New-York tribune., 1886-02-14
THE QUEEN AT WESTMINSTER
OPENING PARLIAMENT THE SCENE IN THE
HOUSE OF LORDS.


combination of melting snow and thick mud which
London is most proud of. There came not n ray of
sunshine to enliVen the scene or to encourage
loyalty. The Queen was to open Parliament IN
person Not for six years had she transacted tlls
ceremony ; not since that February III 1850 when
her beloved Lord BeacOnsded still held the once ol
Prime Minister which ne was so soon to lay down.
Absit oaon cry the Conservatives: not without
reason and but too vainly The Gladstone Ministry
has come and gone in the interval and the partlsans
of MI Gladstone remark wrathfully that il is Only
for Tory Government that the Qneen will show
herself TO her faithful Commons and more faithful
Barons at the beginning OF a Parliamentary session.
Within and without the House of Lords the
mOny is so splendid that it seems pity Her Majesty
will not Oftener undertake it. Once year would
not pail on the public, nor has London so many
spectacles as to grow easily weary of them. There
is great turnout of people for this i'll spite of the
weather. | had been warned lnecdlcSsly rs it
proved 10 be early in my place at the House, and
drove through st. James's Park Just before noon.
The Queen was to leave Buckingham Palace at half
past one. Along the roadway by which she was 10
pass people were collecting in groups. The police
were taking their stations 1000 OF them III all
were duty in the parks and streets, with sundry
battalions of household troops to lend them hand
should the need for it arise Once out of the Park
the crowd was greater in the streets. long file of
House of Lords, and rather than wait got out OF
my hanson and walked to the door,
l. No carriages we're setting down and a civil police
man told me that no one could enter before r.
The hour struck as he spoke, but still he said they
must wait for orders before admitting us. The
military spirit ruled: the police is half military in
its organization, and in these doubtful days. with
fresh rumOrs OF dynamite filling the air. IS more
alert and more precise than ever Presently ap-
hp hnn an INSPECTOR
Denninc who rules supreme IN and about the
Houses of Parliament. | heard afterward he had
lust come from search Of the vaults and other Sus
picous places in this vast labyrinth. He looked
keenly at the little group of people who had gath
cred at the door, each with his card in hand
seemed to make mp his mind that none were in
Rossas pay. half recognized one or two of MS, and
gave the word that were 10 go in. The porch
beneath which we had been standing was the Peers,
Entrance 1t had been cuTtamed foI to-day with
gayy striped awnings; shelter only too sure to lie
needed in the midst of the sleet and snow which
hung in the air The awnings stretched on either
side for dozen yards and from beneath them yOu
looked across the broad space TO Henry the
Sevenths chapel and the whole fabric OF the Abbey;
while to the right the Victoria Tower Within
cleaned the scarlet and gold OF the officers to whose
command ntrusted the halls and corridors
through which the Queen was presently TO pass.
10 be the gallery which faced tie throne in the
Peers Chamber / thought myself sure OF good
view Being one OF the trst TO arrive. reckoned
also on a seat but ! had reckOned without my
host Ny host. if am 50 10 style him, is II great
ficial and if | am his guest it is, must own,
little against his will. A friend-tO whom owe
many thanks-whosc influence and even authority
are great had applied IN my behalf for place. He
was met at once with the objection that had been
1,et ,;tor Gir 4 rra1 lpnL
was OF ened and there was the record of guests
spectators in 1850, and my name was pointed out.
The fact was undenable and threatened to be
damning 1t seemed TO operate like proof OF pre-
vluus conviction at the Old Bailey. Promises
which my friend volunteered of future good conduct
on my part, and pledge never again TO be seen III
such company, were all unavailing 1t was unhcard
of that ticket should be issued twice in succession
to the same person. The book was closed the
negative. he said. was final. But later, and under
some kindly pressure, this auStere official rclcntel,
so here was in the North Gallery. with rows oi
vacant benches to choose from, 1t seemed, but
seemed wrongly. The benches and every
single seat in the gallery were re
ssrved for ladies. The spirit OF gallantry and OF
gentle consideration for the genter sex had seized
upon the official mind Mere men were tolerated.
but only on condition of standing behind the
women. If we had been in court or evening dress
we should have looked like many footmen in
attendance on their mlstTesscs, but we had been
mercitully permitted to come in morning dress. As
our narrow pew filed found myself in excellent
company, dgnitary of the Church, the President
of the Royal Academy. the private secretary To
Lord Salisbury, and Others.
Early as it was the chamber below
already an air of animation. Functionaries IN
quaint garments moving busily h;ther and
thither. On tine right of the throne near onethird
OF the benches filled with ladies', and every
minute more were arriving. The eight sun
burners OF gas pendent from the flat-rbbed ceiling
were ablaze, but with the help of the dim light
which found its way through the stained glass of
the outer windows the place was none too well
illuminated. On either side OF the throne rise two
tall candelabTa, but their scores OF candles Iemain
unlit The sangune said more gas would he turned
on when the Queen came but they were too san
guine, and none There was no gloom, there was
only AN absence of the luminousness wanted to set
of to the height the lavish gliding, the gorgeous
frcscoes the endless magnifcence of innumerabc
brilliant costumes. The galleries were hng more
rapidly than the floor. All the ladies IN front of Us
in this North Gallery we're in court dress like those
below nothing wanting but the train, and some
scrupulous wore trains also; of which they
had much difficulty 10 dispOsng beneath the narrow
benches. Feathers IN the hair were compulsory, as
at a drawing rOom but this rigOr was not enforced
as at q drawing ROOM where any one offending in
the least particular Of the specified ralment would
be ruthlessly held back by stern chamberalns from
the royal presence ! perhaps half dozen
featheress ladies in front OF me- Wraps were kept
on. The temperature of the chamber WAS not many
degrees above freezing that on the floor. The
Queen is known TO be unable 10 bear heat, and has
fancy for open windows and thorough draughts in
the coolest weather.
By o'clock every seat on the right was full,
save the front row. and the enclosure rallied OFT next
the throne where Bishops usually cODgregate, now
.l...... L