§ MR. BIGGARasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that articles have appeared in The Birmingham Weekly Post, Birmingham Daily Post, and Birmingham, Daily Mail, articles and paragraphs prejudging the case for the defence of the three persons charged with treason felony; whether copies of The Daily Mail, describing evidence against Egan as "damning," and expressing the opinion that—
There would be nothing surprising in the announcement that pick and spade had dislodged some more sensational evidence against Egan,1538 were circulated in Court during the trial; and, whether he proposes to order a prosecution of the proprietors of the above papers?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTI think I have answered this Question before, I have no information on this matter that would justify me in instituting a prosecution.