▁express ing ▁the ▁opinion ▁that ▁an ▁action ▁was ▁possible ▁but ▁not ▁probable ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁risk ▁was ▁worth ▁taking . ▁New man ▁delivered ▁his ▁lecture ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 1 8 5 0 . ▁In ▁August , ▁The ▁Evangel ical ▁Alliance ▁gave ▁notice ▁that ▁they ▁intended ▁to ▁support ▁Ach illi ▁in ▁a ▁lib el ▁action ▁against ▁New man . ▁ ▁New man ' s ▁trial ▁for ▁lib el ▁Ach illi ▁offered ▁a ▁comprom ise ▁but ▁New man ▁felt ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁admit ▁any ▁cul p ability . ▁Such ▁an ▁ad mission ▁would ▁t aint ▁Wis eman ▁and ▁the ▁wider ▁church ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁himself . ▁New man ▁asked ▁Wis eman ▁for ▁whatever ▁document ary ▁evidence ▁he ▁possessed ▁but ▁Wis eman , ▁un world ly ▁at ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁times , ▁was ▁dist ract ed ▁by ▁other ▁matters ▁and ▁could ▁offer ▁nothing . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁Ach illi ▁sw ore ▁an ▁aff id av it ▁den ying ▁the ▁alleg ations ▁made ▁against ▁him . ▁This ▁enabled ▁him ▁to ▁bring ▁criminal ▁proceed ings ▁for ▁the ▁common ▁law ▁off ence ▁of ▁def am atory ▁lib el ▁against ▁New man , ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁simple ▁civil ▁action ▁for ▁dam ages . ▁New man ▁was ▁li able ▁to ▁maximum ▁sentence ▁of ▁an ▁un limited ▁fine ▁or ▁a ▁year ' s ▁imprison ment . ▁ ▁The ▁trial ▁began ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁June ▁and ▁last ed ▁five ▁days . ▁The ▁Att orney - General ▁Sir ▁Freder ic ▁Th es iger