The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-02
THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND.


the death Of her consort, about four years
agO,--a seclusion in which she seemed
abandoned to morbid grief, from which
the often limited or expressed prayers of
her subjects could not call her forth. 1t
is customary for the sovereign to open
Parliamentatits annual session by read
ing an address," the said address having
been usually written by the ministers of
State and read by some high officer.
This year, -four weeks ago. to the joy Of
all Great Britain and the especial delight
of all the London shopkeepers, the
Queen most graciously vouchsafed (as
they would express it, to visit Parlia-
ment and open it according to her old
custom, after four years intermission.
The scene was SO exciting, not to say un-
comfortable to the spectators, that we
will give some account Of it to our read
ers. 1t must be promised that grand
procession of robed dignitaries had first
thoroughly searched the cellars with
lanterns, las was described in the Gazette
last week, to make certain that no Guy
Fawkes was lurking
'To blow up Queen ''and Parliament
With dreadful gunpowdire."
No h0rrid monster was found, and
consols held their own in consequence.
The great day arrived, and an immense
concourse of people collected to witness
the pageant of the Queens procession
from Buckingham Palace to the Parlia-
ment House, a distance of about half q
mile. 1t started in due season. Seven
coaches, each drawn by six cream
colored horses, conveyed the royal party
and their attendants. The crowd were
curious and courteous, but not demon
strative; the bells of the neighborhood
rang forth their merriest peals, and joy.
GUS music filled the air of beautiful,
May-like day. The scene changes to
the interior of the House of Lords
which was crowded, while the galleries
were packed with throng Of people
gorgeously dressed. OF the Queen her
self we learn that
"She was looking exceedingly we'll
stout and in good spirits as anybody had
Alright to expect. With her usual tact
she had changed her black dress for pur-
pie of SO dark hue as to look like
mOurning--but royal mourning--trim.
med with miniver and Grape, and wore
her favorite Mary Stuart head dress, full
OF melancholy suggestiveness, Orna-
mented with Ebrlllia hts, and a small
coronet of sparkling sapphires and dia.
monds. She had on, also, a diamond
necklace and cross the latter containing
miniature of her dead husband) the
koh-i-noOr as q brooch, the star of the
order OF the Garter, and the Victoria
and Albert Order"
When the Queen had taken her seat
the members of the lower house were
admitted, and with what dignity they
entered, may be learned from the fol
lowing account given by an eye wit
ness -
'There was presently heard outside a
hullaballOO, wild uproar, as of Donny.
brook broken loose; and then there lit.
orally bundled into the bar the Speaker
and Sergeant-at-Arms, 'chevied' and
showed by hoard of excited M.P.,s.
who fought and scrambled for sight oil
the proceedings i'm manner delightful
to witness, but utterly undignitied at
the moment, and unpleasant TO share.
The want of training in traditional ETH
quette on the part of the new members
has, as might be expected, not been
slow in making itself apparent. When
the Speaker started from the Lower
House for the House of Lords, in order
TO hear her Majesty's Speech, he was
not only followed with announcement
closeness, but hustled by disorderly
mob, chiefly composed of the recently
elected, who swept away his trainbearer
and intercepted the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Sir Charles Gray, and other
leading members of the Government,
from supporting the Speaker at the bur;
ana when they had entered, it was par
tlculariy remarked that among the fore
most members MIR. Gladstone was now
very visible. We, ourselves, behed the
first cOmmoner of the realm, while in
the very act of making his bow. thrust
violently against the edge of the bar
and that too in the region of The
stomach; q sight at which all who yalue
Constitutional principles-in every
sense-wOuld have .shuddered. Sir
Charles Wood was all but impaled
upon the sharp carvings of,fh oaken lion
rampant; while the sword of Mr.. Ser
geant-at-Arms seemed to be entangled
with several legs at once.
The wisdom of the nation, as repre-
sented by these gentlemen, was in a
state of ferment and the Wisdom of the
nation, more especially, knew not where
to put its hat. They wriggled. and
crushed, and showed, while cries of
Order, and Kisses and 'wheeshes' onlv
made matters worse. One of the
members had to make most valiant
efforts to prevent his being through a
small door, OH the Inside of which sat a
peer, who looked up in Indignation, and
horror, and astonishment. Among
those who pushed their way almost to
the bar was Mr.. Thomas Hughes; and
when subsequently saw the M. p. for
Lambeth on the stair, he was looking
as innocent as possible. Order was at
length restored by the process of mutual
suff0oation. aTG'
Inc speech was read by Lord Gran
worth, but was inaudible to all but a
few, and the Queen nodded assent to the
different paragraphs, to give assurance
that she endorsed the sentiments. The
point of special interest to us, is her
congratulations that our civil war ia
ended, and that slavery is abolished.
We have no doubt that her sympathies