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198 GRATTAN. senate. In 1778 or 1774, Francis Caulfield, the brother of Lord Charlemont, a most estimable character, and the representative of the borough of Charlemont, was on his return from England to attend his duty in parliament, unfortunately lost between Park-gate and Dublin. By this vacancy, which Mr. Caulfield's death occasioned in parliament, the electors of Charlemont were enabled, under the auspices of his lordship, to return a man to the House of Commons, who was destined to act a more con spicuous part than any one who had ever been deputed to serve there; and Mr. Grattan accordingly took his seat, for the first time in the Irish House of Commons, on the 11th of December, 1775. We are not aware either in what year, or on what sub ject he delivered what is termed his maiden speech; but his great talents, his fervid and impressive eloquence, soon constituted him a leader on the popular side, and on that side he continued with scarely an aberration to the close of his existence. In October 1777, Lord Buck inghamshire met parliament; and in the debate on the embargo, the necessity of which was feebly supported by Burgh, pertinaciously adhered to by Scott, and opposed with great vivacity and honest indignation by Ogle, we find Grattan also opposing it with excessive point, deli-. cate irony, and strong and manly eloquence. In 1778, the national distress was beyond a l l human calculation. The manufacturers, i n consequence o f the restrictions o n their foreign trade, imposed b y the English parliament, were i n a state o f mendicancy, o f absolute want. Thousands o f them were supported b y charity. These alarming circumstances were constantly brought before the eyes o f ministers, i n their warmest colouring, b y a n opposition o f the greatest weight, numbers, and talents, ever combined i n the British senate. Ministers, however, remitted the great objects o f Irish grievances t o the next session, upon the pretexts o f want o f informa tion. Whilst the British parliament were thus acting o n a system o f procrastination and delay, the feelings o f the