Mr. Balfour expressed his profound astonishment at the extraordinary course
of the Government, whose chief Ministers stayed away, while Sir George Trevelyan had been supported on the Treasury Bench by only two Scotch Law officers, one English Law officer, and two Under-Secretaries; and yet the pro- posal which the Minister for Scotland advocated was one which might just as well be applied to obtain separate Parliaments. for London or Lancashire. Mr. Balfour submitted that, be- fore a proposal to throw the Constitution to the winds was- advocated by a leading Minister, it would only be decent to secure the attendance and attention of at least a moiety of the
Yet Mr. Dalziel's motion was carried by a majority of 10 (180 to 170), and when Mr. Balfour asked when a Bill would be brought in to give effect to the resolution, no- answer was returned. The whole proceeding was looked upon as a practical joke. But such practical jokes under- mine Parliaments and Administrations.
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