The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-16
An AMERICAN IN EUROPE.
Observations Upon the Life and Politics
Of Twenty-Five Years Ago.
BY THE LATE
JAM SHEPHERD PIKE,


can IN IOuuOnt UNI lUc I1ouSoS va 1 nv
yet they have very small accommodation for
visitors. the Upper House especially. and can
only be entered by a pass. or by an order OF
tho presiding officers. or OF some momber.
Tho House OF Lords Is the most difficult OF
access aud the lenst attractive. | went thither
by appointment. and was ushcr"d In upon the
door ut 5 z. NJ. n little alter tho customary
hour OF meeting. Thoro Is not space hcro Tor
moro than thirty or forty persons, and what
thore IL is merely standing room. No scats
are furnished. The semicircular steps in tho
middle Of tho contracted Area. which lead up
to tho Queens Seat. albeit very inconven'ont.
are used by visitors when they get altogether
tired OF standing. But there Is literally no
provision for spectators on tho floor. and no
more room than affords n convenient way for
the peers to enter to their sonts.
Yet hero the diplomatic corps and such per.
sons as the Lords introduce must make them.
selves rs comfortable as they can. found q:
my side a son OF Nessclrode. II stout. energetic.
close-cropped man. and also the Count de
Paris. heir to tho French throne through tho
younger Bourbon line. | observed m express
sion In the countenance OF this young man
which recalled the fact that he was u lineal
descendant OF PHILIPPE Egalitd. There might
have boon a dozen other visitors.
When | entered. Lord S~trutfo;d DO Radcliffe
was speaking tho mortal enomy OF the En-
psror Nicholas. and more fcAre'l by that mon
arch than any other living man Of his day. Sui
tan de tdcto for II quarter of n century. and
author OF the Crimenn war. accor ling to King
lake. who in his late book has July recorded
his praises. He spoke on Poland.
He has u peculiarly English cast OF counte-
nance. long in the !ace. u Roman nose. and a
grave expression. His hair is thin and white.
his head long and solid-looking. and his figure
tall and slender.
After him came Lord Malmosbury. with q
series OF charges against the Administration
on tho recent rupture OF Diplomatic relations
with Brazil. IIo is II man OF nfty-ilvc. OF or
binary mould. an un- English moustacnc. with
whiskers. and not n fluent speaker. His
aspect was that OF q very common
He made out u pretty strong case, and was
backed by some decisive hear. hears Etrl
Russell formerly Lord Johnl replied for the
Government. under apparent embarraSsnent.
and left untouched some OF Lord Maimes-
bury's salient points.
Ihave heard Lord John before. but I never
SOW him show so much agitation as on this
occasion.
There was q good audience to hcar Lord
Malmesbury. but it thinned out during Lord
Russells rather tame renly: and it finally got
very thin when Lord followed to
sustain Lord Malmesbury.
Lord Chelmsford. q former Lord Chan
Hack hair. a retreating forehead. and n small
head. with a springy manner and fluent elo-
cution. He played the advocate with ability.
Able aud adroit though le was. he could n"t
hold his audience. and before lie got through
] found there were but ssv"nte,n peers in
thelr seats. and the outsiders nearly ali Eoao.
II fought to havc said that Lord BrouSham
followed Lord Stratforl de Rtdcitlc in n few
remarks. In which he refsrred to American
affairs. He atterwnrd camo out and said.
~.laughIngly. that he could not help putting in
word on the United States. and hoped he
would DO excused. During Lord !iussells
speech he left. saying he could not stand itany
lonser.
When Lord Chelmsford Ind finished. some
body. out OF tho half dozen peers left. said
In a low tone. Il move tho House adjourn"
The presiding officer. Lord Westbury, tho
Lord Chancellor. who was then walking back
And forward in his gown and big wig In front