16 MARCH 1901, Page 3

When on Monday the Chancellor of the Ex chequer moved

for the Committee to inquire into the provision to be made for the Civil List, Mr. Balfour announced that the Govern- ment had decided to make no objection to the appointment of a joint Committee to consider the terms of the Royal oath. We wish they had gone further, and had stated definitely that they intended to legislate in order to meet the just complaints of the Roman Catholics, and that they had appointed a Committee to inquire as to the best way of carrying out their decision. However, it is satisfactory to know that the matter is now to be taken in hand. To repeal the clauses of the Acts compelling the declaration will in no sort of way impair the guarantees for the main- tenance of the Protestant character of the Monarchy.