The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-01


AT four o'clock last evening went to visit
the House of Parliament with Mr.. Kinnaird,
member for Perth. The new buildings are q
perfect wilderness of Gothic towers, grained
ceilings, superb halls lined with marble statues
of departed statesmen and warriors. Millions
of money (enough to endow shool in every
parish) have been lavished on this gorgeous
edifce. As we reached the door of the House
of Commons the elegantly dressed doorkeeper
called out, '.The Speaker is in the chairv'
was shown to seat in the small Speakers
gallery. The hall is superb in ornament; of
oblong shape, with rows of green-cushioned
benches on each side, and no desks in front
Of members. The Speaker wears a huge wig
and gown. The members. most outIandishly,
all wear their hats, except while speaking
The effect is exceedingly bad. I was also
surprised al the youthful appearance of manv
of the House; at least score of them seemed
like members of senior class in college. A
consider able loud conversation was carried on
during the debates, and members were walk
ing about continually.
The speaker Of the evening most listened to
was Mr.. Gladstone, of Oxford. He is an
easy, nonchaiast converser, with no elaborate
harangue, but his style was very attractive
While he was speaking there was constant
cry of SHEAR, hear" which sounded like "Yeh-
yeh-yeh." After him came the Chancellor
Of the Exchequer, graceful, fluent statement.
maker. Lord PaImerston pulled off tis hat
and spoke IN slow, careless tone for half an
hour. He does not look so old as l expected.
Sir James Graham, is huge, easy country
gentleman, who sat like man of leisure in
cofee-room. The only outre and shabby
manner, in face, figure and dress, is the
Radical Roebuck, of Sheffield. He has a
waspish petulance in his tone, and is the man
for enquiries" and Investigation" 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'Israe!i looked sarcastic and sullen. He 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 blaze with crimson and gold. As we en-
ter we see the noble Lord Shaftesbury on the
red cushion by the door. beside him, that
handsome youthful face. under the thick gold
en- hair, belongs to the Duke Of Argyle, the
rising hope of Scotch PresbyteriaIs Old
Lord Aberdeen set in deep reveric. Across
the floor, in front of the "woolsacks walks
fesbly an old man in green coat, buff vest. and
check trowsers, with short white hair, and
that uHmistabable turn up nose. AS we look
at the bent, d-crepid veteran, it is hard to rec
ognize in him the once gallant "Harry Brough-
am," of the House of Commons He sits
down by Aberdeen-two antiquities together.
We hear speeches from Lord Camden, Lord
Granville, and the dashy Duke of Newcastle.
The magnificent women in wonder gallery
are the wives and daughters Of the Peers.
do not know enough of millinery to describe
their "rig" for your lady readers but it may
be Of some qualification to your ladies to know
that the lace and pearled bonnets on the heads
of the Duchesses and Countesses were fully
as large as saucer! Their faces were gen.
orally 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 heredi-
tary houses of legislation. Among the forty
or fifty Lords present could recognize in
Lords Brougham, Lynhurst Belfer and Camp
bell, the only men who have attained seats in
that splendid chamber by any other than the
accident of birth. came home last night
american to the core.