New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-06
INTRODUCING A PEER,
ANTIQUE AND PICTURESQUE CEREMONY IN
TIE HOUSE OF LORDS.

THE CHAMBER-THREE TIMES sALUT.
ING THE LORD CHANCELLOR.
Westminster March 81.
Owing partly to rapid succession OF deaths ana
partly to promotion the Parliamentary session, az
far as it has gore, has been marked by pretty
constant flow OF new blood into the House Of
Lords In the Lords. as in the Commons, there
Is a ceremony Of formal introduction which in the
latter assembly has occasionally given rise to
notable scenes. In both houses etiquette requires
that q newcomer shall be introduced by two Mem
bers whose Oetensible duty it is 10 vouch for his
identity. When DR.. Kenealy was returned for
Stoke. there was no man found ready TO escort
him to the table. save poor, forlom, foolish Mr.
Whalley As this would have been worse than
nothing. Dr. Kenealy elected TO present himself al
the table unattended marching up the floor, with
his hat in one hand and a stout bingham umbrella
in the other 1t is tradition In the House 10 this
day, that having occasion TO disengage one hand
while he took the oath Of allegiance TO his Sow.
ereign and the British Constitution. he hooked the
bingham on the projecting knob of the mace. The
legality of tie whole proceeding was gravely
argued Disraeli, then Premier, moving that the
Standing Order he dispensed with In later years
Mr.. Bradaugh, not only, after successive re-elec-
tions for Northampton presented himself at table
unattended by the statutory escort, but admin
istered the oath TO himself with the assistance Of
a copy of the revised version of the New Tesla
ment he had thoughtfully brought with him In
his breast coatpocket
All this is disorderly-possible enough upon
occasion in the Commons but not TO he tolerated
in the House of Lords. Here the ceremonial pro-
ceedings are archaic in their solemnity. Since
new Peers take their seats before the hour Of pub
I;o ic OF and
of the important event, the strangers galleries
are almost always tenantless. This is pity, for
there is scarcely anything of the kind left in Eng
land, not even at Astlcy's at Drury Lane in the
pantomime period. The stateliness of the antique
ceremonial is as it happens, not greatly helped
by the present Lord Chancellor, whose official
position brings him on these occasions prominently
to the front. Lord Iialsbury is, If the word may
be whispered across the Atlantic, decidedly squat
in figure. He has the disadvantage, as compared
with the Speaker, that in presiding over the as
semby he adorns he is seated upon the level OF
the floor on a sort of divan called the woolsack.
The Speaker Of tie House Of Commons sits in
canopied chair, which forms an effective back
ground for his wigged and gowned figure, with
his knee breeches his black silk stockings and his
cleaning silver shoe buckles. Lord Halsbury
wants a pedestal and above all a background with
shadows lurking in il. He is too closely, sharply
on view as he sits wedged in, as it were, in
feather-bed, his feet lightly brushing the ground
as they dangle from his perch. Still, there he Is
and here is the new Peer, and he must needs 20
through the ordered ceremony.
The swearing-in of a new Peer brings upon the
scene an unwonted presence. This is Garter
King-at-Arms, a parsonage, the creation or whose
office dates back to the year 1417. On any night
OH To
alarms dining out. He is then Sir Albert Woods,
a distinctly ordinary person, not distinguishabe
among the circle of guests. But when duties OF
State call him to the House of Lords he is gor-
geous creature habted in cloth-ofgold with the
royal arms of England embroidered on his back.
as if he were a flagstaff Garter King is Master
of the Ceremonies on these occasions, coaches the
new Peer and his introducers, personally con-
Quoting them through it and round 1t like glorl-
fed Mr.. Cook. He is accompanied by Black hof.
the chief official of the House of Lords, who on
this occasion, however, must needs play Sec
Ondary part.
Garter King takes charge of the new Peer and
his escort in the robng-r0om, where they nave
donned the scarlet robes worn only on these occa-
sions and when the Sovereign opens Parliament In
person. The Peers robes are of red cloth, with
rows of miniver on the mantles or capes. 10 the
initiated glance at the fur trimming on feers
robes tells what is his rank. There are so many
rows for q baron, another stripe for viscount
and 50 on through the grades of earl, marquis, up
TO the lofty height of duke. Peeresses Of the
United Kingdom also have their distinctive robes,
though there are exceedingly few alive to-day
who have worn them. 1t is only at CoronatiOns
that peeresses don their robes and it is more than
fifty years since we had coronation In London
With the peeresses their rank is indicated by the
length of their trains, they move into their ap.
pointed place on Coronation Day. Barons' wives
are limited to a length of one yard of train on the
ground The train of viscountesS measures
ward and a quarter. A belted earPs lady Is allowed
a ward and a half The train OF marchlohess
reaches a yard and three-quarters, while duch
ess train runs the full length of two yards IheSe
are serious matters specially under the care ana
control of the Earl Marshal, who probably does not
repine at the infrequency of coronatons
All being ready, the procession is formed ana
makes its way into the House from below the lar
at the end remote from the WoOlsack The struc'
ural formation of the House deals the maj DO"
at any possible dignity in the procession III 'no
Commons the approach to the taDle Is uheheuA'
bered and the new member, with MS escort on
either hand, marches up to the mace. III .he
Lords. the floor being encountered with benches
and the table, the only form procession can
reach the Woolsack in is in single tile. BLACK hou
goes first Garter King at his heels. with the three
cloaled figures of the Peers following. Arrived az
the WoolSaok the new Peer drops on his right
knee and presents to the Lord Chancellor scroll
which is understood to be tie writ OF summons
bidding him in the Queens name TO take his seae
in the hereditary Legislature. The Lord Cham
cellor. who, at the approach of the stranger, de-
lberately puts three-cornered hat on top oil his
Wig takes the scroll and hands 1t to an attendant
Then the new Peer rises to his feet ana BOWS
TO the Lord Chancellor neutrality-suspicious. wig
giles his way back TO the rear OF the procession
and leads it back 10 the table. Here STANDS MI
Bethel, son of famous Lord Chancellor, occupy
in IN, tho chamber over which his father once