Sir Charles Russell replied to the Solicitor-General in a speech,
also of much ability, in which he declared that if the charge of uttering falsehoods in the House of Commons was not a matter of Privilege, he could hardly conceive what was. And he quoted Hallam to show that it was essential for the House to keep in its own power the defence of its poorer Members against attacks which they could not themselves afford to resent. Lord R. Churchill made a very able speech for the Government, and against undertaking judicial inquiries in the House of Commons ; and then Mr. Dillon finally declined the offer of the Government, and declared that no English jury could be trusted against the Times. As for the Brenon case, Mr. Brenon had got damages only because it was proved that he had quarrelled with the Land League.