244 GRATTAN. inconstancy, but of his own inconsistency; of his great professions, and his contingent savings overbalanced by his jobbing, a teazing and minute industry ending in no one great principle of economy, and tarnished by attempts to increase the influence of corruption, and by a sordid and indecorous sense of private interest.” On the 11th of February, 1789, the great contest upon the regency of Ireland, took place. Mr. Grattan and Mr. Fitzgibbon took the lead on opposite sides. In conclusion, Mr. Grattan moved an address, inviting the Prince of Wales to come as regent, invested with full regal power, which was carried without a division. The message was afterwards agreed to in the Lords with a slight amend ment; and, on the 19th, both Houses waited on the lord lieutenant with their address, and requested him to transmit it to his royal highness. With this request his excellency refused to comply ; returning for answer, that, under the impressions he felt of his official duty, and of the oath he had taken, he did not consider himself warranted to lay before the prince an address purporting to invest his royal highness with powers to take upon him the government of that realm, before he should be enabled by law so to do, and therefore was obliged to decline transmit ting their address to Great Britain. In consequence of this reply, Mr. Grattan moved a vote of censure on the lord-lieutenant, which was agreed to by a majority of one hundred and thirty to seventy-one. On the 3rd of March, 1789, Mr. Grattan moved a reso lution to prevent the great offices of the state from being conferred on absentees; great annual charges having been incurred, by making compensation to absentees for re signing their offices, that those offices might be granted to residents. Scarcely had Mr. Grattan concluded his speech, when Mr. Parsons rose; he was interrupted by Mr. Grattan's observing, that if the honourable gentleman rose to second his motion, he would withdraw i t . Upon which, Mr. Parsons instantly launched out into a most infuriated
