The Government appears to have been needlessly obstinate in relation
to the clauses making an offence of participation in public meetings which the Viceroy may prohibit,-especially con- sidering that the Irish Government has assumed, and, we suppose, legally assumed, quite sufficient power to prevent dangerous assemblies of this kind in Ireland for a long time back, without any special powers, except those given them by the common law. A passionate dispute arose on Tuesday in relation to the conduct of the Irish Constabulary, whom Mr. Sexton accused of refresh- ing themselves so often as to become the worse for drink, and then acting in a provocative and insulting manner; but the only important change introduced in relation to assaults on the Constabulary was this,—that in order to be punishable under this measure, they must be assaults on the Constabulary while on duty. With regard to the membership of unlawful associa- tions, which is made an offence under this measure, it was conceded that it shall only be punishable when it can be shown that any one is " knowingly " a member of an unlawful association ; and, what is still more important, the Government promised that the Resident Irish Magistrates in administering the new measure shall be assisted by trained legal advisers. On the whole, the number of reasonable concessions made by the Government in relation to this measure, has been very considerable, though in no case, so far as we can judge, has there been anything like idle or weak concession.
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