The Pall Mall Gazette lays down the doctrine that the
Militia regiment whose march through London recently gave the " roughs" such an opportunity should have interfered to protect the persons plundered, and would have been justified in using their arms for that purpose, and even in inflicting death. Does not this opinion stretch the law a little further than it will bear ? The " roughs"
certainly could not have been attacked as rioters without the in- tervention of the civil-magistrate, and if attacked as thieves an intervening Militiaman could certainly have no greater rights than the sufferer himself; who, unless endangered in life or limb, is not authorized in broad daylight and the open street to kill an assailant. You may protect your head' with a revolver, but surely not your watch. Should gang robberies become frequent in London we may want more force to repress them, but it would be better to organize an armed police' than to keep perpetually calling for military aid.
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