The Judge in such cases is also in a difficulty,
because, well knowing that there is little to be said for the prisoner, he must not appear to be unfairly restricting whatever in the nature of a case the defending counsel can hash up. Nevertheless, it seems to us that the Judge gave the defending counsel more than enough latitude. The matter is very important in our view, because we have for many years insisted that it is the duty of every publia man whose character is gravely aspersed to vindicate himself in a court of law. If, however, counsel are allowed to make every sort of ghastly innuendo against a public man who is merely protecting himself in the right way there is a danger that men of honour will hesitate to take what is undoubtedly the right course. At all events, we trust that the public will understand that Mr. Churchill vindicated himself completely ; that at the end of the case not a single charge or innuendo against him remained unriddled. We heartily congratulate him.
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