The record-union., 1894-02-10
SESSIONS OF THE COMMONS
PeculiarlJfes In the Methods of Great
Brltain's Legislative Assembly.

PeculiariUies In the Methods of Great
Brltain's Legislative Assembly.
The House of Commons is unique
among the Legislatures OF the world in
having no complete accommodation for
its members, says H0rpe1'S Mag0zi1le.
There are altogether $40 members of the
House, and there are exactly 430 seats, OF
which only 300 are on the floor. The
Speaker takes the chair at 3 o'clock, eX-
cept on Wednesdays, unless the House
has agreed to what are called morning
sittlngS," which begin at o'clock. Each
sitting OF the House is begun by tho read
Ing of prayers by the Speakers Chaplain
at present Arcndeacon Farrar. Those
who attend prayers reap an immediate
and earthly reward. On the large table
that stands i'll front OF the Speakers
chair there is a box which contains a
number of cards with the word "Pray-
ers" printed upon them. The mem ber
who has attended prayers writes his
name on this card, and thereafter places
1t In the small slot which is at the back
of each seat in the House, and for that
particular evening that seat is his. He
may leave the seat for hours, but he is
entitled to 1t whenever he returns, and
can eXpel any person who may have
taken it during his absence. There are
two peculiarities about the attendance at
present are not always those most distin-
guished for their piety. The second Pc
cuiIarlty Is that the men who are most in
want OF the assistance OF prayers, as hav-
ing the heaviest responsibility upon their
shoulders-the members of the adminis-
tration and the leaders of parties-are al
ways conspicuOusly absent. During
prayer-time the front benches are always
a yawning desert, unbroken by the form
of a GInOlp mann her of the Qd Gt ration
great or small.
Just before prayers are begun the pro-
cession of the Speaker to his place in the
House takes place. Enough of the old
ceremonial still exists TO make this a
quaint and interesting spectacle. The
Speaker still wears the large full-bot-
toned wig of State OCCASIONS is dressed
in short-tail coat, covered by a sweep
Ing robe, wears knee breeches and low
shoes with large buckles. Behind and
| before him is a small cOhort of attend
ants-the Sergeant-at-Arms bearing the
mace, the Chaplain with prayer book in
hand, the Train bearer holding UP the
train, and two or three other attendants,
the exact purpose of whom it is impossi-
ble to tell beyond the desire to make the
procession more imposing in point OF
numbers. The Sergeant-at-A Arms, like
the Speaker, is arrayed in knee breeches
with low shoes. He carries sword by
his side, but is allowed to dispense with
the wig. The ceremonial is made more
imposing by the policemen and attend
ants, who shout along the corridors which
separate the Speakers House from the
House of Commons, Speaker! Speak err
"a shout which has strange, indefnable
effect, however often heard When the
Speaker reaches the lobby the Chief of
Police force attached to the House re-
peats the cry, Speaker" with the addi-
tional words, hats off, strangers" and
it is rarely that the lobby, however noisy
and tumultuous before. does not fall into
a certain tinid silence as this black, SOL
emn and picturesque group sweeps by.
When the Speaker enters the House
every member rises from his seat. The
Speaker bows two or three times as he
walks up the floor, and some of the coun-
try gentlemen and the more ceremonious
mem bers OF the House bow at the same
time. The first thing that strikes the
visitor to the House of Commons is that
here also it is exceptional among the
Legislatures of the world-the House of
Commons permits its members to retain
their hats during the sitting. Indeed, it
is the rule to wear and the exception not
to wear the hat. Mr.. Gladstone never
wears his hat. A member, however, can
keep his hat on only when he is in his
seat. If he rises to speak he of course
takes off his hat.