The inquest into the death of Mrs. Mary Grant, of
Newport, who was killed in a charge of the 23rd Welsh Fusiliers during the Election riots, has terminated. It was proved that Colonel Bell had done his utmost to clear the streets without loss of life, and the jury returned an unanimous verdict that deceased had been accidentally killed by a bayonet, during a charge "made for the purpose of dispersing a riotous and disorderly mob," and that Colonel Bell had exhibited much " humanity and discretion." The verdict is more sensible than such verdicts usually are. The regular course in this country is to allow rioting to become dangerous, then to summon the soldiers, and then, if they do the work for which they were summoned to find them guilty of wilful murder. The notion seems to be that soldiers ought to be able to put down rioting by merely showing themselves, an idea unhappily only correct of cavalry. Horsemen can disperse a crowd without taking life, but infantry must use the bayonet, and bayonets give deadly wounds. In any other country ou earth, even in Ireland or America, the troops would have fired.
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