New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-22


inoned at ListoweI on the charge of seditous con-
spiracy.
THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.
QUEEN vIcToRIA's POLITICAL BAs-sCENEs IN THE
HOUSE OF LoKDs-THE Rx-PREMER AS AN
oRAToR--HIs POWER OF IMPRESSION IN DEBATE
--rHE DREAM OF naPERIAnIsM REALIZED TO BE
ONLY DREAM.
srRox the REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
LONDON, Jan. 7.--As matter of mere ceremony,
nothing can be less splendid than the opening OF
Parliament when it is not opened by the Queen IN
person. Yesterday it was opened by commission.
and there was so little of stateliness or pageant
about the performance that very few people indeed
took the trouble to see it. Last year Her Majesty
eraciously bestowed tho favor of her royal presence
upon her Legislators. This year she finds it incon-
venient to leave Osborne Last year Lord Beacons'
field was Prime Minister. This year Mr.. Gladstone
is Prime Minister. Her Majesty is the most consti-
tutional Of soyereigns, but there are occasions
when she appears to indulge her private pref
erenoes In such vanites are purely spectacular,
there s perhaps no great reason why she should not
have her own way Her readiness to lend lustre to an
important political function when Lord Beacons6eld
Is the chief political figure in it, and her reluctance
!, TO do the same thing when Mr.. Gladstone is the
chief political figure. may be merely accidental CO.
ncidences IL gossip says il is something than
that the Queen. enrelf cannot be held responsible
for gossip. There are people who remark on these
coincide7ces=Nbich have .been rather numerous,
There are those who say that at TINS moment es-
pecialy when the Queens authority has to be reas-
serted in rebeous and all but revolted island, she
would have consulted the dignity of her station
and promoted tho welfare of the realm
over which she rules if she had appeared
in person at the opening Of Parliament, which is to
be asked 70 coniide unusual powers to her Govern
ment But these are high matters, and must be
passed over It Is enough to note that the cere-
mouial part of the business which was entered
upon yesterday bore no proportion to the real grav
ity of the business itself
Az ID was understood that Lord Beaconsfeld
would speak on the Address, went down to the
House OF Lords just before O. and, under the friendly
guidance of half a dozen policemen, found my way
to the gallery. The dimly lighted chamber
vas half ful ef Peers. The side gal
]eriss were tenanted by Peeresses and their
female friends, all in bonnets and furs. The
Diplonatio gallery was almost empty. The only
PARTS of the house well filed were those assigned to
the press and the public, yet, compared with the ap-
of the place on ordinary occasions, seemed
aluoss crowded, Their lordships had adjourned
altar hearing the speech read by the Lord Chaneel-
lor three hours before. The sitting now held was
for debate and for the hearing Of debate. Ii was
noticeable that the muster on The Liberal benches
represented much greater proportion OF the actual
Liberal strength than did that the Tory side OF the
whole Tory forces, which outnumber the Liberal by
somerhne like I'VE to one. Quite third Of the entire
Gathering was ON tho right of the Lord Chancellor.
Ministers were in great force. Bland Lord Granville
had on his right Lord Kimberley with his matter-of-
fact face and on MS left the Duke of Argyll. who
1ookea rs be usually looks, convinced that he was
the cheftaip, and these were his clansmen. Behind
them sat the mover and seconder OF the Address,
young Lord Carington. in scarlet and younger
Lord YarDorcugh in the more modest blue and silver
OF some yeomanry corps. Save the Bishops. who
were In their iawnsleeved Rowns,the Lord Chan
celor who wore robe and wig and the clerks at the
table equsliy rphed and wigged, these two young
fellows wers the only ones in all tho assembly not
clad In the sombre and commonplace habiiments OF
medsxn men about town IN the mornlng-moruing
lasting here always until eight o'clock dinner.
They carried it OF well, and 4. spoke
Their prepared pieces like clever frstform boys with
whom tl,s headmaster had taken unusual pains
pfIm Lord Shaftesbury sat hard BY, with genial
Z srd Houehton for company, much increasing the
ptherwise chilly temperature. On the second bench,
but not directly behind the Minister'S, sat Lond
Roseberg. with his strong, well-featured face and
look Of having already seen most things worth see
ius. Ths Prince Of Wales proved his princeiV I'M
paxtiaits By taking place on the cross benches
xhseh Il the more oredtable 20 him because they
hsssno backs aad cannot be comfortable. The Duke
OF Cambrdee was By bis gide soldiers having no
more politics than heirs apparent Of the Grown but
the Duke Of Edinburgh. though as much sailor as
the Duke Of ofCambridgsis is soldier, ranged himself
sEons the opposition. Lord Derby, who for some
time after his Withdrawal from Lord Besconshelds
government. sst on the halfway benches. has now
gore clean ACROSS tls floor and taken post on the