Late on Wednesday the Chief Secretary for Ireland issued a
communication to the press that the Government, "taking into consideration the fact that the jury acquitted Mr. James Larkin on two counts of the indictment, including that for incitement to riot," have decided to release him. As we bold that it was a preposterous piece of official tyranny to proceed with the prosecution of Mr. Larkin for seditious libel after he bad been acquitted of the real offence of inciting to riot, we are naturally glad that he has been released. We may point out, however, that the Government are not exculpated by the release of Mr. Larkin under the pressure of the Labour Party and of public opinion generally. Indeed, all we can honestly say about them is that they have yielded to clamour and political pressure when they would not yield to the dictates of justice.
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