272 GRATTAN. question here.—I rose with the rising fortunes of my coun try—I am willing to die with her expiring liberties. To the voice of the people I will bow, but never shall I sub mit to the calumnies of an individual hired to betray them and slander me. The indisposition of my body has left me perhaps no means but that of lying down with fallen Ireland, and recording upon her tomb my dying testimony against the flagitious corruption that has murdered her independence. The right honourable gentleman has said that this was not my place—that instead of having a voice in the councils of my country, 1 should now stand a cul prit at her bar—at the bar of a court of criminal judica ture to answer for my treasons. The Irish people have not so read my history—but let that pass—if I am what he has said I am, the people are not therefore to forfeit their constitution. In point of argument, therefore, the attack is bad—in point of taste or feeling, if he had either, it is worse—in point of fact it is false, utterly and abso lutely false—as rancorous a falsehood as the most malig nant motives could suggest to the prompt sympathy of a shameless and a venal defence. The right honourable gentleman has suggested examples which I should have shunned, and examples which I should have followed. I shall never follow his, and I have ever avoided i t . I shall never b e ambitious t o purchase public scorn b y private infamy—the lighter characters o f the model have a s little chance o f weaning me from the habits o f a life spent, i f not exhausted, i n the cause o f my native land. Am I t o renounce those habits now for ever, and a t the beck o f whom 2 I should rather say o f what—half a minister— half a monkey—a 'prentice politician, and a master cox comb. He has told you that what h e said o f me here, h e would say any where. I believe h e would say thus o f me i n any place where h e thought himself safe i n saying it.— Nothing can limit his calumnies but his fears—in parlia ment h e has calumniated me to-night, i n the king's courts h e would calumniate me to-morrow, but had h e said o r I
