After the scene on Thursday, the House proceeded to guillo-
tine the remainder of the Bill. Mr. Gladstone's new financial clause was only added to the Bill by a majority of 21 (312 to 291). Thus the financial relations between England and Ire- land have been settled by a majority less than the excess of the Irish representation in the House,—Ireland having twenty- three Members too many, even by Mr. Gladstone's admission, and in reality some twenty-eight too many. The schedule fixing the number of the Irish constituencies was only carried by 17. In the rest of the divisions the Government majority varied from 30 to 33. The Bill is thus through Committee. Not more than ten clauses out of a measure originally of forty clauses and seven schedules have been discussed at all, and of these, four were dealt with in part only. Thus, twenty-eight clauses and all the schedules have been passed without even the form of debate. No wonder the House forgets its manners when Mr. Gladstone deprives it of its legislative functions. "Be Kent unmannerly when Lear is mad" might well be the retort of the House if upbraided by its leader for its loss of dignity and good-breeding.
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