1 JANUARY 1881, Page 9

The trial of Mr. Parnell and his thirteen . companions,

accused of unlawfully conspiring. to prevent the fulfilment of legal contracts, "with intent to impoverish the owners of land," commenced on Tuesday, in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Courtsof Justice, Dublin. Twelve jurymen were empanelled, without th'e expected difficulty, and their names, in accordance with a most objectionable practice, which ought to be suppressed by law, arc published in all the newspapers. At first, three Judges, the Lord Chief Justice May, Mr. Justice Fitzgerald, and Mr. Justice Barry, took their seats ; but, before the proceedings commenced, the Lord Chief Justice read a state- ment., denying that the language he employed during the appli- cation for a delay of the trial indicated any want of imparti- ality on his part between the traversers and the Crown. He admitted, however; that it had "caused excitement," and having regard to the importance of the trial and the state ut the country, lie had decided, "with the concurrence of some whose opinions I highly value," to take no part in the proceed- ings. He, therefore, retired. No incident could more clearly reveal to Irishmen the new tone which prevails in the United King- dom, the anxious solicitude of all who govern there to avoid even Um appearance of caste oppression. Whether it will have any effect upon opinion, excited as it now is in Ireland, may be doubted; but the Lord Chief Justice is right, and Ism shown, in effacing himself, a certain high-mindedness and true judicial feeling which will induce all just msn doubly to regret the original incident. It is not easy for a magistrate Ho highly placed and so entirely independent to confess so publicly that he has been, however accidentally, betrayed into a grave error.