The Washington herald., 1910-05-08
RULES IN TEARS.
Continued from Page One.


weeping. Throughout the solemn reading
of the proclamation the new sovereign
listened absorbedly with his eyes down
cast and chin upthrust His majesty's
voice and bearing throughout the speech
and the subscribing OF the proclamation
gave evidence Of d keen feeling Of respon-
sbility and OF deep emotion
The crowds outside the palace, Temple
Bar, and the Mansion House waited pa
tiently having the Londoner's love Of a
royal spectacle for the public proclama-
tion by the heralds Of the accession Of
King Edwards successor They were
disappointed. as the privy council de-
cided to postpone the proclamation until
Monday morning
Peers Swear Allegiance.
a meeting OF Parliament was held at
s O'Clock this afternoon. according 10 the
customs obtaining on the death Of a SOW
ereign. II was or brief duration. Crowds
gathered az the entrances Of the House
Of Lords to watch about half a hundred
peers who happened 10 be in town enter
the gilded chamber TO take the oath Of
allegiance To the new King No oaths
were taken In the House Of Commons be-
cause none of the eight officials neces-
sary TO the ceremony had arrived in
London. The members Of the House OF
Commons will begin 10 subscribe their
allegiance 10 the new King on and after
Monday. when it is expected that the
necessary officials who are now hasten
ing 10 London viii have arrived in town
This afternoons sudden and scanty meet
ing Of both houses OF Parliament during
recess showed that Parliament IS no
longer an instrument Of the throne
Many decades ago the lords and commons
could not meet except by express sum
mons from the King. That is over now.
and Parliament is independent OF the
throne.
Act II Abolished.
Parliament itself saw the danger in
meetings that could be summoned only
by the sovereign and by special act
abolished the peril by the act Of success
sion known legally as Anne c - which
reads.
ION the demise Of the Crown. Psrlia-
ment, if sitting is Immediately TO pro-
ceed To act. and If separated by ad-
journment or prorogatiOn. is Immediately
TO meet and sit"
Before the passing Of this act Parlia-
ment once met on Sunday. March 5, l7Ol,
on the death Of William III 10 see that
the interests Of the people should be re
sarded in the matter Of the succession.
and three times since I'm similar emer-
gencies 10 met on Sunday. II the Occa-
sion had arisen. il might have met to-
morrow Sunday rather than to-day
Even 1T Parliament had been dissolved,
it would have 10 be revived, and would
have been a legal Parliament for six
months saving subsequent propagation
or dissolution. II was in conformation
with this act Of succession that the
Lords and Commons met to-day
IL might be said !hat the meeting was
informal and involuntary Nobody sum-
moncd the members Of the House Of
Lords and the House Of Commons. No
body seemed certain of the terms Of the
act Nevertheless. the Lords and Com
monerS IN town proceeded 10 Westmin-
ster voluntarily in order 20 preserve their
right 10 protest IL il were necessary at
an improper succession. There was no
protest. Of course. for Lords and Com
moners alike admired King George, who.
as the Prince Of Wales, they nave seen
day after DAY throughout the exciting
debates since the introduction OF the
radical budget and the Lords veto meas
ure sitting in the royal gallery Of the
House Of Lords or the House Of Com
mons closely following speeches and the
progress Of the complicated measure.
CommOners Oath Later.
Instead Of protesting the lords hailed
the new sovereign and subscribed 70 the
oath Of allegiance. while the commoners.
equally loyal will DO that on Monday
and the succeeding days next week.
Lord Chancellor Loreburn. bewigged
and begowned, occupied the woolsack in
the House Of Lords Most Of the peers
present curiously occupied the Unionist
benches, although many Of them were
Liberals. Political bounds in the cham
Der were ignored momeutarHy. and all
sat on the scarlet leather benches on the
UnioniSt side Of the chamber
The lord chancellor solemnly SUBJ
scribed the brief oath or allegiance 20
King George. kissing the Bible and sign
ing the roll Of peers. All the peers pres
ent then trooped 20 the clerks table.
kissed the Bible. signed the roll. and
shook the hand Of Lord Loreburn. They
then silently departed homeward. after a
20-minute session, having adjourned until
Monday
In the House Of Commons, where. un-
like the House Of Lords. there is no gilt
only somber oak-the proceedings We're
brief The Speaker and Deputy Speaker
We're absent When a sergeant-aJ-arms
solemnly brought in big mace nobody
was empowered 10 take the chair
Churchill Adjourns Commons.
Home Secretary Winston Churchill. the
senior member Of the cabinet was pres
ent. He therefore arose and said:
The House is assembled In pursuance
Of the statute OF Anne. which regulates
its proceedings consequent upon the de-
mise of the Crown, but there being no
business before the House, and in the
unavoidable absence Of Mr. Speaker. il
is my duty to move that the House do
now adjourn"
The question was put, and there being
no opposition, the House accordingly ad-
journed. on Monday and Tuesday the
members will visit the House and take
I the oath of allegiance. On Wednesday
the House will pass an address of con-
| dolenCe. after which il will resume its