by members into the gallery of what is called the "body
of the house." This state of things had passed away: and for a long
series of years strangers had been admitted to a gallery in the House of
Commons in the face of the sessional order, by which your correspondent
CH. imagines their presence was "absolutely prohibited."

When I speak of strangers being admitted, it must not be supposed that
this was done by order of the House. No, every thing relating to the
admission of strangers to, and their accommodation in the House of
Commons, is effected by some mysterious agency for which no one is
directly responsible. Mr. Barry has built galleries for strangers in the
new house; but if the matter were made a subject of inquiry, it probably
would puzzle him to state under what authority he has acted.

Mr. Christie wished to make the sessional order applicable to existing
circumstances; and, it may be, he desired to draw from the House a
direct sanction for the admission of strangers. In the latter purpose,
however, if he ever entertained it, he failed. The wording of his
amendment is obscure, but necessarily so. The word "gallery," as
employed by him, can only refer to the gallery appropriated to members
of the House; but he intended it to apply to the strangers' gallery. The
order should have run thus, "admitted into any other part of the house,
or into the gallery appropriated to strangers;" but Mr. Christie well
knew that the House would not adopt those words, because they contain an
admission that strangers _are_ present whilst the House is sitting,
whereas it is a parliamentary fiction that they are _not_. If a member
in debate should inadvertently allude to the possibility of his
observations being heard by a stranger, the Speaker would immediately
call him to order; yet at other times the right honourable gentleman
will listen complacently to discussions {84} arising out of the
complaints of members that strangers will not publish to the world all
that they hear pass in debate. This is one of the consistencies
resulting from the determination of the House not expressly to recognise
the presence of strangers; but, after all, I am not aware that any
practical inconvenience flows from it. The non-reporting strangers
occupy a gallery at the end of the house immediately opposite the
Speaker's chair; but the right hon. gentleman, proving the truth of the
saying, "None so blind as he who will not see," never perceives them