There is one straight line running through the Chamber of the Commons, their outer Lobby, their corridor, the Central Hall, the corridor towards the Lords, and the Upper Chamber—so that if all the doors were open and all spaces cleared, the Lord Chancellor at his Table in the Lords could see the Speaker on the Chair in the Commons.
It has been already mentioned that an ordinary member of the Commons may stand at the Bar of the Lords and listen to the debates, and muy avail himself of the right in order to see how the Bills which have just passed the Lower House are faring in the Lords. Those members are also Privy Councillors have the pri lege of standing on the steps at the foot of the Throne, whereby they see and hear extremely well and are close to the Peers—other Privy Councillors not in the Commons have the same privilege, so have the sons of the Peers. While great debates are proceeding, these steps are crowded with many of the most eminent Commoners, and their presence Jends additional effect to the historic scene.
But it {s not only as spectators that the Commoners stand at the Bar. They are from time to time summoned to the Bar, with the Speaker at their head, to hear the Royal Assent given in old Norman French to the Bills that have passed both Houses. Then the space of the Bar is well filled. The Assent is seldom or never declared by the Sovereign in person; but by Royal Commissioners, selected Peers sitting in their red robes at the foot of the Throne. 'The spectacle is formal and curious; the long rows of red benches and the Peeresses' galleries will be empty; from the Table the lark reads the Royal Commission and each Commissioner raises his cap as his name is pronounced. The Clerk reads the titles of the Bills that have been assented to and after each Bill another Clerk, moving towards the Commons at the Bar, pronounces, in Norman French, the words: "La Reine lo vault." As these words are uttered the Bill becomes Law as an Act. If the Bill be the financial one then the Norman French is altered, for the Queen thanks her good subjects for their benevolence—namely, the grant of money supies.
further, the Speaker and the Commons are summoned at the beginning of each Session to hear the Queen's Speech read either by the Sovereign from the Throne, which is rarely the case, or by the Lord Chancellor, in the manner just explained. On that occasion the red benches will be fairly well filled, so will the Peeresses' Galleries; if the Queen herself be present then they will be all thronged, and every available corner will be crowded; still the House will be wearing an orderly and dignified aspect. To crown it all the Commons are to arrive at the Bar—and if it be a new Parliament their Speaker is to demand for them all their ancient privileges and freedom of speech. At this moment the spectacle ceases to be dignified. The Speaker and the first row of members may preserve their orderly array, but behind them will be a crush of members, jammed into a narrow space, hustling and pushing each other, the force from behind augmenting the confusion and giving a school-boy appearance to the scene. All this must seem ridiculous to the spectators from the red benches and from the Galleries. Yet these are the Commons of Britain coming not of their own motion, but summoned by the Black Rod to attend at the Bar, it may be in the Royal presence. The
any fault on the part of the Commons but atmurdity of the thronging arises not frm because the space at the Bar is quite insufficient. Certainly the Commons, the most potent Estate in the realm, should not submit to this arrangement, and should insist on proper accommodation being provided for them on these public occasions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.