The debate was continued by Lord Haldane, who declared emphatically
that the Bill would not set up Single-Chamber Government, but would bring the House of Lords nearer to its true function of revising, delaying, and counselling. Lord Lansdowne wound up the debate on the Opposition side, and summarized the arguments against the Bill. He concluded by foreshadowing the amendments which would be moved during the Committee stage. They would suggest that,-so long as the Constitution is out of gear, "it is necessary in common prudence to devise some safeguards to protect the country against dangerous and ill-considered innovations; safeguards, above all, to protect, to secure, our most sacred institutions and the foundations of government for the United Kingdom, against irreparable damage." After Lord Morley had replied on behalf of the Government the Bill was read a second time without a division, only a single voice having called "not content" when the question was put by the Lord Chancellor. We have dealt with the future of the Bill else- where, and will only say here that it is evident that the Government mean to have their whole pound of flesh, and that at the moment there is no way open to prevent `thina doing so.
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