Mr. Justice Fitzgerald,—the Irish Judge whose declarations on the state
of Ireland have been so often quoted in Parliament of late,—has been appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. There are two vacancies, caused by the death of Sir James Colvile and the resignation of Sir Montagne Smith, and Mr. Justice Fitz- gerald is to fill one of them. It is a good thing that an Irish Judge should oftener enter the Appellate Court than has of late been usual, and we hope that the vacancy on the Irish Bench may be filled up by some Irish lawyer who is eminently fitted to act as Special Commissioner under the Bill which is now passing through Parliament. Great firmness, great impartiality, and a consider- able reputation for superiority, will all be wanted in the Judges who are to discharge these duties ; nor do we doubt that an able- man possessing these qualities might not only entitle himself to, but gain, a very wide popularity in Ireland, by so discharging the new duties as to help in ridding the Irish people of a night- mare of daily intimidation and nightly terror.
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