The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-09
MONARCHY TN FULL PARADE.
Pomp and Pageantry, Gliding and Tin
sci in the Castle of Privilege.
Opening Of Parliament by the Queen-The
Simple Dress of the American Minister
Refreshing to Democratic Eyes.
London letter in New York star.

/
gress of Vienna thought of Talleyrand's re-
mark last Thursday as my eye sought opt and
rested upon the sole representative of democracy
who assisted at the high ceremonial which mon
archy was holding N the temple of British priv
ilege. There was Minister Phelps, "bien dis
tlngue, sure enough. in his black evening dress
and white shirt, as he sat in the diplomatists
| gallery of the House of Lords, order bespangled
bosoms to right and to left of him, and multi
tudinous sea incarnadine of gorgeous color and
undemocratic pageantry glowing and cleaning
before his eyes The heart of Jeffersonian
| Democrat would have warmed to Minister
Phelps could he have seen him then. so coldly
| but we'll did his undertakerike simplicity mark
| him from that aristocratic crowd. Hip hip,
| hurrah! for the Stars and Stripes and the great
American eagle. the spectator with American
sympathies could not help exclaiming inwardly.
Minister Phelps's black coat is an inspiration.
Here. in full parade is all the power and majesty
of England-the three estates of the realm, the
sovereign, the lords and the commons-yet that
plain, unvarnished man represents power COM
pared to which this pageant is simuacrum, the
power of mighty democracy, where all men are
free and equal, and government Is by the peo-
pie and for the people.
The Queen was opening Parliament in person.
1t is not often her Majesty accords her faithful
Lords and Commons this august distinction.
Since the death of the Prince Consort she has
taken distaste to the performance OF many of
the great public functions of her state, among
them the solemn opening of Parliament. This
duty she has In recent years left to be performed
by proxy by Lords Commissioners, whose cere-
monlaI Is very tame affair. Now her Majesty
was about to break through her usual practice
To Par1i in
Tory Ministry was in power, and the Queen has
never concealed her fondness for the Tories.
This visit to Parliament was to be signal mark
of her preference for next to the coronation and
installation, the opening of Parliament is the
greatest ceremonial in which the sovereign in
England can figure
The Queen was in Buckingham Palace. From
there the royal procession was to start TO the
Palace OF Westminster. as the houses OF Parha
ment called. All the way from Buckingham
Palace to Westminster the streets were lined
with people, behind a Gordon OF policemen eager
to behold tho show. But alas for the show
and the loyal people, the weather was as
horrible as even London can Enthusiastically
snow under foot, and cold. drilling rain stea1
lily falling The decorations in Parliament street
at their best about the paltriest decorations
ever saw; few seedy bits of bunting. with some
American flags figuring prominently among
them-looked dismaliy bedraggled and dirty.
The procession had but poor chance. The cav
alcadesof Royal Horse Guards, in their grtering
culFdSSeS, the SIX carriages drawn Oy SIX nOfSeS
apiece, and conveying all the functionaries of
the royal household: the Exon of the Yeoman
of the Guard and Goldstick and Silverstick in
waiting, inclusive the eight cream colored horses
drawing the carriage of the Queen. each horse
led by a groom; the pursuivants. the heralds,
the royal trumpeters blaring their fanfaronade;
the beef eaters, the yeomen OF the guard in their
Tudor costume. with their clicked stockings,
rosetted shoes, beribboned hats, scarlet jenkins
and halberds at the ''carry"-all this magnif-
icence displayed itself at disadvantage in the
open air until the broad plaza in front of the
peers entrance, where stands Marochettis beau
tiful statue of Ceur de Lion, was reached. and
royalty and its household got themselves within
the warm and stately precincts of Westminster
Palace.
The gilded chamber in which the peers of
England sit presented contrast to the scene
outside. Here every accessory calculated
to add to the dignity and picturesqueness of the
proceedings. The house itself is one of the
most beautiful legislative chambers in the world.
It's walls are covered with frescoes by the great
est artists of England; the galleries and wains-
eotings of dark oak are exquisitely carved, and
the whole effect is softened by tina "dim, relig-
ious light" that penetrates the stained glass win
dows About II o'clock the peers ard peeresses
begin to assemble the peers In their scarlet robes
slashed with ermine, and the peeresseS in full
court costumes, low bodiced dresses. with plumes
noddng, and rivieres of diamonds flashing in
their hair Gradually the house filled up, and
as one after another the lines of peers passed by
scarlet rO0oS, second
"Iolanthe" was irresistibly brought to mind. and
one would hardly have been startled to hear the
orchestra break forth with ''Zing boomT and to
see the peers putting their hands trumpet-fash-
ion to their mouths and marching around to the
chorus of 'Dignifed and Stately" On the
benches OF the house there seemed as many
peeresses as there were peers; the benches by
the walls filed with ladies, peers daughters
and relatives ladies, likewise the daughters,
cousins aud aunts of peers, thronged the CALLER
les on either side, and in the gallery Immediately
facing the throne, also in court dress and
plumes, sat the wives of the members of the
House of Commons By general consent this
was allowed to be the most attractive gallery i'll
the house.
The women seated there held the most gener-
Gus share of beauty-which is not saying too
much, however, for beauty seems to have been
dealt out but sparsely among the female half of the
British peerage-and the gallery itself is one of
the gems of the chamber, backed as it is by
Maclise and Horsley's splendid frescoes repre-
senting the spirit of Justice. the spirit of Relig
ion and tho spirit of Chivalry, set in arched re-
cesSes. 1t was a brilliant, dazzling scene.
have never beheld anything approaching to it as
a spectacular effect in any theater ia Europe or
the United States. And when one reflected that
all this was real life, FIAT there were the symbols
of real power, the appeal to the imagination was
striking indeed Sometimes there was rustic
as parsonage of more than usually prominent.
lady more than usually splendid entered the
chamber. Now it was the Baroness Burdett-
CouCtS, Inc ornaments IN whose diamond tiara
made one doubt whether the Queen herself
could vie with these brilliants. Again it was
his indescribabe Majesty the Sultan of lahore,
whose costume was one blaze of precious stones
and on whose glittering aigrette it was not pos
sible 30 look without blinking. Now the Lords
Justices in full bottomed wigs and gold -embroid-
ed robes, and with them the puisine judges in
scarlet robes and ermine tippets. were making
| their way to their places. Anon attention was
diverted to the bishops, ali. save the one who
was to read the prayers and who wore his lawn
sleeves. arrayed in robes of ermine and scarlet
By and by eyes were turned to the railed-in
space close TO the throne, which was gradually
filed up by the members of the corps diplomat
ique Here it was that my gaze searched and
did not rest until it found out Minister Phelps,
who indeed. joking apart, looked quite dstin-
guished, and whose figure was a relief to look
upon in the midst of the overpowering splendor.
tlrr haf 1oiol