Year: 1877

the lower House of the British Iegisla-
ture, we must acknowledge that no civil
institution was ever invested with such
worldwide interest. Of course the
functions of Parliamentary Govern
mcnt, and the debates which take place
I'm Westminster Hall, are familiar
enough; but the interior mechanism of
the great council, the forms, usagcs, and
observances which obtain in il, are
little known even in London 10 the
general public. IL may not be amiss To
seek an inside view of such matters and
To watch the British Commons mt work
not from the strangers gallery, but from
the floor of the House.


The first noteworthy feature i'm the ar
rangement of the famous council cham
ber, which we need not say is filled with
benches stretching from side to side, is n
transverse passage running across the hall
at about onethird the distance between
the Speakers chair and the uttermost
bench. This is the gangway of which
we now hear less than formerly, but
which still serves in some sort To mark
the subdivisions of parties. In
the first bench below the gangway, Tor
instance, on the ministerial side, sit the
Ministers who enjoy the privilege of





House, or of laying their books and
papers ON the table which runs beneath
the Speakers chair. Behind them. but
still below the gangway, sit their thick
and-thin adherents, while above the pas
sage are ranged those who give a general
support, but affect divers degrees of in
dependence. So, too, on the opposition
side the first bench belongs To the former
Ministers and leaders of the party, while
those more closely identified with them
are grouped nearest, the advanced Liber-
ais or Radicals being found above the
gangway. Here, too, in the present
House the Irish Home Rulers range them
selves.


1t Is well known that members, while
sitting, may wear their hats, or not, as
they see fit; but no one may rise from
his seat, whether to address the Speaker,
change his place, or leave the hall, with
out doihng his head covering. Moreover,
any member on entering or quitting
the room must salute, or in parliament
tary language, pay his obcisancc To the
Speaker. This, of course, need not be a
bow, and rs Il matter of fact is usually a
familiar nod. Since in theory, Il mem
ber addresses the Speaker, and not
the House, 1T is Il rule of courtesy that
no one shall cross the imaginary line be-
tween the presiding officer and the mem
Der who has the floor Since, however, a
tortuous course around the room is often
extremely inconvenicnt, u grotcsquc
custom has grown up of evading the
above rule by crouching and ducking
the head ~ low rs possible until the in
violate line is passed.


Within the sacred precinct of the
House there are certain quarters where
members enjoy more liberty. Upon en-
tcrlng the hall, for example you see
traced upon the floor u line run
ming from the seat of the ScrgeanLat-
Arms to the opposite bench. Outside
of this dcmarkation members may
listen standing to n debate, provided
they keep uncovered Inside of it, how
ever, they must sit down, under pen
atty of being forthwith called to order.
Moreover, they wish to speak they must
go forward as far as one of the benches,
and address the Chair from that point.
Thus, in the session of 1865, when Mr..
PlimsOll began his impassioned attack
upon the Ministry for their withdrawal
OF the bill for the inspection of mer-
chant vessels, he was ut first standing
near the door, and was compelled to
move on toward the benches, i'm order TO
continue his philippe. There is only
one part of the hall where members may
remain standing with heads covered and
that is the space directly behind the
Speakers chair AS they are here out of
the sight of the presiding officers, they
are not deemed wanting in respect. We
may add that the room being too small
10 accommodate all the members when
the whole number happens TO be
present, the excess must needs flow back
into the galleries and at such time n
member may speak from that point
but this state of things is exceedinglyra rare.


Before the Speaker takes his chair pray
ers are read by the chaplain, after which
proceeding the latter withdraws back
ward, bowing at intervals till he reaches
the door. lt is worth notice that only
those members who are present at pray
crs have right TO keep the seats then
chosen throughout the sitting Of the
House. The choice is signifed by pIac-
ing card in small brass rack fastened
ON the rail of the bench. After thus
marking his seat member may absent
himself as long a. he likes, and the seat,
If temporarily taken, is mt once sur
rendered on his return. As 10 the
method of securing seats at prayers, it
is usual for a member, some time before
the meeting, to lay his hat on the
place desired but unless the seat is really
occupied during the reading Of the col
lcct, il is lost. OF late an attempt has
been made to substitute glove or n
bundle Of papers, but these very made
quate guarantees Of a members presence
~ the building are removed by the Ser
gcant-at Arms. There are, Of course,
particular seats to which, without card
or hat, certain members have acquired a
prescriptiye right No one would
dream, for instance, Of usurpinQ the
place long occupied by Mr.. Henly, the
NestOr Of the House After prayers, il
there arc forty members present includ-
ing the speaker, the latter takes his chair.
otherwise the House adjourns. On We'd
ncsdays, however, when the sittings are
devoted TO private bills, and for that
reason are not very full, every member
at prayer must remain q prisoner until
four O'Clock, unless the requisite mini
mum is earlier made up.


Such arc some Of the minor formali-
ties prescribed by traditional etiquette
in the lower House Of the British Parlia-
mcnt. We need not dwell on the dis
tribution Of business, the functions of