Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-02-15
RICHMOND WHIG.
AN ENGLISH STATE CEREMONIAL.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE OPENING OF PAR
LAMENT.
From the London Times of Jan %.

of regal pomp and solemn ceremony which bef
the annual celebration of these birthdays of cOnsttu
ton. How is it that this ceremony always the same is
yet always new? There is something in it beyond the
mere splendor of pageantry. There is always fresh
mpreSSveness about the reassemblng OF the great de-
! Lucrative assembly OF the world-there is sublime
meaning in the rich spendor which surrounds the
there is knowledge that the meeting is called tOgeth
minister to the progress OF almost half the human
| race, which raises the ceremonial high beyond the
sphere of routine grandeur aud marks each repetition of
it conspicuous epoch in the annals OF freedom aud civ
/ ihzltiOn.
Yesterday the interest seemed keen and lively
ever, oIt of DOORS where the streets muddy
and the weather certainly not that popularity known
Queens weather. There was the usual crowd inside
the Palace, waiting admission to the House ofLords
at g O'clock and displaying in their midest forms those
subdued tokens of animation which pass for eageTneSS
and curiosity in patrcau circles. Some few there
also Who abandoned TO the of their ways mistook
among the many labyrinthne uruiDgs in the build
ing and meanderiug through guided corridors,
till they only saved by careful ushers from seeking
refuge on the throne ITSELF Five minutes after the open
ing Of the doors all the the Ministerial side of
the House crowded by OF magnihcenty dress
ed ladies' while the Opposition side some five or six
'were thinly scattered to make up show The cause
of this difference, however from lack of zeal
among the fair supporters of the Opposition, but from
the simple fact that those the Ministerial side not
PeeresSes, but ladies who have received tickets to view
the ceremony and who by being in their places the in
SAut the doors open show their anxiety TO be present
| as much as they possibly
From II till O'Clock the arrivals quick and hume
rous and the body OF the House gradually assumes that
wonderful p2rcrrC-ke aspect, glowing and varied
in its thousand uts that bright mixture OF coOrs which
everybody speaks of though can describe. Not
opening of Parliament passes without the chrOuicer
of events having mark some changes in the accus-
toned OF things, and yesterday proved no excep
ton to the rule. As the ladies' sat closer and closer
gether frst six then seyen then eight and At last nine
upon a moderate bench, great light flashed upon all
hehOldaGs and tley saw that the reign v ciinoine
oycr-the literal and metaphOrcal iron despuii>m of
fashion broken at last. The exceptions to this rule,
it is true neither few nor uumpor1nt but still they
were the exceptions and, taken whole, the sitting
space allowed by that sumptUary censor the Lord Cham
bcrlain, generally allowed to be enough.
One O'Clock came aud not a single peer was present -
Chief Baron Pollock indeed entered an appearance but,
evidently demurrug 10 his isolated position Withdrew
after few minutes During this interval the rain clouds
so Obscured the light that 1t dic cult TO distinguish
faces across the House, and it seemed improbabe
that the opening ceremonial might for the first time take
| place by lamp light. few minutes after one O'Clock,
aud looking every inch his tte the Queens most
ancient Sergeant, who himself in remote corner
OF the Judges bench and almost obscured under mas
,ye wig remains solitary as the sage bird of Minerva
the first and only male representative Of the great dgni-
arics Of the land yet in that chamber The messengers
exert themselves to make the ladies sit little closes in
some cases without success. On the whole howey-
FOR it. since what Is 10 be done with batch of young
peeresses who won't be crowded and who listen the
pcTpeNed officials remOustrauces with courteous smiles
hut still don't mOvey few minutes after one o'clock
and two three Of those distinguished Orena!s who
have got be considered among tue properties,
these States occasions make their customary appearance
exactly at the time and in the same place. Their
| arrival OF creates small sensation, almost
AMOUNTING TO SOrrOwiu amaZement among their fair
ueigbbors they gaze their kincob scaris bright
|
ric gold and gems
By and bv other celebrities crowd upon the scene
Lord Mou-eage being the baron, followed by Earl STAN
hope, Baron Chluucl, the Danish aud Brazilian MIMI
ters Lord POrtman Earl Carnaryon, the Sarduian Min
ster and at halpas, precisely the Lord Chan
ceor Campbell all in full uniform or robes OF state
From this time the House nils more rapidly, and the
doors of the Princes Chamber are wide open through
which are caught gmSes OF Life Guardsmen, Peers Am
hassadOrs and Judges, in brilliant groups The loruS
: rgeautat-A Arms the Patrick Talbot last makes his
appearauce-uot heretofore, in that slest Of uni
forms, like the buckram of eleven one one, but
in the sOmbre official dress decorated with large white
satin bows on each shoulder Lord LlanOvers robes as
baron contrast brightly among those Of older peerages,
aud after him come the Duke of Newcastle the Ameri-
can Minister the Hauoverian and Greek Minister'S and
the Duke OF Cambridge, who stays, usual near the
steps of the throne The Bishop of London il the first
on the episcopal bench where after while, comes the
Archbishop OF Canterbury with the Bishops Of Winches
ter and Carlisle.
COL Clifford. the son Of Sir Augustus Clifford, acts in
the place OF the late Mr. Pullman, Deputy Ushur of the
Black Rod while Sir A. Clifford himself attends in place
Of the Lord Chamberlain, Lord WillougLby dE esby.
Sir f. Gust seems to be in strict charge Of the dipo-
mario CORPS which j. gradually reinforced by the Nor
wegian Belgian aud Swedish Minister'S with the Ambas-
sadors Of France and Turkey The Duke of Argyle in
Ministerial uniform stands near the bar for few min
utes aud surveys the with airy loiness, then
retres to put his robes of state passing in his way
Lord Cardigan sauniering usual so slowly up the
House. The judges drop in in wos or hrees all con-
yersng in OS with their heads together, as they
,J in AN ominous group of thirteen in front of the Lord
Chancellor As Is generally the those occasions,
not d single prominent leader of the Opposition IS
| present.
At ten minutes past two o'clock the sound Of rumpets
is heard usher enters in great hurry and uters
few words which have magical elect on all present. for
the peers rise and with immense rustng of silks and
,atins the ladies follow the example, and at signal
move their shaws aud opera cloaks scarcely is this hur
red operation over which, may readily be imagined
involves an immense amount of subsequent arrangement
of rufed toilets the door of the House open and
their Royal Highnesses the Prncesses Alice and Helena
enter the former rich blue dress with rich white lace
over the latter in simple white dress Both take their
seats on the wOOsack facing the throne, aud with their
backs TO all Others in the House The Duk, Of Cam
bridge crosses to them aud remains 10 conversation
while the rest of the House sits mute gazing all upon
that rich uncomfortable, and strictly gothic throne, with
its stragt hard back and very angular arms, which, il
appearances to be trusted, would seem TO indicate
that the uneasnes is always reserved for the heads
that a crown.
Precisely at a quarter past two, the doors again
thrown Open the House rises and amid long flourish
of rumpets the procession preceding Her Majesty enters
the House. Tue lerads are first, bOwng stly in their
awkward gorgeous abards they pass the Prncesses
the Kng-atArus carrying his loyalty far TO bow al
ternateiy them aud to the empty throne. Then cone
Earl Granville with the Sword of State; the Marquis OF
Winchester with the Cap OF Maintenance; the Marquis
of Salisbury with the Crown the Duke of Norfolk, with
bis baton as Hereditary Earl Marshall the Lord Chan
cellor with the Great Seals Her Majesty superbly
robed in silver tissue wiki train OF crimson velvet lined
with ermue A magnificent stOmacher of diamonds
completely concealed the front OF the dress and Oh her
head was the high massive demicrown of briants usu-
ally worn on these occasions Prince Albert in the uni
form of a fed-marsha sits the left of the throne
Her Majesty having requested their LOrdships to lie
seated the Commons were forthwith summoned the in
eryal which elapsed was passed in solemn sience-the
Queen contrary her custom, not speaking to any of
the high perSonageS who stood around her. the faithful
Commons being selected by ballot not now formal
ly rushing on like the gods in the gallery on Boxing
Night on the contrary they steadily upto the bar,
the Speaker leading and his right Lord Palmerson.
Just however rs the speech begun their great
deal of noise, which oocaSoned general "hushing
and brought the Queen almost pause, but after this
the most rigid silence prevailed.
THy GALE IN New YOEE.-A terrible gale of wind,
which in violence and destructive effect exceeded any
thing of the kind within the experience of years swept
over the Atlantic seaboard on Thursday night The city
of New York and the surrounding waters visited
with extreme severity The gale did not reach its height
rnt after sunrise on FRIDAY as il was between aud