They well knew that an inquiry could not strengthen their case, and might weaken it.

The issue, they said, had been tried; a jury had pronounced; the verdict was definitive; and it would be monstrous to give the false witnesses who had been stoned out of Manchester an opportunity of repeating their lesson.

To this argument the answer was obvious.

The verdict was definitive as respected the defendants, but not as respected the prosecutors.

The prosecutors were now in their turn defendants, and were entitled to all the privileges of defendants.