Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-07-15
HOW THE QUEEN ACTS.
ANTIQUE FoRMALITlEs IN THE ENG.
LisH PARLIAMENT.


House OF commons-Ho~ the House
Visits the i.ords-Cer-mony Of Agree.
Ing to Biiis Passed by the Peers.
II is question time In the house OF com
mons. and ministers are laboriously read
ing their answers 10 the long list OF printed
questions on the paper. Presently, with
no apparent reason, the outer doors OF the
chamber usually wide open. are shut aud
locked and the doorkeeper stands guard
ing them, peeping through "A tiny wicket
In the door II he expected an incon
yenient dun
But, no. the t!sors have only been locked
on the same principle that the little boys
on the towing rita of the Cam shut the
gates when they undergraduate
approaching In order to have the pleasure
OF opening them again-for considera
ton What the consideration OF the door
keeper OF the house OF commons may I've 10
not known to the public. but the very
instant that the stranger approaching has
made three modest taps ON the door. the
watchful attendant finEs It open aud
announces the visitor with a stentorian
shout Of BLACK Rod"
Slowly does the elderly gentleman In
braided uniform who bears this title aud
the floor OF the house, bowling -crupulously
three times In his passage
Arrived at the table, he summons this
honorable house In the name Of the crown
Immediately to attend at the house Of
peers TO hear the royal assent given by
commission to various bills Having given
his message, he slowly retircs backward.
bowling again with the mystic three bows
SPEAKER AND BLACK ROD
Without a word all the members rise in
their places and the speaker leaves his
chair ana - Slack Rod who has been
waiting Tor him at the bar OF the house
Side by side IN brotherly converse they
walk of, followed by the sergeaDt-at arms
and two or three members as represents
tives OF the house. while strong lunged po
licemen In the lobby below out: Make
way for Black Rodr' "Make way for the
speaker
In the house Of lords quaint but not un
impressive spectacle awaits one. Through
the stained glass windows Of the beautiful
chamber the sunlight Is streaming, light
Ing up the richly carved woodwork and the
decorated ceiling, and making the red
benches below seem redder than ever In
deed, on the floor of the house red, a Grim
son red, is the single note Row upon row
Of crimson benches all empty, and on the
woolsaok three silent peers robed In red
At the table, scarcely noticed Ia the blaze
OF red, are three silent clerks in wig aud
gown; that is all
But by this time the speaker and his
companions have reached the house Of
lords, and have placed themselves in n lit
tie pen opposite the wOolSack and the
throne There they stand. patiently or i'm
patiently, throughout the ceremony
-. u. 4 -. n . II
commission appointing certain peers to act
on behalf Of her majesty The document
is very long and very legal The number
OF peers named To serve On the commission
seems legion
HER NAJEsTY's PEERS
There Is the Prince Of Wales and the
Duke OF Connaught. there IL the most
reverend father in God and my well be
loved and trusty councillor" the arch
bishop OF Canterbury; there Is the arch
bishop OF York, and many other notables
Finally comes Lord llalsbury. lord
chancellor of that part Of my Kingdom oi
Great Britain and ireland called Great
Britain" and u, these worls OF the read
ing clerk the lord chancellor, hitherto mo
tionless on the woolsack, raises his thret
cornered hat in response to deep bow
from the clerk.
The next name Is the Earl OF Limerick
and the clerk bows again. and another
three cornered hat Is raised by another
figure on the woolsack The same do0bl,
bow is repeated AT the name OF Lord Wind
cor, the third OF the three figures
The document then recites that thes
numerous commissioners. "or any three o
them" shall have power to act for th
queen, and notify her assent TO the bill
passed by parliament Given at Windso
by the queen herself. signed with her owl
hand"
This ends the first stage of The proceed
ings The lord chancellor then imme
diately, without moving. makes httl
speech to the empty benches, which he al
dresses as MY lords. and calls upon Tn
"clerks at the table 10 pass the bills in th
usual manner"
The two other clerks now step forwar
and stand one al each side Of the tabl,
One reads the titles Of the bills, the othe
announces her maiesty's assent But thi
bald statement gives but poor idea Of ia
acted scene, for the bows have been altS
gether omitted.
PLENTY oF BowIS6
No ceremony il complete without bow
aud the passing Of bills in the house {
lords seems to an onlOoker all bows III
A.
table, turns 70 the woolsack and maAes
profound bow to the missioaers Ri
lug, be reads the title Of the bill and the
bows again As soon as this bow II oV,
the senior clerk ON the other side If II
table makes his how TO the woolsack
This bow over be turns around To Il
representatives Of the commons pennfti q
under the clock, aud Ia a clear voice ~
nounces tha crucial words, la refine
seIat," then turns round again and maxi
another deep bow to the red rubed peer, Z
the woolsack
All this ceremonial Is gone through wiI
every bill, and a. the titles of tile bills q
read IL IN not easy to avoid a smile at u
incongruity between the nature Of the b
and the antique formality by which u
passed Into law At length the high pi
OF bills Is disposed Of, and the last Of 8
bows has been made. The three hgures
red then simultaneously raise their tria
gular hats TO the faithful commons in &
pen. and these promptly retire. At {
same moment the lords commissions
leave the woolsack aud vanish throul
another door.
The scene Is over, but last touch
comedy In given 10 the ceremony by :
speaker on his return To the house Of co
nous Immediately he has taken his se
be rises and says Il have to inform I
house that this house has been TO the hot
Of peers there" etc. The house. unmov
at the information proceeds to the ne