We do not think that the Irish Government have made
out a very good case for retaining Mr. Herbert, of Kerry, in the magistracy for Kerry, after the admitted use by him of violent language against the people, for whom he is said to have recom- mended a liberal use of buckshot. A more insulting phrase still, which is attributed to him, he denies. The Solicitor- General for Ireland asserts that the Lord Chancellor had inquired into the case, and had rebuked Mr. Herbert for the language which he had confessedly used, but that the Irish Administration has no power in the matter, beyond that of drawing the Lord Chancellor's attention to the subject. That may be so, now that the Lord Chancellor has investigated and pronounced on the case ; but, of course, it was previously in the power of the Government to inform the Lord Chan- cellor that, in their opinion, it is a matter of high policy not to allow Irish magistrates any licence of tongue, on either side, in expressing their views officially on Irish politics. If Magistrates are removed, and rightly removed, for expressing sympathy with popular violence, they should be removed just as promptly and inexorably for expressing sympathy with ad- ministrative violence. Either sort of licence alike provokes to breaches of the law.
Previous page
