The trial of Messrs. Canninghame Graham and Burns for their
share in the Trafalgar Square riots ended on Wednesday. They were accused of rioting, assault, and unlawful assembly ; but the jury found them guilty on the last count only, and they were sentenced to only six weeks' imprisonment without hard labour, a lenity which will hereafter be quoted by every rioter. We have discussed the judgment elsewhere, but may mention here that the Judge in his charge laid it down distinctly, that assembling in such a manner as to cause alarm was rioting ; that there was no justification for meetings in streets or other public places like Trafalgar Square ; and that the Chief Com- missioner of Police had not only the right to prevent disorder, bat was liable to criminal proceedings if he did not do it. His so-called " proclamation " was only a notice, and did not in any way alter the character of the meeting, which was unlawful under the ordinary law ; but it was impossible for Sir Charles Warren, after the result of the meeting of February 8th, 1886, not to see that the meeting would cause alarm, and seeing that, he was bound to prevent it. Mr. Justice Charles observed, moreover, that the police had not exaggerated in their evidence, and that the persons who bad joined defendants in their rush had not been called to give evidence on their behalf,—a curious fact, if they also believed no riot to be intended. The trial is most creditable to the extreme and even painful carefulness with which English Courts guard liberty.
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