Its place was in the final citadel of privilege, and privilege surrendered on August 10th, when the Bill passed the Lords after the most exciting and uncertain division that is ever likely to be known.

But there were elements in the Tory party which did not accept defeat, though they had not yet clearly decided on what battleground to renew their efforts.

For the moment, however, men were disposed to pause and take stock of the new situation.
But at such a time events cannot stand still, and almost at the same moment as the Parliament Act was carried, the Government took a step which gravely affected the Irish party.

Payment of members was established by a resolution of the House of Commons.
Irish Nationalist members had always been paid from the party fund, that is to say, by their supporters.

Payment was conditional, not of right, and it was not made except when the member was in attendance: it amounted only to twenty pounds a month.