246 GRATTAN. The leaders of Opposition found it advisable, in order to consolidate their force into a common union, to establish a new political society, under the denomination of the Whig Club, of which Mr. Grattan has left the following sketch — “The minister was the author of i t . His doctrines and his half million were the authors of i t . But clubs of this kind are only preserved by violence. That violence did happen. An attack was made o n the rights o f the city, a doctrine was promulgated, that the common council had n o right t o put a negative o n the lord mayor, chosen by the board o f aldermen, except the board itself should assent t o the negative put o n i t s own choice; this doctrine was advanced b y the court, t o secure the election o f the mayor t o itself; i n the course o f the contest, a minister involved himself i n a personal altercation with the citi zens. With Mr. Tandy h e had carried o n a long war, and with various success; h e was now involved i n a n altercation more general; i n the compass o f his wrath, h e paid his compliments t o the Whig Club, and that club advanced the shield o f a free people over the rights o f the city, and humbled a minister i n the presence o f those citizens, whose privileges h e had invaded, and whose per sons he had calumniated.” Parliament was prorogued; and the Earl o f Westmore land succeeded the Marquis o f Buckingham i n the go vernment. He met parliament o n the 21st o f January, 1790, and his speech embraced merely the common topics. On the second day o f the session, o n the usual address being moved, Mr. Grattan, though h e did not mean t o oppose i t , felt i t incumbent o n him t o mark his disapprobation o f the measures o f the late administration, and t o prove, t o the full conviction o f that House, that they had been i l l governed. After having amplified i n detail, upon every act o f the late viceroy, h e summed u p his charges i n the following impressive manner:— “Such has been the conduct o f your reformer. This was the man; you remember his entry into the capital,
