The Welsh Disestablishment Bill passed into Committee on Monday, and
was in Committee on Tuesday, but the various amendments have been defeated by majorities varying between 64 and 23. The Unionists were flagging
in their attendance, till they received a letter from Mr. Balfour calling their attention to the great importance of getting good divisions, which brought them up in large numbers to resist the repeal of the Irish Crimes Act on Wednesday. In the Welsh Bill, Mr. Asquith made no con- cessions, declaring that Disestablishment could not be separated from Disendowment, as there was the most abso- lute unity between the two parts of the Bill. This, from the point of view of the Welsh Gladstonians, is perfectly true.. The Welsh would not give a fig for Disestablishment without Disendowment, and Disendowment without Disestablishment would be like stripping a King of all the paraphernalia of Royalty and yet binding him down to his throne.
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