Lord Herschel replied to Lord Salisbury in a speech as
admirable in tone as that of the Prime Minister, and much the best, we think, that has been delivered against the Com- mission. But his criticisms, though moderate and calm in every sentence, were not Very damaging, though they make us regret seriously that the names of the three Commissioners had not been submitted to Lord Herschell before they had been finally sanctioned by the Lord Chancellor. Lord Herschell holds that no Judicial Commission nominatea by the present Government could have been likely to win the confidence of the Irish Members, though, oddly enough, he holds that a Committee of the House, composed of keen partisans and eager foes, would have won that confidence. Lord Herschel regretted that the scope of the investigation was not to be limited, and insisted on the very serious expense to which the incriminated Members might be put. He thought more pains should have been taken in selecting the names of the Commissioners, so as to give the impression that there would be no political bias on the Commission ; and, fi nally, he deplored the dragging of the Judges into a position in which it is almost impossible that they should not excite political odium. Nothing could be more worthy of respect than Lord Herschell's attitude throughout.
