290       PLACES AND PEOPLE ABROAD.
rising from his seat ; look at his thin black hair, how it
seems to stand up ; hear that weak, but distinct voice.
0, how he repeats the ends of his sentences ! It is Lord
John Russell, the leader of the present administration.
He is now asking for three million pounds sterling to
carry on the war. He fs a terse and perspicuous speaker,
but avoids prolixity. He is much respected on both
sides of the House. Though favorable to reform meas-
ures generally, he is nevertheless an upholder of aristoo-
racy, and stands at the head and firmly by his order.
He is brother to the present Duke of Bedford, and has
twice been Premier ; and, though on the sunny side of
sixty, he has been in office, at different times, more than
thirty years. He is a constitutional whig and conser-
vative reformer. See how earnestly he speaks, and keeps
his eyes on Disraeli ! He is afraid of the Jew. Now he
scratches the bald place on his head, and then opens that
huge roll of paper, and looks over towards Lord Palmerston.
That full-faced, well-built man, with handsome coun-
tenance, just behind him, is Sir Joshua Walmesley.
He is about the same age of Lord John ; and is the
representative for Leicester. He is a native of Liverpool,
where for some years he was a poor teacher, but after-
wards became wealthy in the corn trade. When mayor
of his native town, he was knighted. He is a radical
reformer, and always votes on the right side.
Lord John Russell has finished and taken his seat.
Joseph Hume is up. He goes into figures ; he is the
arithmetician of the House of Commons.   Mr. Hume is .