The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-02 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JANUARY 2, 1858.

endorsed, and he is certain of a comfortable
provision. At the time we write every one
knows that professional merit, that legal
status, has as little to do with a man's advance-
ment in Ireland as being one of the " Inevita-
bles " of a Cabinet has to do with ability or
with character. It seems, indeed, as if the
object of the Minister must be to pave the
way for the destruction of the independence
of the Irish courts of law, by bringing them
into sovereign contempt with the community.
We propose to cite some examples in illus-
tration and support of our opinion, that the
vacancies on the Irish Bench are likely to
redound to the exclusive advantage of Roman
Catholicism. It was only the other day Mr.
CORBALLis was appointed Chairman of the
County Kilkenny—an office of great impor-
tance, involving the discharge of judicial
duties of a high order, and requiring an accu-
rate knowledge of criminal jurisprudence.
The principle on which he was nominated to
this post was identical with that which caused
him to be made Law Adviser to the Castle.
He was a Roman Catholic ; and though, in his
personal relations, entitled to respect, without
one single professional pretension to the re-
sponsible position in which he has been
placed. In former times each party had its
eminent men, and from a goodly phalanx the
most distinguished were selected on either
side, to receive the rewards of an honourable
ambition. In these days the Whigs pursue a
very different course. There has been a
plethora of places, and there is a poverty of
talent. So many members of the clique have
been provided for, that soon, instead of find-
ing berths for the Romanists, they will have
to find Romanists for the berths.
Mr. LAWsoN was nominated law adviser in
the room of Mr. CORRALLis. He is, no doubt,
an able lawyer; but we do not understand
how he can on this account be a good selec-
tion, for Mr. CoRBALLis gave such satisfaction
in the same sphere of duty that he was made
a present of an office of 1,2001. a year. So
that the inference is that the work to be done
requires no legal learning whatsoever. But we
have this further to say in the matter—Mr.
LAWsON's reputation has been made in the
courts of equity. Out of them he is not a man
of eminence. Now it so happens that the
duties of a law adviser at the Castle are con-
nected with criminal law, with the powers and
functions of the magistracy, the police, and
other kindred subjects. So that we are jus•
tiled in concluding that Mr. LAWSON was
chosen because, in the cant of the day, he was
a Liberal Protestant, who had distui bed the
University with a contest, as a supporter of a
Government which possesses the confidence
of the Roman Catholic body.
The rank of sergeant in Ireland is purely
honorary. In the good old days it was held
by the leading men of the profession, those
whose names and abilities were associated
with and had adorned tho administration of
justice in the land How do matters stand
now? Two out of the three sergeants are
Romanists, and the third is what., fur want of
,► better term, we will call an accommodating
Protestant. Sergeant HOOLEY is a man who
never had the semblance of a business in his
profession. The records of all the courts in
all the great causes may be searched, and
will be searched in vain, for the name of Mr.
Sergeant HOOLEY. His only claim to the dis-
tinction he enjoys is that he is a Romanist.
Then as to Mr. Sergeant O'BRIEN, we really
protest that if he did not obtain his dignity
because of his creed, then his appointment is
utterly incomprehensible. So long as he re-
mained in a modest position, so long as he
was content to prose over a few briefs in equity,
no one would have wished to deal harshly
with him ; but ►when he was dubbed a Knight,
invested with special honours, and placed on
a pedestal above his fellows, men began to
sift his merits and to scrutinise his pre-
tensions. The result was that Mr. Sergeant
O'BRIEN stood revealed in all the fulness of his
ponderous mediocrity.
Mr. Sergeant BERWICK is in enjoyment of a
lucrative situation—lucrative, but not onerous;
for he is able, if report speaks truly, to go cir-
cuit, and, in virtue of his title, amiably avails
himself of the privilege of holding briefs in
all cases where the Queen's name appears in