, 1878-05-01
AN ESQULMAUx LEGIsLATUpr

"The idea of a Greenland Parliamen, n
says Dr. Hayes, in his graphic work on
titled the Land of Desolation," "strnOl
me as somthing ludicrous when | fr,,
heard of it; but upon gaining and mi
mate acquaintance with its workings \
changed my mind, and became convinced.
that il all parllGments did their woyL
only halt as well the world would NJ
better governed. lI
NOW, these Greenlauders, or Esoo,
maux, are not prone to be governed; yet
the Danish rule is satisfactory to them
and they submit to it without murmnr
and none the less readily that they lays
II voice in their own affairs. Each lttIe
town or hunting station is at liberty "a
send up representative to,sit in the Par,
lament Of Jnlianashaab. The number a
representatives, is twelve. The name ii
the most important towns besides tn
capital are Ncnoa talrk, FredcricaI
Linchtenan. (thesc two latter missions
Of the Moravian bretlieW Igalliko, Krksi.
ment. The Parliament house is not an |
imposing edifcc, should say its di- |
mcnsions are about sixteen by twenty
feet. 1t is one story high, is built Il
boards. lined on the inside and painted
blue, and on the outside is plastered oyer
with pitch, 1t has no lobby, for the ac-
commodation of people who come to tho |
capital with axes for the public grind
ston, nor committee rooms for the better
confusion of public business. In tho
center OF the one loom there is Al
long table of plain boards, and along
either side there is one long bench Of the /
same material; and on each bench sit Sl
Parliamentarians, dressed in scalskia
pantaloons and boots, and GurnsgH
lrocks, with broad suspenders acyoa
their shoulders. The faces cfthese Pat h
liamentarians ARE all Of a very dusky hM
the color Of their hair is very black, ans
it does not seem to have any greaia
familiarity with combs and brushes thar
their faces with soap and towels. Hoe1
ever, they are an aniable looking pariyN
at least they grin and show their fm 4
white teeth when / enter, and are alto
gether, perhaps, quite clean enough laf
Parliament work. Every man of then
has o pencil in his hand, and piece cb
paper on the table betore hlm, and each
one is busy taking notes thereon as sog1H
of our own honorable members arc saNN
to be in taking ''notcs" of another des-
"The aggregate amount of dignity pcs
sessed by this Parlment was quite WOO
derful. aud was, in truth, as overwhemN
ing rs the fish odor with which twaH
impreganated. But neither the iishy odaX
not the dignity appeared to interfenl
with the transaction OF business; on lbt
,oontray, 9hey seemed to be working awsy
like beavers and, indeed, they disposal
of matters with such an amazing degrG
of pEemptness, that 1 fell instantly n
wondering whether dignity would notb'
good thing to Introduce into Parlisg
ments, Congress, Assemblies, and such
like things generally; and as to fish ai
mosphere have no doubt that it was
quite as wholesome as the atmospheric
of some of our legislative halls, where
lobbyists are so thick about the door \
and avenues, that the party which evu
does 90 is soon done for.
"These Greenland Pariaments seru
an excellent purpose. They take can
of the poor; they render assistance tn
unfortunate; they provide certain mean
Of Furnishing tue iudolent and gull'H
they reward the industrious; and wnel
they adjourn and so home to do tnsn
talking"
BYJ0SH BILLINGS III