This second overthrow which Mr Babbance and his * friends j have brought upon themselves .'appears , to have been deserved oti other grounds, than that of neglecting to consult their own true dignity. From the moment they embarked on .their un heroic course they seem to have been aware of the weakness of their case, and sought to strengthen it by means of a detective’s services. This was to play a dangerous game—dangerous noi only for their reputation but for the liberties of the people. According to

his Honor the Chief Justice, the official whose services were thus' em ployed was not acting in his public capacity, and bad gone about the busi ness entrusted to him in a way which he stigmatised “ as highly improper;” but he appears to have left it doubtful as to whether it were right to employ. such‘an - official at all for such 1 a pur pose. Now this is a point on which there should be no doubt remaining. We cannot protest too strongly against the idea of employing s a detec tive for the ferreting out of charges and evidence in. the case of an election petition. This, if reduced to practice, would place an instrument of oppression in the hands of un scrupulous politicians which would lead to far greater evils than those which the Corrupt Practices Act was intended to prevent. Detectives are men whose efficiency depends upon their ability to unearth every secret which can, by the remotest connection, lead to the apprehension of those sus pected of crime, and in discharge of their functions they must not unfrequently cause serious annoyance to innocent people. This, though a painful, is yet an unavoidable consequence, which, in the general interests of society, most people are prepared to submit to ; but it is an infliction which no people, valuing their liberty, will .accept the risk of lin connection with their political life. M It is perhaps fortunate that the employment of a detective’s services, in. connection with alleged political misdemeanors has in this case been resortedto, as it may have the effect ’ of opening people’s 1 eyes to the inse- Xcurity their liberties would be placed, in if, even by implication,'.political and criminal action were to be, placed on a par, as they have been by Mr Babbance and his coadjutors. 