Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-09-13
THE GREEN DRAGON.
\ MOCK PARLIAMENT THAT MEETS
IN FLEET STREET, LONDON.


of Men Meet as Equals, Have sociabie
Time and Carefully Debate All the I'M
portant Questions Of the Day.
A walk of two minutes down Fleet
street brings US to tall new freestone
building labeled on the lamp The Green
Dragon" and wearing the appearance Of
public house and tavern, which 1t Is.
Across the window is inscribed in per-
manent letters: 1.-THE Temple Discussion
Forum. Established 1857" And I'M
derneath is posted up every morning
paper announcing the subject of the
evenings debate, and inviting strangers
to enter and engage in the discussion.
This is the oldest, by more than GEN.
fury, of the existing discussion forums,
and until recently was the most crowded
and most interesting of them all,
A FASCINATING OLD ROOM.
My knowledge of the place, even from
tradition, does not go beyond the period
when Mr. Ross, the veteran chairman,
guided its councils "Old Ross" as he
was affectionately called by his disciples,
was a remarkable man In many ways.
Not only was he an admirable speaker.
but, as chairman, he possessed great tact,
discernment and GOODNESS, which were
sometimes put to the severest tests, as l
shall presently show. He was man Of
profound and varied knowledge, one Of
the best Greek scholars in the kingdom,
a strong and graceful writer, and con-
tributor to several of the leading periodi-
Gals of London, including, think, The
Times. With all these qualities he pos
sessed another that eminently fitted him
for his post; he knew how to combine
the easy going ways of the bohemian
with the refinement of a gentleman, to
be genial and responsive yet dignified
and firm, to the most motley assembly,
it seems to me, that was ever gathered
together in one room.
1t was quite by accident that discov-
cred the place one evening many years
ago, when lodged into an open door
way to escape sudden shower. Down
long passage was leather padded
door with an oval glass window in it
marked Discussion Forum" | shall
never forget my surprise and delight
when found myself within, seated upon
a bench of adamantine hardness and
looked about on the quaint old room.
1t was long and narrow and low between
decks like the cabin of ship, and also,
like a ship, it had forms, or settees, along
each wall behind row Of mahogany
tables, and above, near the ceiling was
row of square port holes for windows.
Two centuries of SCOT and tobacco
smoke had dyed the floor the walls and
ceiling, the wooden bottomed chairs and
forms, to nearly the same color as the
rude old fireplace. At the top of the
room, on a great mahogany and horse
hair throne, sat the chairman, Old Ross,
in his long gray beard like the figure Of
Father Time, but with glass of steam
ing toddy before him instead of the ira
ditional hour glass, and very large pipe
between his teeth. On the wall above
Old Ross hung a quaint old mirror,
fanked by a fine portrait of George
Washington on one side and on the
other by an elderly gentleman in the
costume of 1880 and wearing various
jeweled orders and decorations The
further decorations of the wall were
limited to framed placards with various
tempting inscriptions.
Here ale and stout were served in
huge pewter tankards, spirits in glasses,
hot water in antique metal pots with
lids, replenished now and then from a
steaming kettle on the hob. These deli
cacies were distributed by two perspir-
ing walters in draggled evening dress,
h. b. q
glasses and pewters in a wonderful
manner, and mumbling in undertones to
their customers.
But if the room was fascinating, what
shall say of the people who sat smok-
ing at score of tables, waiting for the
debate to begin? 1t was company tina:
would have delighted Hogarth and
thrown Lavater into frenzy. Such
variety of heads, of physiognomy and
make up, such strongly marked charao-
ter and clear cut individuality and won
derful clothes, one might go far to see.
Here a swell from Mayfair cheek by jowl
with bargeman from the docks, col
ored student from the Temple. prosper.
GUS merchant; opposite, a Strand shop
keeper, printer, journalist lawyer
in a row.
The same diversity extended all round
the room, and there seemed to be no two
men alike AS at the Cogers', there were
always many elderly men who looked
as if they had passed their whole live.
here, and much of the speaking was by
them. Old Ross used generally to make
the opening speech himself at 0:3O ano
by 10 o'clock there was hardly a vacant
seat in the room. Later than 10 on,
could not expect more than standing
room, and have known many to stanc
contentedly for half the evening listen
ing to the stirring speeches made by thes'
veteran statesmen when it happened t
be field night" for the debates wer,
often brilliant in those days and would
have done honor to the house of com
mons at its best.
After the coup detat of 1861 and tn,
sudden leap of Prince Louis Napoleon
into the throne of France, the occupan
IF tho 70 mona bOrSa hair throne In, Elaa