234 GRATTAN. blished her monopolies; the power of trade this, and an instrument of power, and station, and authority, in the British empire! Consider that you have likewise a right to the exclusive supply of your own market, and to the exclusive reserve of the rudiment of your manufactures;– that you have an absolute dominion over the public purse and over the collection of the revenue. If you ask me how you shall use these powers, I say for Ireland, with due regard to the British nation, l e t them b e governed b y the spirit o f concord, and with fidelity t o the connection; but when the mover of the bill asks me t o surrender those powers, I am astonished a t him. I have neither ears, nor eyes, nor functions t o make such a sacrifice. What! that free trade, for which we exerted every nerve i n 1779; that free constitution for which we pledged life and fortune i n 1782
Our lives are a t the service o f the empire; but—our liberties 1 No-we received them from our Father, which i s i n Heaven, and we will hand them down t o our children. But, i f gentlemen can entertain a doubt o f the mischief o f these propositions, are they convinced o f their safety 2 the safety o f giving u p the government o f your trade 2 No! the mischief i s prominent, but the advantage i s o f a most enigmatical nature. Have gentle men considered the subject, have they traced even the map o f the countries, the power o r freedom o f trading with whom they are t o surrender for ever? Have they traced the map o f Asia, Africa, and America
Do they know the French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish settle ments Do they know the neutral powers o f those coun tries, their produce, aptitudes and dispositions Have they considered the state o f North America i t s present state, future growth, and every opportunity i n the endless succession o f time attending that nurse o f commerce and asylum o f mankind Are they now competent t o declare, o n the part o f themselves and a l l their posterity, that a free trade t o those regions will never, i n the efflux o f time, b e o f any service t o the kingdom o f Ireland? I f they have information o n this subject, i t must b e by a communica
