Thursday's debate was opened by Lord. Selborne in a memorable
speech. He pointed out that if the Parliament Bill became law in its present state the House of Commons would not resemble any other First Chamber in the world; nor would there be found any Second Chamber resembling the House of Lords. After speaking with well-justified indignation of the torrents of abuse and insult that have been poured out upon the House of Lords, he declared that the House, how- ever reconstituted, must have such powers as were to be found in every civilized country in the world, and such as were given to the Second Chamber in the Transvaal only four years ago. The Unionist leaders had advised the Lords to read the Bill a second time because they realized "the dreadful gravity of the Constitutional crisis," and because they were not going to slam the door in the face of a national, instead of a party, settlement
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