A considerable commotion has been created in Manchester by the
handcuffing of the suspected Fenians, who are also chained together in couples during the examination in Court. As they are still uncommitted for trial, and their innocence, therefore, still presumable, this very painful anticipatory punishment could, of course, only be justified by substantial danger of rescue. The Court, however, is full of armed police, and there are plenty of armed soldiers outside, so that even the Times has to admit that the danger of rescue is chimerical, in which case the chaining and handcuffing is a discreditable sign of panic. Mr. Ernest Jones, who was retained to defend the prisoners, has thrown up his brief in disgust because the magistrates persist in this needless punish- ment of men against whom a prima facie ease has not yet been made out. Perhaps it was injudicious to throw up the brief, but we cannot conceive why so much blame is lavished by the Times on this mere error of judgment, and so little on the unworthy panic of the Manchester Bench. To take every needful precaution against rescue is a matter of course. But this once rendered impossible, it is alike undignified and unjust to accumulate needless indigni- ties on men who are as yet only suspected of crime.
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