GRATTAN. 211 firm reliance on the Duke of Portland and his friends, that they intended an effectual and satisfactory reform; and concluded, that if the honourable baronet thought the circle in which he sat, was composed of men grown old in iniquity, it would be but charitable for him to come amongst them, as only from h i s virtuous contact and indefatigable labours, they could hope t o b e brought into the road o f righteousness.” Mr. Flood said, “he had not supported Mr. Ponsonby's interest, but h e had opposed Lord Townshend's adminis tration: h e said this t o exculpate Mr. Ponsonby from the charge o f ingratitude, for when h e had felt the hand o f power, Mr. Ponsonby had not supported him; but h e never looked a t such little things a s the interest o f parti cular men o f parties: they appeared great indeed t o the men who were engaged i n them
but i n the eyes o f the man who contemplates the public welfare, they vanish into nothing. Had I , said he, been his father's supporter, the honourable gentleman but i l l requited me, when i n his loudest tone, he cried out t o have me dismissed, and seemed t o reproach ministers with pusillanimity f o r de laying the sentence. He declared, indeed, that h e had n o personal dislike t o me, but i t was only t o oblige one o r two particular friends; yet the gentleman boasts o f Whig principles, Whig connexions: Whig friends h e may justly boast; but such conduct was a manifestation o f Whig apostacy. God and nature have established this limit t o power, i t cannot long subsist divested o f recti tude. Do we mean t o take u p the words o f retrenchment ourselves, o r will we leave i t t o others t o economise for us? I f we proceed upon this business, the people will stand grateful and adthiring spectators o f our progress; i f not, they may perhaps take i t u p themselves: l e t u s then act honestly
let u s tell Great Britain what n o man can deny, that the military i s the place t o make retrench ment. I will suppose ministers a s good a s any man can wish, but 'tis our duty t o give them a n opportunity o f exercising their honest intentions.”
