GRATTAN. 231 perpetual disposition of her hereditary revenue by the last proposition, the surrender of her commercial legislation by the fourth, the restraint imposed on her from trading beyond the Cape of Magellan, by the ninth, were put in every point of view, in which reason and eloquence could render them impressive and convincing. On this side of the question, Mr. Grattan delivered a most eloquent and impressive speech, which he concluded in the following energetic language:– - “Contemplate for a moment the powers this bill pre sumes to perpetuate; a perpetual repeal of trial by jury; a perpetual repeal of the great charter; a perpetual writ of assistance; a perpetual felony to strike an exciseman! “The late Chief Baron Burgh, speaking on the revenue bill, exclaimed, ‘You give to the dipping rule, what you should deny to the sceptre.” “All the unconstitutional powers of the excise we are to perpetuate, the constitutional powers of parliament we are to abdicate. Can we do all this Can we make these bulky surrenders, in diminution of the power, in deroga tion of the pride of parliament, and in violation of those eternal relationships, which the body that represents should bear to the community which constitutes ? “The pretence given for this unconstitutional idea is weak indeed,—that as the benefits are permanent, so should be the compensation. But trade laws are to follow their nature, revenue laws to follow their's. On the permanent nature of commercial advantages depends the faith of trade, on the limited nature of revenue laws depends the existence of parliament; but the error of the argument arises from the vice of dealing. It is a market for a constitution; and a logic, applicable to barter only, is applied to freedom. To qualify this dereliction of every principle and power, the surrender is made constitutional; that i s , the British market for the Irish constitution, the shadow o f a market for the substance of a constitution You are t o reserve a n option, trade o r liberty; i f you mean t o come t o the British market, you must pass under the British yoke. I
