The great State Trial has commenced. The first sitting of
the three Judges—the Right Hon. Sir J. Hannen, Mr. Justice Day, and Mr. Justice Smith—appointed to conduct
the investigation into the charges brought by the Times against the Parnellite Members, was held on Monday, and October 22nd was fixed for the commencement of the actual trial. It was announced also by the President of the Com- mission, Sir James Hannen, that the Judges would, so far as possible, conduct the inquiry " as if it were an issue directed between the parties to try the truth or falsehood of the allega- tions," but would reserve the power to call witnesses for them- selves. It was decided, after a careful controversy, that all persons who appear in the inquiry "are in a position analogous to that of parties to an action," and therefore that the counsel for the Times must "discover" all the documents in their possession to the Commissioners, who will then decide which of them shall be shown to the opposite counsel. This order also extends to Sir C. Russell and Mr. Asquith, as representing the Parnellites. Further, it was decreed, in spite of protests from the Times' counsel, Mr. Graham, that the Times must make the charges definite, and particularise the allegations. The Commission, however, decided that as regards sending a Commission to examine Mr. Egan, now in America, and accused by Mr. Graham of complicity in the Phcenix Park murders, there should be a suspension of such order, it not being yet clear that the witness could not or would not come to this country. The general effect of the sitting was to show great resolution in the Judges, who explicitly admitted an obligation under the Act to search the matter to the bottom even if all the parties retired, and who throughout acted as if presiding rather in a great State trial than in a mere inquiry. The proceedings have created so far a profound feeling of satisfaction, the one desire of the country now being that the matter should be probed to the bottom by an impartial and qualified tribunal.
