TRIALS FOR Ihnae.—The Morning Journal was convicted on Wed- nesday
for a libel on the house of MORRISON and Company, of Fore Street, and mulcted in 3501. The charge against that most respectable finn was very recklessly made, and as groundless as it was reckless ; and being so confessed by the party offending, perhaps smaller da- mages might have sufficed. The very extravagance of the libel car- ried its own antidote. Its history is a curiosity in its way. Mr. Dm- Lox, a partner of the house in question, wrote a letter in the Times about Free Trade ; whereupon the Times, which was in one of its tearing fits, said something very severe on the same subject. • The Journal passed by Mr. DILLON with a mere side-blow—passed by the Times—and set to belabouring- the innocent merchants of Fore Street without reason or measure. Surely the Jury might have discovered in this conduct such strong symptoms as would have justified them in looking to the case as one more deserving of pity than punishment.
There appears to be a set against the Journal just now, of which we cannot wholly approve. The Scotch have a proverb—" a laigh dike ilka dog loups o:er." The violence of the paper has laid it open to the attacks of the most insignificant, but small honour is to be gained from a victory over the defenceless. And with all its violence, no one can deny to our contemporary the possession at all times of great spirit, occasionally of eloquence, and sometimes of very tolerable argument. We could wish he would drop the Catholics and Ireland for a month or two—they are sad bores ; but we fear our wishes are van'.
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