Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-01
A NIGHT
IN the HOUSE or COMMONS OF HfR
MAJESTYS
Imperial Parilamsnt-Seenes in the loboy
A View Of the Houss-Ihe Way
Business is Transae,ed- Glad
stones Great Speech "A
Memorable Occasion.
DISCUSSION or The FAMOUS IRISH
LAND BILL.

Special cOrrespondsnee Of the Register.
LONDON, May II.
The House OF Commons OF Her Ma
jesty's Imperial Parliament, held an in
terestins and memorable session las'
night. The question under considers
ton was the famsus Irish Land Bill, sup
ported 30 strongly by Mr.. Gladstone and
the present government. Being prop
riyLintroducedsin = letter from Hon.
Samuel ]. Randall to the Right Honora'
ble Henry Brand, Speaker of the House
Of Commons, i obtained q seat in the
House gallery, denoted as the Speakers.
As the House meets at O'Clock every
evening during the session, / wended
my way to the Parliament building
shortly after 3 o'clock yesterday, to wit
ness the busy scenes, not merely in the
House itself, but in those parts OF the
building which lead to it. The appear
ance of the Westminster lobbies may
generally be taken as an accurate index
OF the character of the debate impend-
ing or in actual progress, and the merest
tyro may infer from the composition
Of the crowds that throng the pass
ages whether it is the Bib,e, OF
beer, or Irish affiirs which engage
the attention OF Her Majesty's Faith
full Commons" on any given evening.
Last night was an Irish evening, and
the nationality OF the imminent discus
sion was shown in the composition oi
the knots OF gentlemen standing in and
about the members lobby. Every va
riety OF the Hibernian accent was audi.
Bile, from their thin, nipping brogue ol
/ Dublin, to the rich broad roll oil
Cork. Some OF these sons OF the
Emerald Isle we've the correspond
ents of Irish newspapers waiting
for any intelligence they might
be able to pick up, or perhaps to receive
| from one OF their compstriots who was
going to enlighten the House during the
evening with his orstory, full and cor.
rect report Of the as yet undellyered
speech. Others were possessed OF q
spirit Of feverish anxiety to know
whether certain petitions would be pre-
sented. In the actual lobby OF the
| House were TO be seen the elective leg
islators in little knots OF three and four
discussing with each other, or with
| friends and constituents, the events
and the rumors OF the times; newsps.
paper editors who have the entree oi
the place, button.holing some
great man with view OF learning State
secrets. The doors of the House are
constantly swinging backward and for
ward. White haired janitors guard the
portal on either eide. The air is full oil
| the buzz Of conversation, and all ia mo
| tinn and lite. Entering the gallery,
observed just opposite, at the northern
end of the House, the Speaker in his
chair on a small elevated dias. He wore
huge white wing, resembling that
which is a part OF the full court costume
OF an English Judge or Queens coun'
sci, which concealed his features, and
his voice was 30 low that when he stated
a question wondered who heard him.
Before the Speaker were three clerks at
the table, who also wore, in virtue oil
their office. wigs and gowns. On the
other end OF the long table the mace
1.-THE same that was so rudely handled
by Cromwell's forces) rests during th
sitting of the House. The rows ot
benches, covered with green leather, on
which the members sit, rise on both
sides from the floor after the manner oi
our old fashioned meeting houses. The
first bench on the Speakers right Is oc'
cupied by the ministry, headed by MIR.
Gladstone, and on the left the opposl.
ton leaders, headed by Sir Stafford
Nothcote. Directly behind these leaders
on each side sit the answering
supporters OF the two leading par
ties. The rows OF seats are divided
by a small inter space to admit OF the
passage TO and fro OF members, which is
known as the gangway, and below the
yangwsy sit the independent English
members and below them, as we'll as
intermingled with them, the Irish Home
Rule members. The members came In
slowly last night till the benches were
filed, in all cases crowded. They had
no place to put their hats so they gen
orally kept them on, after having salut
ell the Speaker on entering. In ihis
curious way they do business. II they
write il must be on their hats or by
holding their note books before them
il they speak it must be in the midst oil
the feet of their neighbors. A care has
been taken to limit the accommodations
in the gallery to two hundred or less.
There is no necessity for loud talking
in the chamber Itself and, OF course, 1T
tie chance for orstory and much less
for defamation. Hence the habit OF col
loouial discussions. Immediately above
the Speakers throne, are the represen'
tatives Of the press, seated in two rows.
Still further mp in the direction of the
rlof. YOU will perceive an iron graf
ing i'm the wall, whence there
look out the faces OF ladies. This IN
deed IS the ladies' gallery, better known
AS the cage, and though many proposals
have been made TO do away with the
railing which obscures their view, the
step has always been resisted on the
ground tha. il would tend to distract
the attention Of the honorable members
from parliamentary business Parlia'
ment is supposed to be sitting IN secret
and without the attendance Of any visl-
tors. Upon the request oil any memoei
the gsllaries may be cleared. This wai
illustrated not long since when mem,
Der, Mr.. Bigger, espying the Prince oI
Wales in the gallery moved that II be
cleared, and out went His Royal High
ness as well as the plebian stranger
The member did this for no other reason
than to gain q lit lie cheap notoriety
There are galleries occupied by members
unable to get to seats in the House
proper, by peers, ambassadors and other
ilIustrious personsges. The House
opened Yesterday with considerable
private business to attend to. This !:
The name given TO all measures promo
ted by railway companies, gas com
NAMES, water companies, municips
corporations or private individuals
Every thing that passes with reference
10 these bills in the House OF Commons
is. with scarcely an exception
purely formal. The private bill
alter having been read hrs
and second time. the readin,
simply consisting of q motion that i
shall be so read, is referred to selec
committee who pass the measure, senC
II back to the Commons for the thir(