The eruption being once over, the cloud of obstruction settled
down heavily again on the House. On Monday there was an all-night sitting, "progress " not being reported till 20 minutes to 5, when twelve lines of the Bill, or, including the preamble, sixteen lines, had been actually got through. And even then the first sub-section would not have been finished, had not Mr. Courtney, in refusing to allow the Closure to be applied to that sub-section, declared that, in his opinion, only two amendments "possibly demand some discussion,"—a remark which quickly cleared the others out of the way. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the second sub-section of the first clause (six lines in length) and the first six words of the third sub-section were debated, and,
after amendment on amendment had been negatived, were agreed to. As Thursday was devoted to other matters, this is where the Bill stood, up to the meeting of the House yesterday. Such is legislation with the minority in command of a continuous brake which they never hesitate to apply.
