The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-04-26
THE CANADIAN COUNCIE:!

4 GRAPHIC PEN SKETCH or IIIE'
no USE or COMMONS.t |nu
~
Forms and ceremonies--rhe' daily rou-
tene--Catechising the government
The operations OF civil service.
The difference between the ways
of Brother Jonathan and John Bull
are nowhere moro ,strikingly, dis
played than in the legislative assem-
blagos of the respective nations
While Canada, in many respects,
conforms to the hnbits and Gus:
toms of the United States. she still
observes in the House Of Commons
the formalities, observed il the.
Mother Country. a 4 correspr6n-s
dent Of the Nov York Hetald, re-,
Gently visited that body, which is
now in session at Ottawa Che CAPT
tai of the Dominion, and he gayo a,
graphic description of the manner.
in which legislation is there con
Quoted. a'r 'lA ':.- '.i.. '.'.
All the discussions have reference
entire to local interests and some of
the most insignificant of subjects
have occupied ho,trs of useless de-
bate. The appointment of a light,
house keeper or tho addition of
forty dollars TO u salary is apparent
ly treated with as much gravity as
an Investigation of the public &C,
counts. Every opportunity is em
ployeds to discoverAaweak point in
the armor Of therrespeotive parties,
and not n Question is presented, no
matter what may be- it's magnitude,
which does not develope strong
partisan feeling. Melnbefs of. the
two sides may dine fratefnally an
hour after session, but while they
are aligned as opponents on the
floor the limit of parliamentary po-
liteness isyoften reacLetla parlia-
mentary1hdd is scAttofed by the
buc kctful. A goodly proportion of
the seats are left vacant during a
dull days session, and it is only
when the electric button is touched
by the Sergeant-at-Arms to an
nounce "division," and little bells
tingle this warning in every saloon
and smoking room of tho vast
edifce that tho Commoners como
hunying in to resume their places.
1t is now that the House is seen to
It's best advantage, with it's fine coll
lection Of physiques, strong faces
and intellectual heads. The style of
debate is essentially practical, and
without effort at oratorical effect; in
many instances there is hesitation
half stammering, "Mr Speaker, I
urer urrer" manner, as if the honor
able members ideas we're in panic
and jostling each other in frantic
endeavor to get out of his mouth,
but in all cases there seems to be
pride taken in the use, of choice
language and grammatical construc-
ton.
Members are not allowed to read
from written manuscript, and when
toward the late hours of the noun
ing there, is an evident talk for
buncombe and speech has, become
tedious, jewsharps are played, chairs
crenked, blue books tossed about
noisily and other gentle manifesto
tions of jolly impatience appear,
The rules with reference to debate
are very strict. No member can
speak except to motion which is
in regular form before the House,
and when he rises to address the
chair ho must uncover if he has pre-
vously worn his hat Should he in
advertently say "Gentlemen" instead |
of Mr. Speaker" he will -be called to
order, though in the Senate q
speaker addresses himself to ''Hon-
Ofable gentlethen3OI8> Ny0 OT !
THE ROUTINE OF A DAYS BUSINESS
is somewhat as follows: i
The House meets at three o'clock /
p. M, when the Speaker, clerk,
clerk S assistant and second clerks
assistant, all arrayed in silki gowns
and black dress (the former wearing
cooked hat), preceded Jby the
Sergeant Rt-AATms Ibearipg,the mace,
file into the chamber. Tho mace, o.
richly gilded instrument, surhtouit-