§ MR. WILLIAM KENNYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the exercise in Ireland on the advice of the Lord Chancellor of England of the Royal prerogative of mercy is a departure from 902 precedent; and whether he can refer to any case in Ireland in which the prerogative was so exercised?
*MR. J. MORLEYThe prerogative of mercy in the recent case apparently referred to was exercised by the Lord Lieutenant on the advice of myself as Chief Secretary. It must be obvious to the hon. and learned Gentleman and to the House that in deciding whether or not a case has arisen for the exercise of this important prerogative it is the duty of the Minister so advising to seek good and authentic counsel wherever he supposes himself likely to get it; and I, for one, cannot imagine any one to whom it was more proper that I should go than to the highest representative of the law among my colleagues in the Cabinet.