The New York herald., 1870-03-08

IlCuiy bt3l06H WiH00W8 C&8Whx s0oa ho00S "a sur
dued light; lts carvings and statuary towering cam
delabrA aud respiendent throne-instead OF proving
effective ~ they do when the queen Is prescns n per
son, only tend to make the display moro wretched.
some half dozen peers. OF the unaisnngulshod order
intellectually. are scattered over wilderness
OF crimson leather covered benches, capable
or accommodating ave hundred. About double
the number Of d0wagera anu marchonesses whose
collective diamonds would more than pnrcnase some pm
marck, occupy seats between their lords ana pro-
iectors score OF people. chieny retainers OF the
tickets OF admission, j0stle each other in the gal
ieries. These form the scanty and somewhat coma
tose audience before whom. year alter year, the
Just as two O'Clock Is booming from the great
clock IN the Victoria tower overhead there Is an
almost scarcely perceptibe hltter IN the gorgeous
place. indicative OF something about to transpire.
Messengers encumbered with their gilt chains and
badges OF 0nice hurry to and iro In that mystic.
rousy dignnsd manner thar IL so characteristic of
understrappers who enjoy the privilege or being
dressed IN little brief authority under constitu-
thirtietR time the maxnificant amplitude Of their
dresses or whisper to each other words OF comment
;n o. OF inlerrosation from behind their iana Noble
golden boxes, settle tnemse ives more emphatically
upon the luxurious couches and strain their eyes IA
the direction Of the door that guarded with the
brazen gates to catch the first glimpse OF tho pro-
cesSt0n as Il enters.
Some ioresnadowing OF what this is likely to be
can be gathered from the partial view behind the
scenes which one can snatch through the opening
OF the doorway. Beyond, III the gaudlly decorated
sufficiently odd when 1t Ia considered VINO are the
djaaats peysOnlP who take rart IN II. Noble dukes
who are members OF the Cabinet; nOolemen ukhers
Oh her Majestys household, and the terrible aud dig
nined Lord Chancellor himself are TO be seen beng
dressed by their r6taners Tor the part whlch they
have to play in the proceedings. DinRy scarlet
cloaks, trimmed With ermihe. are hastily thrown
over Tie shoulders OF my lord dukes and my right
hOnorables and. unceremonlousiy buttOned at the
cnln, when proceeding gives those OF them cspe-
clally who have sharp noses slngularly pnched
and woebegone aspect Curiously shaped three.
coraered cooked hats. like unto those worn In the
oden times by the train bands and municipal guards.
are tnen placed on the arIstocratic heads BY the
thus prepared, are duly marsnalea by Black Rod.
aad enter the House III grave and somewhat dolor-
now THEY READ THE QUEENS SPEECH.
Than the noblemen who acted as royal commits.
sioners on Tuesday and discharged the duties OF
royalty III the aosence OF her Majesty, more f0rOrn
and detected company could not have been ina
gined CoakB and hats are alike too Dig for them;
and as the former reach down to their toes and are
bnttoned close under the chin my lords look as II
they half frozen. Five III all, the Lord Chancei
ior in the midst they take their seats upon GRIM
son stuffed form IN front OF the Thrones and the ex
cecdng gravity OF their features half smOthered IN
cumbrous cooked hats and cloaks, causes the huge
chamber 10 look stiil more areary and anGomiorta-
ling OF strangers In the gallery strive 10 look inter-
esting, aud doubtless consider themselves highly
privileged IN being permitted TO look, face to lace
upon sucn q spectacle. Sonorously the Lord Chan
ceilor reads the letters patent authorizing the COM
missioDers TO open Parliament IN the name OF the
queen, and then dispatches messenger Black Rod
TO the lower house 20 summon the members TO hear
ner sajesty's reasons for assembling tnem And the
ing OF strangers SIT expectant patiently awaiting
wnat is 10 happen.
TIE "UGLY RUSH,
suddenly, In the deep pause and stiffness OF the
chgaeer, there arises without Il noise ana tumulI,
like unto stampede ana the cry Is raised that the
Commons are coming. Fighting their way along
the corridors they struggle with each Otner for pre-
cedence, ana they enter the dec0rous upper house
WIN rush and cluster like bees around their
Speaker q. the bar. The accommodation Tor MEN,
bers OF tne lower house Is very limited, and AZ
every one Is anxious TO be present there invariably
Mucn hubbub and confusion. 1t ls Observable on
the present occasion that not single man Of emil
nence comes up with the Commons TO hear what her
DsraeIi Bright Lowe and tie rest are all absent ~
are also Earl Granville, tine Earl OF Clarendon, tue
Duke of Argyle and the ''Dg wigs' OF the House VI
PSers. FROM this fact alone II becomes clear to
hd0ttnlS that the opening vi Parliament II to be
very tame and commonplace affair. Commonplace
and unnteresting 1t Is OF surety. Tho Lord Chan
ceor reads alouu the Queen s speech, which Is
found this rear to be more than usually ungram-
matical and ambiguous, In tone that sounds start
lingly distinct In the nearly empty chamber. Hav-
ing accomplished this task, his Lorushp lifts his hat
aud bows to the Speaker, the Speaker lifs his has
twelve peeressss and sprinkling OF strangers In the
gallery smile complacently al eacn other, as though
tney nave been assisting a. great solemnity and
opened in name and by sutnoriEy Of her puissant
Majesty Victoria.
True TO their instincts OF sefcomfort the Faith
rul' Commons no sooner hear the last paragraph
OF the Queens message intoned than they rush back
III not haste to their own chamber each anxious to
good seat, the House being too small for tho
accommodation OF the whole OF the members. By
the the Speaker gets into his char again there
Is great muster on the benches and the air Is filled
with babel Of conversation, the chief topic pro.
sunably being the Irish Land bill and the policy OF
the Ministry with respect 10 It, One notable feature
wnicn strikes the observer il the largo predoml-
nance Of radical members IN the present Parliament
They SIT on The Ministerial side. but divided from
the stanch government supporters by passage or
Every seat available for them II occnpled
and sney look indeed a very formidable host which
will test all Mr.. Gladstones tact aud Reneralship
manage.
Ministers and the distinguished members Of the
opposition are on this occasion, SLOW IN arriving.
Not uHtil the business Is actually commenced does
Mr. Dlsraeli put in an appearance. When he comes,
even VINO have not before had the privilege OF see-
ing him cannot fail at once recognizing the form and
features OF nun .wno slew SIR Robert Peel'' and
granted nouseh0id suffrage to the English nation.
TAI ana gaunt looking. with face mysterious ~ .
Sphinx, and features that have been wasted and
worn by years OF hard intellectual struggle, he at
once arrests the attention OF the 0nlOOker. He
wears plain, black fr0ck coat neggently buttoned,
carries his hat IN his hand aud socltousy iondles
solitary glossy black curl that depends over
the centre OF his ample fOrehead-a curl which ~
the sole survivor OF the luxuriant crop that made
VIVIAN Grey 50 famous in the palmy days OF the
Countess Of Blesslngton and witty Count dOrsay.
Deliberately he walks up the floor OF the House.
swinging his nat 10 and fro with the air OF . man
who ~ thoroughly conscious OF MS position and
with kind Of sefseeking ostentatIon that seems
10 court the applause Of tne assembly. None, how
ever, IL vOucnsaled to hiul. Conservative squres,
country gent lemen and loxhunters arc present in
scores but not cheer do they raise Tor the man
shat reorganlzed their party when II was routed aud
led them thrice into office. Him they lear and hate,
and the consequence IS that, except when nc is
scorchlng their adversaries with the fierce fire OF hi
SARCASM and wit they never display any enthusiasm
towards him or encourage him with the shouts thai
are 80 dear to tho Parliamentary orator. he does
not pay any heed to The Implied slight m THIS In.
stance, but takes hts seat grmy well knowing that
whether they love him or hate him they must &C.
ccpt him.
Quite different IL the reception awarded to Mr..
Gladstone. Scarcely does ne make his appearance
when there goes up . shout from all the berai
bancnea cheer that Is intended not only TO assure
hun OF their continued support but to warn the
tories that they ful fa th In the wisdom Of the
radical measures about TO be submitted 10 PRria-
mcnt
The Queens speech having been read by the
Speaker 1t ls the duty OF the lower house to send
up reply to the Throne III the shape OF address,
congratu!atlng her Majesty upon Inc prosperity OF
the country ana assuring her Of their continued
loyalty. 1t Is accounted great honor to have the
privilege OF moving and secOnding the adoption OF
tne ADDRESS, and the PRIZE Minister invariably Sc
lects ior this duty two new members, warm adne-