On Thursday the debate was resumed with still less result.
Mr. Charles Russell's amendment, limiting intimidation to threats of violence or incitements to threaten violence, was negatived by 266 votes against 45; and then came an amendment of Mr. Healy's, proposing to limit the offence of intimidation to the post- ing or circulating of notices of an illegal character,—to publicly proclaiming any person under a ban, or inciting others so to pro- claim him,—and wrongfully and illegally holding up any one to public odium, or using violence or threats of violence to any persons. This was objected to by the Government, on the ground that it was impossible to exhaust the modes of intimidation, and that in the English Act of 1875 general words were retained, by which intimidation was made an offence, even though it were not exercised in any of the particular ways subsequently specified. In the end, the amendment was rejected by 247 votes against 36, after which Mr. Bryce proposed to leave the word " intimidation " without a definition, as prefer- able to defining it too vaguely. This was objected to by the Government, on the ground that it was absolutely neces- sary to make the Irish people understand by instances the kind of act which is to be punished under these clauses; but
on this amendment there was no division taken on Thursday, the Irish Members preferring to move dilatory amendments for reporting progress, a course which was ultimately successful.
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