partial insurrection which broke out was speedily suppressed.

The Spanish part of St Domingo imitated, this year, the example of the other Hispano-American states. It shook off, without difficulty, the yoke of the mother country, and the only question was, what state it should join? A pretty strong party was in favour of Columbia; but a majority preferred the republic in their immediate vicinity, and overtures to that effect were made to Boyer. No final arrangement, however, was concluded during the present year.

The UNITED STATES enjoyed, during the whole of this year, a profound tranquillity. The treaty for the cession of the Floridas was at length ratified, and, on the 17th July, General Jackson took possession of St Augustin and Pensacola. He was accused, however, of unwarrantable severities,

both towards the inhabitants and the Spanish authorities who were left there, and complaints were transmitted to Congress, in consequence of which he was induced to resign.

The only distress to which the inhabitants of the United States were exposed, during the present year, arose from the stagnation of commerce, and the want of demand for the production of their soil. These evils, which had been felt for several years preceding, rose to their utmost height at the commencement of the present, but, in the course of it, began sensibly to abate. The revenue, which arises almost entirely from the customs, had fallen so low, that, in the month of March, it was necessary to raise a loan of five millions of dollars. Matters had, however, so far improved with the increasing prosperity of the country, that a surplus of revenue for next year was confidently anticipated.

AMONG the public men of whom Britain was this year deprived, the first place may be assigned to HENRY GRATTAN, who, for more than forty years, had been the greatest of Irish, and one of the greatest of British orators. His father was a barrister, recorder of Dublin, and representing that city in Parliament. By his mother's side, he was grandson to Dr Marley, a man of great wit, and a favourite, as such, of Lord Townsend. Having entered a fellow commoner at the university of Dublin, he made a distinguished figure, and obtained a premium at every public exhibition. He at one time entertained the design of competing for a fellowship; but, terrified by the enormity of the labour, and at the same time dissuaded by his friends, he preferred the bar. Repairing to England, he spent the requisite time as a student at the Middle Tem

VOL. XIV. PART 1.

ple. In 1772, he entered on his career as an advocate; but, like many young men of superior abilities, he had for some time to struggle against the frowns of fortune, and obtained scarcely any practice. In time, however, his powers must infallibly have penetrated through the prejudice felt against the young candidates in this profession. But an event occurred, which gave a different and higher colour to his future life.

Ireland at this time began to feel strongly the chains in which she was held by the sister kingdom, and strenuous exertions for emancipation began to be made by her most distinguished citizens. A weekly meeting was held for the purpose of debating these subjects; and Grattan, who was a member, soon made his oratory be felt on this theatre. He was particu. larly distinguished by the late patriotic

T

Lord Charlemont, who also frequented it, and who soon afforded a substantial testimony of the high idea he had formed of the young speaker. His brother, Colonel Caulfield, being unfortunately drowned in his passage from Parkgate, the borough of Charlemont, which he had represented, became vacant. Lord C., by bestowing it on Grattan, enabled him to emerge from obscurity, and opened an ample sphere to his ambition. He broke forth at once one of the foremost leaders of the whig interest in the Irish House of Commons. The moment was critical; Ireland, favoured by the distress in which Britain was involved towards the close of the American war, was straining every nerve to extort a declaration of right, by which her legislature and courts of law might be rendered independent of the sister country. The efforts of her parliamentary advocates were seconded by those of the nation, which, associating itself in volunteer corps, seemed determined to assert by arms those rights which should be denied on any other footing. Mr Grattan stood forth, the leading parliamentary advocate of this great cause, and, from the brilliant eloquence with which he supported it, became the pride and idol of the nation. To his oratory was, in a great measure, ascribed the resolution to which government at length came, to grant to Ireland the main points for which she contended. With the exulting joy of the nation at this crisis, were mingled expressions and marks of gratitude to Mr Grattan, the most extraordinary, that were ever shewn to any individual statesman. Not only were addresses poured in from corporate bodies of every description; but parliament voted the sum of 50,000l. to purchase an estate and house for himself and his heirs, in reward of so signal a service to the nation.

Mr Grattan would now have rank

ed as the most eminent member of the Irish Commons, had not Flood started up to dispute with him the palm of eloquence. The rivalry of these great orators was unfortunately carried on with that personal animosity and unmeasured invective, which have always distinguished the political contests of Ireland. Flood endeavoured to prove, that the merit of Mr Grattan's exertions in the cause of Irish independence had been greatly overrated; and

as

this was perhaps in some degree the case, it had considerable influence on the public mind, and diminished the popularity of his rival. On occasion, however, of Mr Orde's celebrated propositions, Grattan exerted himself with such vigour and success, as completely replaced him in the character of leader of the whig interest in the Irish Commons. He did not, however, carry on an indiscriminate opposition. In particular, on the great and trying question of the war with France, he joined with ministers in justifying its necessity; and he maintained this opinion whenever it came under discussion. He never slackened, at the same time, in his pursuit of internal reform, and of concession to the Catholics. During Lord Fitzwilliam's administration, he came into office, and enjoyed a large share of the confidence of that nobleman; but when a change of policy led to his removal, Mr Grattan was again thrown into the ranks of opposition. Accordingly he condemned the measures of government prior to the insurrection of 1798; but, after the commencement of that fatal period, he withdrew into retirement. He was only called forth anew by the proposition for the Irish Union; a measure which he strongly reprobated, and vainly exerted all his eloquence to oppose. Since he could not succeed, however, there was no inconsistency in his accepting a place in the Imperial Parliament, and pleading before it the inte