In the course of his statement the Speaker suggested that
Mr. Asquith might now give some further information about the Amending Bill. Mr. Asquith met the Speaker's request in form without throwing much fresh light on the subject. Since the Speaker had made the suggestion, he thought it right to summarize the statements already made on behalf of the Government. It was their intention that the Amending Bill should give effect to the terms of agreement which they still hoped might be arrived at. If at the time of its introduction in the House of Lords no agreement had been reached, the Bill would embody the substance of the proposals outlined by him on March 8th, in the hope that, after discussion, agreement might be attained. No one was surprised after these disappointing words when Mr. Campbell did not again attempt to move the rejection of the Bill. Mr. Bonar Law briefly explained that the sooner the curtain was rung down on the "contemptible farce" the better. But the future would be not in the House but in the country, and then the matter would not be a farce. In tlie division the Government majority was 77. Mr, William O'Brien and his followers abstained, and two Liberals— Sir Clifford Cory and Mr. Agar-Robartes—voted against the Government, while another Liberal, Mr. Pirie, abstained.
