Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/251

 GRATTAN. 247 trampling on the hearse of the Duke of Rutland, and seated in a triumphal car, drawn by public credulity; on one side, fallacious hope, and on the other, many-mouthed profession; a figure with two faces, one turned to the treasury, and the other presented to the people; and with a double tongue, speaking contradictory languages. “This minister alights; justice looks up to him with empty hopes, and peculation faints with idle alarms; he finds the city a prey to an unconstitutional police; he continues i t h e finds the country overburthened with a shameful pension list; h e increases i t h e finds the House o f Commons swarming with placemen; h e multiplies them: h e finds the salary o f the secretary increased t o prevent a pension; h e grants a pension: h e finds the kingdom drained b y absentee employments, and b y compensations t o buy them home; h e gives the best reversion i n the country t o a n absentee, his brother h e finds the government, a t dif ferent times, had disgraced itself b y creating sinecures, t o gratify corrupt affection; h e makes two commissioners o f the rolls, and gives one o f them t o another brother: h e finds the second counsel t o the commissioners put down because useless; h e revives it: h e finds the board o f accounts and stamps annexed b y public compact; h e divides them: h e finds the boards o f customs and excise united by public compact; h e demolishes them h e finds three resolutions, declaring, that seven commissioners are sufficient; h e makes nine: h e finds the country has suffered b y some peculations i n the ordnance; h e increases the salaries o f offices, and gives the places t o members; t o members o f parliament.” On the 11th o f February, o n Mr. Forbes's motion rela tive t o the public expenditure, Mr. Grattan, i n reply t o some observations from the treasury bench o n the subject o f party, distinctly disclosed the objects which h e and his friends professed t o have i n view. He then proceeded—“These are some o f our measures: I now turn t o administration, and call upon them t o state their measures what bills for the public good State them; come forth; I pause t o give them time t o consider.