The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-30
Habit of Members of Parliament
for Which Explanation
Is Sought.
BY Ia MARQUIsE DE FONTENoY.


WIHAT is the reason why the mem
w bers Of the English Parliament
invariably wear their hats dur
ing the debates. merely doffing them
when they rise to address the Houses
This inquiry comes to me from reader
of these letters. / am sorry to say
that neither / nor any one else that /
am aware Of can state definitely how
the custom originated. But II ante
dates the time of oliver Cromwell. and
it is probable that it originated in some
manifestation of political Independence
and revolt against monarchical despot-
ism on the part of the members of the
legislature.
The hat. in fact. is an emblem of
sovereignty. own brother to the royal
crown. The French Commons in the
national legislature. or Tiers Etat.
some 100 years ago. kept their hats on
their heads in the presence of Louis
XVI, in order to prove to him and 10
the people at large that their rights
were sovereign in character.
Charles kean used. to be fond of
relating an incident which occurred
while he was playing Richard III. at
New Orleans. supported by an Ameri-
can company. and which is not with
out certain bearing. 1 think Just
as the curtain was rising he noticed that
the "noblemen OF the court were
wearing their hats.
Take your hats off during the pres
ence of the King - he exclaimed in
loud whisper. which was not. however.
intended for the audience, although it
reached them
And what of THAR" shouted the
American actor who played the role
of Buckingham. smiling for the APP
prevail of the audience. What of that2
We are all kings in this country -
With which he clapped down his hat
tighter on his head. Fortunately the
burst of applause which followed the
enunciation of this republican senti-
ment lasted two minutes, SO that
Charles Kean had time to recover his
equanimity, sadly upset by this inter
polation OF lines. which are certainly
not to be found in any of the English
editions of Shakespeare
A question OF hats brought about
some years ago a temporary rupture
of diplomatic relations between the
South American Republic Of Uruguay
and Switzerland, and it is fortunate that
the two countries are SO far apart, since
otherwise the world might have been
called upon to witness another one of
those bloody wars which history teaches
US have originated in disputes concern
ing hats.
The Uruguayan envoy at Berne at
that time was q diplomat of the name
of Nine. who held the rank of general
in the army of his country. Arrayed in
his military uniform. he figured one
year at the annual manoeuvres of the
army. a regimental charger
and an orderly being placed by the
Swiss authorities at his disposal, as in
the case of every other foreign officer
present on behalf of his government.
The following year the envoy applied
to the President for the same facilities
that had been shown to him twelve
months previously. He received. how
ever, a curt refusal. based on the pretext
that NJ did not happen to be in uniform
whenne made his application.
Determined. nevertheless, to wit
ness the manoeuvres. the general hired
horses for his daughter, his son and
himself. and. arrayed in civilian attire,
rode off to the mimic battlefield, where
a large crowd of spectators had al
ready assembled. On his way he passed
the carriage containing the President,
and. inasmuch as the latter had treated