The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-12-03
Parliament.

letter from Dr. Ridgway, published
in the Methodist, gives some interesting
accounts of the English Parliament:
BY engagement we FASTENED over to the
Rotunda of the House of Commons to meet
Mr.. Macarthur, who had kindly promised
us admission to the two Houses. He con-
Quoted us personally into the House of
Lords. As we hurried through the CORR
doris, lobby, and throne-rooms, | thought |
had never seen greater magnificence. Peers
of the realm were chatting quietly in groups
of two or more. In one lobby-room |
observed two large paintings of great merit
one, Moses coming down from the Mount,
by McClees: the other, the Meeting of
Wellington and Butcher after the battle of
Waterloo. The historical painter will have
| for his subject another meeting, which has
occurred since, not far from Waterloo,
| which, in its issues, may effect the face of
| Europe i'll the next half century quite as
much as this has done in the last half
Sedan has been added to Waterloo We
could tarry but few minutes in the House
| of Lords. There was no business at the
instant. The Lord Chancellor was on the
"woOlsack,' with his long wig. What
arrant nonsense that sensible men should
cling to form so utterly meaningless
childish, belonging, indeed, to an age of
barbaric pearls and gold A little further
uprising of common sense, and England
will get away from all these foolish trap
pings, which may do very well for the
amusements of a galaday, but are wholly
unseemly for the deliberations of grave
men. Among those assembled in the Lords
were pointed out to me the Duke of Argyll,
a small man with red hair, trig and smart
ish in appearance, the friend of liberal
ideas in politics. conservative and orthodox
in religion the Earl of Salisbury, very
handsome man, and as capable as he is
good looking ; and the Earl of Shaftesbury,
tall, spare, earnest-looking, slightly gray
the evangelical nobleman, whose name is a
household word wherever the English
language is spoken and the cause of human
ity and true religion reverenced. From
the visitors gallery in the House of Com
mons we had good view of the hall and
of the members. Business was proceeding
"a clause in the school bill pending, on
which if so pointless speech could be
on anything in particularly one Mr.. Need
ham was making most exhausting har-
angue. The members were evidently sick
of the discussion, and the gentleman's
words were idle wind.
He sat down, and the question was i'm
mediately taken. The aspect of the hall
is rich, but familiar and home-like. The
speaker wigged and gowned, the clerks,
wigged and gowned, sit at one end-the
speaker on an elevated throne and the
clerks below him; and the members are
seated on parallel benches ON opposite
sides, ranging with gradual ascent. There
are no desks, no writing, rapping and call
ing for pages-all are expected to give atten-
ton to business. Many sit with hats on,
and such hats-real English, highly eleva-
ted in the crown (the measure of an Eng
lishman's dignity being the height of his
crown, and some with feet extended and
fast asleep, recovering no doubt from the
last nights exhausting labors! There
were several animated speeches, chiefly OH
the Neutrality question, and several divi-
sions were taken, the House sustaining the
ministry on every point. The manner of
dividing is peculiar. At first, the question
is stated by the president, and a cira coce
vote is asked. II the result is not disputed
the question is pronounced settled if it is
disputed, the president restates the ques-
ton, and requests the ayes to retire from
the hall by one door and the nays by
another. They are counted by the clerks
as they go out, and the result is announced
by three of the members, who advance to
Several such divisions occurred in the brief
time we sat there. l regretted not to see
either Mr.. Gladstone or Mr.. Dsraeli, the
two great leaders of the House of Com
mons. Mr.. Bruce, the Home Secretary,
and the Attorney-General. a very able man,
conducted the debate on behalf of the
administration. The Attorney General is
4 man of decided ability. As specimen
Of the absurd rules of the House, ladies
are only allowed in gallery separated by
a wire screen, where they can see but can
not be seen. Now, of what advantage is
it to a lady to see if she can't be seen? And
it is not permitted to any one in the gal
leries, except the authorized reporters, to
take a note. The members evidently do
not mean to be sketched. While sitting
and wondering, as it grew dark, how the
hall would be lighted, in the twinkling of
an eye the softest, mellowest, and most
grateful light was diffused from the roof,
falling gently throughout the building. l
could not give any adequate description Of
the Parliament building as whole. 1t is
grand in proportions, rich in execution,
Astounding with the statues of great orators
in the interior, and with elaborate carvings
on the outside. The stone of which it is
built is not durable, SO that while yet new
building it is beginning to crumble. For
real beauty and majesty, it is not nigh the
equal of our Capitol at Washington.