GRATTAN. 241 that one of them was not yet underplaced, but he did say, that his office ought not to have been raised to his merits, for his merits were his own, and of course, during life; but the increase was perpetual; and the increase of salary would never want a pretence, if this argument were admitted. You will easily have that species of economy, which does at least as much mischief as good, checks peculation, and promotes undue influence. He did not confine himself to the increase of salaries; he projected, if fame says true, a number of new offices, to be created for the accommodation of friends, at the public expense, by dividing and splitting offices or boards, under that worst species of profusion, the mask of economy; laying the foundation of new salaries hereafter, and increasing undue influence for the present. But there was one of his pro jects he had actually carried into execution, the revival of an obsolete office, the second counsel to the commis sioners: that office was the remnant of a wretched job, attempted eighteen years ago, and put down because im practicable and improper. The division of the boards of custom and excise, for extending the undue influence of the crown; that measure was put down; but the second counsel, a wretched remnant, was suffered for a time; and when the then counsel, Mr. Maunsel, died, his place also was discontinued. It thus remained on the establish ment an obsolete unoccupied office, until it had been revived by the Marquis of Buckingham, no doubt, it will be said, for the purpose of saving. The office was to be a great saving to the public; he was to be feed like the first counsel in the revenue. You are to have two counsel instead of one, to give opinions, and to receive fees in a l l revenue proceedings: but this was t o b e a great saving. He was not a t present t o b e consulted i n the framing o f the money bills; but this was a private transaction; and this was a saving, o n the duration o f which little depend ance was t o b e had. He had stated particular instances o f the expensive genius o f the Marquis o f Buckingham i n the management o f the public money; and, i n the course WOL. II. r
