The sun., 1896-09-20
GETTING INTOpARLIAMENT
JUSTIN M'oh RTHT TELLS now MEM
BERs ARE INTRODUCED.

TIE GorEesus Ceremoutal In tho Case OF
Feers-Less Pomp In tns House or Cen-
noss-Arter = General Eieet,on Every
bsav lntroducss Himseir-Dr. KsnsaiY's
Lonely Entranoe aad Disrseirs Joke.
F,om the TouiAs Companion.
Tho ceremonial OF introduction into tho
House Of Lords Is indeed . gorgeous spectacle.
The presentation Is highly dramatic. not to
say theatrical, exhibition. The new peer Ia
brought in, bedlzened In robes of the most
magnificent description, gown Of crimson and
fur. and know not what. The Lord Mayor Of
London, III his inaugural array, is not I'm IL"
when compared with the splendor Of now
poer. 1t Is much better than circus.
have often wondered how new peer, espe-
cially ono who has been promoted 10 the peer
age from the far outer world. must feel as ho
goes through that superb ordeal. Not Solo
mon in all his glory was arrayed like unto one
OF these peers. Tho newcomer from tho outer
world must feel odd and Ill at ease whom he
inds himself strutting In q set Of garments
wholly unfamiliar TO his ordinary life. II
must be hardly possible for him TO take himself
seriously at that awful moment Of grandeur.
Mr.. Disraeli. with all his sarcastic spirit, had
the faculty whom he liked of taking himself
seriously In whatever he had to do. But how
about Lord Tennyson. whom I saw thus brought
into the House Of Noblesp Is 1t within human
conception that Lord Tennyson could have
gone through that theatrical performance
without Vince and groanf
The new peer is introduced by two peers of his
own rank, also attired In their state robes.
They are preceded by tho Usher Of tho Black
Rod, and then they are introduced TO tho Lord
Chancellor. who sits the woolsnck in his
robes. Finally they are conducted In solemn
stateliness to their seats.
All this applies only to the frat entrance Of n
new peer. A peer who has merely succeeded
tn his fathers peerage on tho fathers death. 10
entitled to enter without anv such ceremonial.
The claims OF long descent have their advan'
The peer Of any kind, whether Of long de:
knowing that when once he has taken his SEAT.
whether with ceremonial or without. he mover
has to go through any Gors,mony Of tptroduCtion M
for him. Death alone sewers his connection
with his House of Parliament l have heard
Of
for the day Of his Introduction.
The 81 81 Se
House of Commons takes his seat. He may
como in perhaps at what we call by-election
death or retirement of some member who had,
up to that time, held q scat in the House.
tho place Of a member who had died. S,'''
In that case the newcomer has 10 be intro:
dHeea Sy tive m" men who Srs msmhss Of
and he is pnt into back seat on one Of the
benche, which an range M Of the near end n and sse
% his two friends tsil h him inn tho time SS has eome @
Tha e' ms aep the ordinary question.
have been addressed to Ministers and heads Of
s pSr S tho DAYS wGr
has begun. Then the Speaker rises and invites
new members who desire to take their seats
OF and beneath the Speakers chair.
Thereupon the new membsr and his intro.
table. the new member walking between his
two supporters up to the table, all three bowling
three times before they reach the sacred SPOT.
OF the new member applaud him Justify as he
passes up tho floor OF the House. but he may
not bow his ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO them; he
must only bow TO the Speaker.
. Arrived at the table tbs new member is aban-
o%n places and The chief 6ierE at the IA bls sd
ministers the formal oath OF allegiance to him.
He has to n hs The
he docs nsually.with nervous and trembling
fingers. Then her he goes ~, u2 =, 70 the sPesksr's
Then he is a:member Of the House of Com
member. and he goes and finds a seat some
whore and receives all manner of kindly con.
My own Impression Is that the sensation OF
being introduced for the first time to the House
OF Commons can never be renewed In life. 1t
Same sensations cannot como up again. Life
has exhausted that.
have taken my seat. on reelection, In the
House of Commons many times. but those Hrst
sepsati ms have never been renewed. A
70 enjoy them & thoroughly s m, must s some M in at
self He shGrosses for that ono nervous. shiyory.
febrile moment all the attentio Of the House
for the moment. Later on the House knocks
that nonsense out OF him. put for tho ecstat!c
moment he really believes that lie stands on the
threshold of q grand career.
But now lot us take tho case of a general
election. preaulne that my American read:
eiscson s means " in I Engisnd. The Parliament
of Great Britain and Ireland cannot sit for
elapses tho old Parliament has come TO close
and new Parliament has to be elected.
rups @ out It's full legal stretch OF II years Some
thing intervenes.the G2vernmsnt Is defeated
the Government can. fit will, obtain fram
the sovereign the permission TO appeal to the
u general election"
bers Of tho new Parliament must be different
from that which prevails when members arc
GFnsa S1 At oyei9S.on G Ihs two G%srs ,ba
sumption that they. already members OF the
House Of Commons. give their personal As sssHr- M
person whom he pro esses to be, and is not
some audacious impostor passing OF for some
thing which he is not
I remember r, an sn, amusing illustration OF the
years ago a certain Or. Kenealy got elected as
member for an English constituency. DR..
Ken cG!y wcH : lawyer. mn author, q very
clever and we'll ll;educated man. But he was
against him By his sccentrcities and his au-
daeiously proclaimed Cynicism.
He had especially made himself odious by
his action as the advocate in defence OF the
once famous person known as the Tichborne
claimant" when that most extraordinary i'm
postor came TO be tried for his imposture on q
odious by his conduct of that defence. but he
had made himselfa a fayorite with certain classes
OF the community and he got elected to tho
House OF Commons as an opponent Of all ex-
listing syatems.
So he was a man much Stunned by tho
membera, and tho question camo up. who was
TO introduce him - the House or Commons?
II seemed impossible that he could find any
the fearless Kensaly. who rather enioyed the
awkward position, announced that he pro-
pvsed to introduce himself.
Now, this idea at by;election seemed an out
and proprieties. Therefore, when the appont-