240 GRATTAN. which the Marquis of Buckingham patriotically declared had been grossly abused. The police was another theme of his excellency's indignation; he had exclaimed, or had been said to have exclaimed, against the expense of that establishment. A committee was appointed to examine into i t s utility, and, after a long and minute investigation, discovered, that the turbulence and corruption o f the police-men, were a t least equal t o the extravagance o f the establishment. With that two-fold knowledge o f i t s pro digality and i t s licentiousness, h e defended the police establishment, and resisted a measure t o repeal that bill; defending i n parliament every measure against which h e was supposed t o have exhausted his time i n invective and indignation. “The park establishment was also supposed t o have excited his indignation. A motion was made t o disallow some o f those charges, and resisted b y a l l the strength o f his government. He was o n these subjects satisfied with a minute examination, a poor and passionate excla mation, and a miserable acquiescence. Some o f these expenses must have stopped, because they were for furni ture and improvement, and were not annual expenses; but the principle remained; the country was open t o the repetition o f the charge, and the Marquis had only t o take credit for the ceasing o f charges, which must for a time have stopped o f themselves; but which, b y his in fluence and resistance i n parliament t o motions disallowing them, might b e renewed; but h e not only continued the evils h e found, he introduced a number; o n the expenses o f his predecessor, h e introduced jobs o f his own. He increased salaries i n the departments, which h e proposed, and was said t o reform. He made by that increase cer tain places parliamentary objects, which before had not come into the sphere o f what i s called parliamentary cor ruption; and greatly increased the influence o f the crown a t the time h e affected t o reduce the expenses o f the nation. The disposition h e made o f some o f those offices, was i n favour o f very worthy men. He would not say 1 .
