Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/232

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228 GRATTAN. congregation of men, not one of whom I have ever seen, to none of whom I have ever a chance of doing a service, who could have nothing in contemplation, but the doing an act of justice. Sir, I may say, I had the same sanction from another province, that of Ulster. But it seems I went to Belfast in the character of an incen diary; I went to Dungannon in the character of an incen diary. Now, I went to neither of those places but by an invitation, and, if a person invited, be an incendiary, what must those be that give the invitation? If I am an incendiary, a l l Ulster i s a n incendiary; i f I am a n incen diary, a l l Connaught i s a n incendiary—with two provinces therefore, a t my back, and with the parliament o f England, behind me—in their having coincided honourably, and nobly i n that sentiment, which I sustained, I think I am not much afraid o f any single and solitary accusation. But I have not only the parliaments o f both kingdoms, I have the judicial power i n my favour. I f my doctrine was not right, Lord Mansfield's was not right; I ask you, was h e wrong I t has been said h e was the enemy o f both countries on that occasion. But has the accusation been proved Lord Mansfield has many political enemies. The administration a t the time would have been glad t o have proved him a n enemy t o both countries; yet, was there a man i n the parliament o f England, the greatest enemy t o that noble judge, who attempted t o find fault with his conduct After having mentioned the judicial power, l e t me come t o a highly respectable body, the corps o f lawyers i n this country, who, after six months meditation, by a committee chosen by ballot, gave their sanction t o that opinion, which i s the opinion o f a n incen diary. I f I deserve that name; i f Lord Mansfield b e a n incendiary; i f the parliament o f England b e a n incendiary; i f the corps o f lawyers b e incendiaries; i f the Ulster dele gates b e incendiaries; i f the Connaught delegates b e incendiaries; and a l l the societies who have joined that opinion throughout the kingdom—if a l l these b e incen diaries, i n the name o f God let me b e added t o the num