The rest of the debate was not very impressive, except
that Mr. O'Brien naively suggested that Members who found diffi- culty in swearing allegiance to Queen Victoria, and who would have been very glad to admit conscientious Atheists into the House, if conscientious Republicans could be admitted on the same easy terms, were not going to aid the Government in relieving the former, and in refusing relief to the latter. In other words, Mr. O'Brien, who had scruples about taking an oath in a non-natural sense, but had got over them, would not hear of relieving the similar scruples of others. Mr. Goschen made a vigorous attack on the Conservatives for their party use of religion, ta which Sir S. Northcote replied in a very moderate speech, deprecating the discussion of this subject on party lines ; and Lord Hartington closed the debate, in a vigorous but very ill-reported plea for the Bill. The Bill was then thrown out, by 292 votes against 289,—majority against the Government, three.
