JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 27 
an attraction sufficient to draw crowds of visitors from all 
parts of the country. The official ceremonies are announced 
to take place in the Senate at three o’clock, but long before 
that hour the ample grounds are filled with an expectant crowd 
while inside the corridors leading to the galleries of the Senate 
chamber are crowded with ticket holders waiting for weary 
hours for the doors to open so that they may secure a good 
place to view the ceremonies. In 1879, long before noon, the 
doors of the Senate galleries were besieged by ladies in force, 
all anxious for a view of the Princess Louise, then present for 
the first time with the Marquis of Lorne as Governor-General. 
The Senate chamber is a fine room of the same size and style 
of architecture as the Commons, but the draperies, colorings 
andturniture are, in excellent taste, and give it) an) effect 
missed in the Commons. On this occasion it is resplendent. 
Ladies in full dress occupy the space usually alotted to the 
Senators, while they humbly occupy seats at the feet of the 
ladies. ‘The Judges of the Supreme Court are present in their 
scarlet robes bordered with ermine, and the Cabinet Ministers 
attend in their gold laced uniforms, while the A. D. C’s in 
waiting wear Her Majesty’s scarlet. At last the royal salute 
is fired from the guns on Nepean Point and the enthusiastic 
cheers of the assembled crowd announce the arrival of the 
Governor-General who enters and taking his seat on the throne, 
b} 
desires the presence of his ‘‘ Faithful Commons’. 
And what of the Commons all this time? The forenoon 
of the opening day is always bright and gay in the Commons 
Chamber. Members renew their acquaintance of past sessions 
amidst ceaseless handshaking and exchange of more or less 
spicy jokes, and if the first session after the general election, 
the forenoon is occupied in administering the oath of allegiance 
to Her Majesty at the table inthe chamber in lots of four and 
six, followed by signing the roll, belated members afterwards 
going through that ceremony in the Clerk’s office. 
In the British House of Commons with 675 members the 
‘“swearing in’’ process is tedious and occupies days, and so 
many new members after an election are hard to :dentify, and 
