Lord Palmerston pulled of his hat and speke
in slow, careless tone for half an hour. He
does not look so old as / expected. Sir Jas.
Graham, is huge, easy country gentleman,
who sat like man Of leisure in a coffee.
room. The only outre and shabby manner,
in face, figure and dress, is the Radical Roe,
buck, Of Sheffield. He has waspish petu-
lence in his tone, and is the man for ssinqui-
ries" and investigations" The old heroes,
Sir Charles Napier and Gen. Williams, OF
Kars, attracted much attention. As body
of men, the House of Commons is not as i'm
posing in appearance as our American Senate
Lord John Russell sat smiling and silent. D.
Israeli looked sarc astic and sullen. He is the
sharpest debater of them ALL
From the House of Commons we go by
splendid hall to the House of Lords. Their
room is the most superb in the kingdom. Itis
blaze with crimson end gold. As we enter
We see the noble Lord shaftsbury on the red
cushion by the door. Beside him, that hand
some Youthful face, under the thick golden
hair, belongs to the Duke of Argyle. the rising
hope of Scotch Presbyterians Old Lord Alb
erdeen sets next in deep reverie. Across
the floor, in front of the s'wooI.ack.n walks.
feebly, an old man in green coat, buff vest,
and check trowsers, with short, white hair.
and that unmistakable turn up nose. As we
look at the bent, decripid veteran, it is hard to
recognize in him the once gallant g Harry
Brongham," of the House of Commons. He
sits down by Aberdeen-two antiquities to
gether. We hear speeches from Lord Cam
den, Lord Granville, and the dashy Duke of
Newcastle.
Those magnificent women IN ,onder gallery
are the wives and daughters of the Peers. /
DO not know enough Of mllenery TO describe
their s'rig" for your lady readers; but il nav
be Of some gratifca alton to your ladies to know
that the lace and pearIed bonnets on the heads
Of Dutchesses and Conntesses were fully as
large as saucer! Their faces were generally
fair and brilliant in beauty.
came away from the House Of Lords
(Which contains many able and noble charac-
ters) in nowise converted to belief in hsredi-
tary houses Of legislation. Among the forty
or fifty Lords present could recognize in
Lords Brougllam, Lyndhurst, Belfer and Camp
bell, the only men who have attained seats in
that splendid cha mbsr h- any other than the
accident of birth. came home last night
american 10 the core.
Yours, ever, T. L.c,