As we briefly announced last week, Arthur Alfred Lynch, 11.P.-elect
for Galway City, was on January 23rd, after a three days' trial, found guilty of high treason and condemned to death. The law recognises no other penalty for such a crime, but the Crown has commuted the capital sentence to one of penal servitude for life. The Judges found little difficulty in demonstrating the fallacy of the contentions that the cri me must be committed "within the realm," and that a person could escape from the consequences of treason by obtaining letters of naturalisation under the Act of 1870. The Lord Chief Justice directed the jury that if a man in time of war joined the Ring's enemies, he committed a criminal act, and that the taking of an oath of allegiance to the enemies' Government was treason, even if believed to be lawful. Mr. Justice Wills, who in passing sentence addressed the convict in memorable words, pointed out that the only pallia- tion for the crime was that men had been encouraged "to Play with sedition and to toy with treason." We hope that
this trial and the exemplary penalty finally awarded will bear fruit with the dupes of those who encourage treason, but disown the traitors.
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