GRATTAN. 243 the great employments of that country to residents; a principle invaluable, they were told, to her pride and her interest. While they were thus buying back principles, and while the Marquis of Buckingham was professing a disinterested regard for the prosperity of Ireland, in oppo sition to these principles and these professions, he disposed of the best reversion in Ireland to his own family; the only family in the world that could not, with decency, receive i t , a s h e was the man i n the world, that could not dispose o f i t t o them. After that, Lord Buckingham was not t o b e called disinterested; call him any thing else; give him any appellation you please o f ability o r activity, but do not call him a public reformer; d o not ridicule him by calling him a disinterested man. “Gentlemen had spoken about public inconstancy, and had dwelled o n the rapid turn o f the public mind i n despis ing now, what a year ago i t seemed t o idolize; but l e t those gentlemen reflect a little. When a man i n a high situa tion professed t o b e a reformer; when h e exclaimed against the profusion and memory o f his predecessor; when h e taught the people t o deceive themselves; en feoffed himself i n popularity; shook hands with the popu lace; when such a man agreed t o n o one constitutional o r economic bill; o n the contrary, resisted motions for disallowing extravagance, and bills tending t o secure the country against future extravagance, and set u p his own temporary regulations, his own contingent savings and casual fractions o f economy, i n the place o f laws; such a man must speedily forfeit the opinion o f the public; but when the same man shall, t o the crime o f omission, add that o f commission, shall increase the expenses, o f which h e complained, o n the principle which h e affected t o repro bate; shall multiply undue influence, and create o r revive offices, merely for private gratification
and finally, shall attach the best office o f the kingdom t o his family, whilst h e affects t o attach the love o f the public t o his person: such a man could not b e surprised a t the loss o f popu larity; a n event the natural consequence, not o f public -
