legal officers, who exercise a most powerful influence on Irish
administration. They consist of the Lord Chancellor, the Attorney and
Solicitor General, and, until 1883, there was also an officer called the
Law Adviser, who was the maid-of-all-work of Castle administration. In
England, those who hold similar legal offices take no part in the daily
administration of public affairs. The Lord Chancellor, as a member of
the Cabinet, takes his share in responsibility for the policy of the
Government. The law officers are consulted in special cases, and take
their part from time to time in debates in the House of Commons. In
Ireland, however, the Chancellor is constantly consulted by the
Lord-Lieutenant on any difficult matter of administration, and the
Attorney and Solicitor General are in constant communication with the
Lord-Lieutenant, if he carries out the daily work of administration, and
with the Chief and the Under Secretary.

Governments differ as to the use they make of these officials. Some
Governments have endeavoured to confine their work to cases where a mere
legal opinion has to be obtained; but, when the country is in a
disturbed state, even these limited references become very frequent, and
questions of policy as well as of law are often discussed with the law
officers. It is needless to say that, with their knowledge of Ireland
and the traditions of Castle government (it is rare that all the law
officers are new to office, and, consequently, they carry on the
traditions from one Government to another), they often exercise a
paramount influence over the policy of the Irish Government, and
practically control it.

They are connected with the closest and most influential order in Irish
society--the legal order, consisting of the judges and Bar of Ireland.
This adds to the general weight of their advice, but it has a special