The trial of William Palmer for the murder of John
Parsons Cook is an historical event that will be ever memorable in the annals of English justice. The case assumed a national import- ance from its peculiar features, and from its public treatment. Individually, neither the criminal nor his victim were of a class to excite much interest ; but the ramifications of the crime, the character of the example, the amount of local prejudice which tended to confound the act of justice with the satisfaction of vin- dictive feeling, required the intervention of the state. Some difficulty existed in bringing Palmer from the local tribunal to the Central Court of Criminal jurisdiction, and a special act of Parliament was procured to authorize the change of venue in eases of the kind. Taking the prosecution from all inferior hands, the Crown assumed the responsibility ; and the conduct of the case has been complete in all respects. No expense was spared in procuring every information that could throw light upon the facts, and no information was withheld from the pri- soner's counsel. The Attorney-General conducted the pro- secution in a manner that more than justified any pre-
vious estimate of his abilities. He did not press the charge too hard against the prisoner, yet he never per- mitted a perversion on the side of the defence ; and he as- sisted in unfolding all the incriminating proofs in the most com- plete state before the Jury. The trial, which closed on Tues- day, had lasted twelve days, but the Jury paid to it, from the first moment to the last, unremitting and undivided at- tention. Approval must not be withheld even from the Judges, although in ordinary cases they may be held to be above ap- proval. There was something admirable in the animated patience with which they watched the whole case, and with which they were able, through their head, Chief Justice Campbell, to lay be- fore the Jury a summary of the evidence on both sides. The condemnation of the criminal, and his sentence to the extreme penalty of the law, form a result which entirely coincides with public opinion.
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