The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06
IN THE HOUSE OF R
BRITISH PEERS c0MPARED WITH
OUR SENATOR'S.

Tit bTlUlsn HOUSE OF BOTuS, ms just returned
home after n visit of several weeks to this coun-
try. In tho course of his trip Mr.. mcdonnell
visited Washington, and was thus enabled to
make n comparison between the methods of our
own aristocratic Senate and the august body
with which he Is officially connected.
How do the methods of conducting business
In the House Of Lords compare with those Of
the American Senatel" no was asked.
well, In reality" said tho Clerk to the Brit
ish peers. There isn't ms much difference 10
you would imagine. 1t doubtless will surprise
most Americans, ms I know It would most Eng
lishmen, to know that the two houses got
through their work In the Same way to n large
extent.
Il will confess that / was n little disnppoint-
ed in your Senate. I expected to find fire, elo-
qucncc, animated; debate, and l didn't get It.
Perhaps it was because there was no great qucs-
ton on for consideration at tho timo of my
visit. As I saw 1t, the chamber was certainly
very quiet. and thoro was no lack OF dignity
and docorum in its conduct. ! did not see any
drawn revolvcrs, bowie knives, or fist fights,
such as we have sometimes heard about in
England. Perhaps some Of those were myths.
II have admitted that l didn't find tho Amer
| lean Senate altogether as / had fancIed it, and
l dare say that you would be oven moro disap-
pointed when you looked into tho House of
Lords
put 1911 u huNh ltOlc tCINIlOny III buo
work of the peersi'
Ordinarily, no: on certain occasions. yes"
replied Mr.. Macdonald. 'Thcrc seems to be a
notion more or less prevalent over here that the
members OF the Lords sit about on separate
thrones, clad in robes of state, and with coronets
on their heads. In reality, the peers usually sit
In morning drcss, and not always very cor.
rect dress at that. The members wear their
hats in the chamber, though nobody else is per-
mfttnd IN rntnain rnrnrnI thorn Most pf thn
regular attendants. are buried in papers. and
they speak, as your Senators do, like barristers
trying to bring out their points clearly rather
than with any attempt ut cloquence. Tho num-
bcrs In attendance seem to be very nearly tho
same, though, Of course, the membership of tho =,
House Of Lords is much greater. There are
about $50 eligible voters now. but the largest
vote that has been recorded in recent
years was about $50. l think. That was on Mr..
Gladstone's home rule measure, which was sum-
marily thrown out by n great majority.
course, the peers have certain offices and
certain formal functions which are Inherited,
and some of these require a great doal Of cere-
of %o tTc royal pSn G assent is t one t OF these nG and when
tho assent Of the crown to any list of measures
IL tS,se a formGll ihs sx GhnmScr tn the sl Lords commits q is
say, In their rohes-and sit together at one side
of the room. The Speaker of the Commons
and his attendants are also present in the space
f%ean tbef for tw them grou1 At oTe TIT tHbi G,c miid dT y r, Se.
holds in his hand n list of bills, and before
reading each title he bows first to one and then
the other Of these groups, SO that if his list isa
the performance. After each title he repeats
%sentsl. The words. and. in fact. the whole cere-
mony. arc given exactly as they were in tho
Two years ago an attempt was madc to
modify this ceremony, to the extent OF having
not done, and the sentence is still SDOkcn in its
Norman, French form.
another occasion which is attended with
The new 9 j., member EN- Is conducted into the cham
ter ling inS.a at AhirSmn o0t II an Ra nrseeq be si fs down ins ne on
what issknown as the Barons' bench, If a Wis.,
s G. mam ae fhf Se e1 rises ans PBs a%s to and tb 50 f on; G inter
cellor., who returns the bow. removing the
G9eked hat WI he wears for the occasion.
by the way, is kept up only on the Introduction
Of new members: at other times the peers sit
wherever is most convenient, except the lords
spiritual, who still occupy n particular SEQ
tion. as they have from time iminemorial.
ner Of CONFLICTING i ini'd debate in the House US of Of Lords %rhs
not found in most legislative chambers. For
address the Chair, but Invariably al Begins. Ny
Lords Thus. if two members wish to speak at
decide who shall have the floor. Ono gives way
Of his own, accord. or else some other member
the Commons or your own Congress this ar
rangcmcnt might not work well. but among the
Another pecnliarity. of the Lords is that the
sittings are very brief compared with those Of
4:I5 in the afternoon and rise in time for dinner
at 6. This Is because the Lords have n small
the vast bulk that passes through TIC hands Of
the Commons.
When the Lord Chancellor himself wishes
place during, his address, There is u curious
rGasHH d for 'h dnrca 1t i . is sn thGt the ,SN T Tohss < Is tech.
1t has happened on one or two.occasions that it
has !y been occupied &C tbd 6y one ne who was not a peer"
THE woolsack is the name given to the Lord
Chancellor,s seat. 1t isa crimson CUSHION.
comfortable to sit upon. Tho name comes from
she fact that the longest and most fncly-combed
There are. several other terms peculiar. to the
House Of Lords which aro not generally under.
S not picture '" gallery, Il is p The room S" WhePe the he
peers and commons arc supposed to meet. when
conferences have been dispensed with it is not
used for that now. 1t takes its name from its
rich fTcscoos and paintings; and is called The
Which INC peers transact their REGULAR business.
count ~ Of it" gold I'D" Iecoraiions. u" Fiji %"s " g us.
toned to speak of tho House of Lords as tho
Tapestry 1S Tri referring nI TO the many rich tapestries
"Thc House Of Lords l.. also the Supreme
Court of England; is 4 noti'
This court includes not only the life peers ere
atod from the judicial ranks. hut any Of the
IT is presided over by the Lord Chancellor and
is business for 1t To consider. The Lord Chan
ccllor does not sit on the woolsack. on these
occasions. except when he delivers judgment.
when he resumes that place"
"Do tho peers hayc any rule for closing do.
bate, or are they, like orr own Senators, a.
lowed to talk ms long as they plcasci'.
There IL nothing to prevent II peer from talk
ing just as long nS he plcases. except the lack of
mr. audience il he makes himself n bore. But
tho peers usually show n clear majority ono
way or another on any question that comes be-
fore them, and there is little induccment 10 the
members to talk for the mere purpose of OBJ
strlction."
''Thcn you do not consider the House of Lords
an Rntiquated institution
mot at all. unless by antiguated You mean
old In point Of years. Tho prevailing atmos.
phcrc OF the chamber IL one Of business. and 10
does tho work that comes to II with reasonable
despatch and, as most of those acquainted with
It will agree. with INTELLIGENCE. II Is also err
roneous to suppose that the House OF Peers Is
an aSscmhlagc o. old men. II is being con-