Punch (90.1886)

January 30, 1886.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHAEIVAEI.

59

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

extracted from

THE DIARY OF TOBY, M.P.

THE GBAND OLD HAND AND THE YOUNG 'TJNS.

111 stand here as a Member of the House, where there are many who haTe
taken their seats for the first time upon these benches, and where there may
be some to whom possibly I may avail myself of the privilege of old age to
offer a recommendation. I would tell them of my own intention to keep my

counsel, and reserve my own freedom, until I see the occasion when there may
be a prospoct of public benefit in endeavouring to make a movement forward,
and I will venture to recommend them, as an old Parliamentary hand, to do
the same. {Laughter.)"—From Gladstone's Speech.

the struggling crowd beneath. New Members in great force; bad
recovered their breath after the rush to the Lords to bear Queen's
Speech read, and now employed it to give notice of innumerable
motions. Then they were constantly popping up in unexpected
places and attempting to address the Speaker, from forbidden quarters.
Uutltee. opened the Ball by quite a curious progress. Was standing
amid the throng' at the Bar when his name was called.
" Sir," he said, " I beg to give notice-"

Got no further before he was set upon by old-Members, and
severely hustled. Quilter naturally indignant. If this was the
famous courtesy of the House of Commons to new Members, be'd

take a little less of it. Hit

House of Lords, Thursday, January 21.—Scene in tbeLords to-daya
Dream of Fair Women, ablaze of j ewellery, a j oy of Judges, and abevy of
Bishops. Everyone dressed all in his best, except the Peers themselves,
who were in their worst. Huddled together on benches, closely packed
on floor of House, arrayed in dingy scarlet robes, everyone misfits, they
looked like a body of supers waiting to be called on m Coroner's jury
scene, or some equally lively entertainment. The Peeresses and their
female relations had stormed the place, driven the Lords of the Creation
into these pens in the centre of the floor, where they sat in meek
silence, whilst incessant chattering filled the House with the sound
of sweet feminine voices. But the Ladies—God bless 'em !—were

having such a day of it, en- _

joying themselves so tho- =H^H =. ~_ ■ ,»-"^T-\-j I *\ -s. - I-~, I valiantly m response,

roughly, and looking so BVhl W« ® . !U T | I v ^ arrmbers overpowered

charming that the Peers * 1 1 J 13^//^* 7 1 him. Hustled to tho Cross

were of no consequence. te^lTKM fM'i* f Benches where he bepn

H.R.H. wore his ownPeer's f ^ I 11 WlP l-^M,| \-kh*K I again. " Sir, I beg—'*

robes, and showed they reaUy ~ — ™ -M *M J X I ^ £kL = M--1—" n ^ ^T^T^A ■

did not look so bad when Ik I /*S \Ip/T^Rn ^ M &7™ entrenched him-

made to measure. The worst j 1U ~v\\ Pg* I -/ x\ i \\\ , & self m the corner before the

of thePeersis^sDuiotAVEN j*l Jl1,«. \\\ })\1 V* 1 ITZ\f&\ v°SS B.eno^es> w^re, to

says, that in the present de- (MS L/|RV fS zMJ^*\ ( \ \l , '-^WvC'l) % ,surfls^ he was. allowed,
pressed state of agriculture -ffrj^Xrh ^ 1 SttoL* v vj '\ \ \\jfFA It* R T f ™^ ^Tray-

Lve foslve a penny wher! % \\ ^J* \ >J#J ? IL^y W « Better Se-
rver they can. Acco/dingly, L V2 I , if A f'-1 T Jfi/^f \/ !r curity of Beer

they go to ready-made shops ^-* i J\/fosSS//"' -^== ^ ^ "---' , H°use roared with laugh-

f or their robes, and are bound---/J' V^Vl^V-:===ZZ^^ \V V-e mmutea- , (.^nr

to take the nearest fit that --.j^^g----z===Z^^^=====^ tee looking about him m

turns up. -v—*"^ ... —=r^~^ amazement.

In House of Commons •-ik---1-\ "Thought he was the

another moving scene but ^ y*7 \ Accountant fellow, said

of different kind. No red X/f \ _ P.Mfl Chaplin, _ regarding him

cloaks here, nor bared shoul- 1-■--'--■--- through his eye-glass; but

ders, nor flashing jewels— The Scene in the House of Lords. suppose he's in the cork line,

unless we count Joseph . ,, , rA1,, Bungs is on his mind."

Gillis as one. House did not meet for business till four, but at
noon the Irish Contingent came down and took possession of all the
seats below the Gangway, making a selection of the more favoured
places above it. English and Scotch Members arriving some hours
later found themselves evicted from their old seats, bound to take
up their places in the side-galleries. From the Peers' Gallery,
Joseph, Viscount Arch, sat side by side with George, Marquis
of Howell, the two noble Lords regarding with supercilious air

A mistake all round. 'Old Members wished to inform new one that
he could not speak except from within the line marked by the Cross
Benches, whilst Outlier nad intended to give notice of a Bill " for
the Better Security of the Purity of Beer." In the exoitement of the
moment purity had deserted him.

Several new Members made maiden speeches on the Address, to
Mr. Beresfokd Hope's great discontent. " Inmy time," he growled,
" it was thought an impudence for a new Member to open his mouth