the rites of the Church of Rome, should be treated as invalid from a canonical point of view.  Although legally binding, it should be regarded as no marriage in the eyes of an orthodox Roman Catholic until it was regularized in the manner provided by the Church, The case of an unhappy mixed marriage in Belfast was exploited with fury on a thousand platforms.  Another decree, the Motu Proprio, was construed as seeking to establish immunity for the clergy from proceedings in civil courts.  This, however, was of less platform value, because no instance could be found of a practical application; whereas the McCann case unquestionably gave Tory disputants a formidable instrument for evoking the ancient distrust of Roman Catholicism which is so deeply ingrained in the Protestant mind.

In spite of all, the English democracy remained steady in its purpose.  Party feeling, however, ran to heights not known in living memory.  In July 1911 the Parliament Bill went to the Lords, where it was altered out of all recognition.  On July 20th Mr. Asquith sent a letter to Mr. Balfour stating that the King had guaranteed that he would exercise his prerogative to secure that the Bill should be passed substantially as it left the Commons.  On the 24th the extreme section of the Tory party, headed by Lord Hugh Cecil, refused to allow the Prime Minister a hearing in the House of Commons.

From an Irish point of view the episode was noteworthy.  At the outset of this critical session Redmond had cautioned his party to abstain from giving provocation and from allowing themselves to be provoked.  The counsel was the harder to follow because some of the most vehement of the younger Tories sat below the gangway, almost in physical contact with Irish members, and hot words passed.  Still, it was grounded into all that we should not allow the great issue then at trial to be represented as an Irish quarrel.  Our cause was linked with the whole cause of democracy as against privilege:  it was an issue for the whole United Kingdom; and that was never plainer than on this day of July.  English, Scottish and Welsh members hurled interruptions and taunts at each other across the floor of the House, while Irish members sat watching.  Something older and more far-reaching than the opposition to Ireland’s demand now was felt itself assailed; and a force in which the Irish movement was only one stream of many swept against it.  Anger in the Tory party was not directed against Ireland’s representatives; and an odd chance made this plain.  The fierce scene in the House reached its culmination when Ministers withdrew in a body from the Treasury Bench and the two sides of the House stood up, one cheering, the other hooting, in opposite ranks.  For a moment it seemed as if the affair would come to blows, till Mr. Will Crooks, with a genial inspiration, uplifted his voice in song:  “Should auld acquaintance be forgot?” The tension was relaxed and members moved out in groups—­we