The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-07
BLACK ROD, BLACK ROD"
Singular Ceremony at the Propagation
of Parliament Yester-
day.

When the British Parliament was pro-
rogued yesterday the interesting ceremony
of "Black Rod" was gone through, as it
has been for centuries. The official known
as the "Black Rod" is an attache OF the
House of Lords, and when the royal sane
ton is to be given to bills or Parliament is
to be prorogued, BLACK Rod" is COM
manded to go to the House of Commons
and request" the presence of the mem
bers of the popular assembly to come to
the House of Lords, where her Majesty's
commands are always read. Then "Black
Rod" preceded by policemen, starts on
his mission and along the corridors the
cry of "Black Rod Black Rod" is heard
in stentorian tones. There is usually
crowd of people in the central hall that
divides the House of Lords from the House
of Commons when BLACK Rod" is ex-
pected, and when he appears every neck is
stretched to see him pass by. Dressed in
a faultlessly fitting court costume, BLACK
Rod" approaches, carrying in his hand
small black wand surmounted by gold
crown, and as he enters the corridors
leading to the House of Commons the
shout of "Black Rod, Black Rod becomes
louder than ever, echoing through the spaces
like trumpet warning to the members
of the House OF Commons to beware of
danger, which, in mimic order, the process
sion of "Black Rod" is really supposed to
mean. When the sergeant-at-arms in the
House of Commons first hears the shouts
of BLACK ROD he orders the keepers to
'close the doors" of the Commons cham
Der, and so they remain until "Black Rod"
| approaches and knocks three times. Then
the sergeant-at-arms opens small lattice
window, through which he peeps and asks,
in authoritative tones: "Who is there and
what is his business ?" "Black Rod" replies
! by telling who he is and that he comes
from another place" 70 request" the
presence of the members of the House of
| Commons in the House of Lords to hear
her Majesty's commands. Then the door
! is opened and "Black Rod" makes his way
to the bar of the House, where he bows.
| Being told to approach he takes four steps
| toward the center of the floor and bows
again. Then he takes four more steps
and these bring him to the table, where
he bows once more, and then looking "Mr.
Speaker" full in the eye he tells his
mission. But "Black Rod" must be
careful not to command the members of
the House of Commons to appear in the
House Of Lords. "Black Rod" did that
long ago and he brought storm about his
| ears. The Commons will not be ordered"
or Commanded; they must be ire
quested," and so after this request" "Mr.
! Speaker" gathers up his robes and, follow
ing "Black Rod, the members of the
Commons troop over to the House of Lords
to hear her Maiesty's commands. Of late
the ceremony has lost much of its for
mality and all of its significance, but it is
kept up as relic of older times. "Black
Rod has, too, lost much of his old-time
swagger and be no longer struts along the
corridors as if he were vested with real au-
thority, to deliver his summons, no mat
ter what the Commons were doing. His
visits have, too, often been i'll timed. 1t is
not many years since the cry of "Black
Rod! Black Rodp' interrupted Mr.. Glad
stone in the middle of speech and Mr..
Gladstone's friends were nearly moving
that the doors be not opened for the bearer
of her Majesty's commands, in which case
''Black Rod would have been obliged to
kick his heels outside until it pleased the
Commons to change their mind. Radicals
laugh at the whole business, but, as a rule,
the members take it good-naturedly and
the cry of fBlack Rod! Black Rodp' is
looked upon more as diversion than any
thing else.