The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-31
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Impressions OF the Hall and the Law
makers Who Occupy 1t

Richard H Davis, in Harpers Magazine
The first impression one gets of the cham
Der of the House of Commons is that 1t is
find the House of Peers hall OF somewhat
limited proportion. That seems to be in
keeping with the exclusiyeness or IT'S men,
so momentous, and such great things have
been carried out there, that one rather
and impressive. And when you take your
place in the gallery, and lean over the rail-
ing to look down upon the high mats OF the
members, you feel that you are rather In a
private chapel than in a legislative hall
and that by reaching out your hand you
could almost touch the Speaker In his
gested Fundamentally show to me, and
the top of which, ] was grieved to note,
first to grasp the fact that the gentlemen
sitting on the benches or walking
in and out, and making little bows to the
Speaker whenever they did so, whether he
was looking at them or not were the real
men themselves OF whom we have read, and
with whom Punch's Essence of Parlia-
ment'' and the illustrated papers have made
us familiar. 1t was interesting to think
you were hearing before any one else the
speeches or the arguments that were TO be
read the next morning in America ana
Ir dia- Going to the House day after day
was like a procession OF first nights
given with star cast L caught myself
commenting with some surprise on how like
the men were to their pictures and that
there really was latEced grating, ana
that the shadowy, moving figures behind
it, like the ghostly jury in 1.-THE Bells
were real women and young girls, guarded
from view like slaves in q harem; and that
, there were mace and a gangway and
master-of-arms with a sword, just as Har-
ry Furniss draws him, and a reporters
gallery, where Warrington and Charles
Dickens once sat; and that Mr.. Balfour did
wear CATERS, and Mr.. Gladstone high
peeked collars; and that the Irish MEM
bers were obnoxious as had
been led to believe they would be;
and that the. Lord Chancellor in the up
'Iolanthe." 1t was like seeing one of Shaks-
peSre'S plays the stage for the first
time after one had studied il only from the
book. What impressed me most about the
prevailed there and the strictness of the
etiquette-the fact that the members might
not read a newspaper within its limits,
and the courtesy with which they bowed
and gave to each other the full title. 1t
seemed so coy and comfortable-legisla-
so harmonious and the coats of arms
numerous, and the ubiquitous policemen in
the Hobbies and halls outside obsequious,
that a members life, one thought, must be
happy one. And they have such anus
ing privileges outside the House. Their
hansoms may, for instance go through any
block at Waterloo bridge, no matter how
heavy the traffic may be, and if they are
Cabinet ministers they can go through a
block anywhere. If / were a Cabinet min
and spend my time riding around TO find
blocks that / might be let through and so
make other people enviOuS And inside the
House they allowed to ask their friends
to dinner, and to wear their hats all the
time and everywhere, even, or especially
for some of the Liberals are silly enough
to make point of it-when the Prince of
Wales takes mis- seat over the clock