In parliament, Grattan at onco joined the ranks of opposition. Exerting his nervous eloquence in the cause of his country's iudepentl once, he in a very short time gained to himself the admiration and love, while lie contributed not a little to swell the enthusiasm, of the Irish nation. At this period Ireland had to oomplaiu, not only of the dependent state of her legislature and courts of justice, but also of grievous commercial restrictions ; and one of the first great fruits of Grattan's zeal and eloquence was the partial throwing open of Irish commerce. Subsequently, in 1780, he obtained from the Irish parlia merit the memorable resolution "that the King's most excellent Majesty, and the Lords and Commons of Ireland, are the only power competent to make laws to bind Ireland." The peroration of the speech in which he moved this resolution is a noble specimen of his eloquence.
Such was tho pitch of popularity to which Grattan had now attained, that it was proposed in the Irish parliament to vote him the sum of 100,0001., "as a testimony of the national gratitude for great national The vote was afterwards reduced in committee, at the express instance of Grattan's own friends, to 50,0001.; and this sum Grattan received. In consequenco of the declaration of rights of the Irish parliament, a negociation was set on foot for the repeal of the act (6th of George I.) by which the British legislature declared its right to bind Ireland by British statutes. When the repeal of this act was brought forward in England, Mr. Flood contended in the Irish parliament that the simple repeal of a declaratory act, like that of the 6th of George I., would not involve a renunciation of the right ; and after moving some other resolutions which implied dissatisfaction with a simple repeal of the act, and which were successively negatived without a division, he at last moved for leave to bring in a bill for declaring the exclusive right of the Irish parliament to make laws for Ireland. Grattan differed from the view taken by Mr. Flood, and contended that the simple repeal of the act was a sufficient security for the independence of Ireland. Mr. Flood's bill was thrown out by a large majority. But though the opinion of the Irish House of Commons was with Grattan, the sympathies of the Irish nation were with Mr. Flood. A belief gained ground, and was much encouraged by Mr. Flood's acrimonious attacks, that having received his reward Grattan had ceased to be a patriot; and he now for a timo unde aervedly lost much of his well-earned popularity.
Ilia opposition however in 1735 to the propositions regarding the trade between Great Britain and Ireland, moved by Mr. Orde in the Irish parliament, and ever since well known as Propositions, restored him to his lost place in the affections of his countrymen. Goa of these propositions was to the effect that the Irish parliament should from time to time adopt and enact all such acts of the British parliament as should relate to the regulation or management of her commerce. The Irish parliament would thus have been placed so far in a state of complete dependence; but owing principally to efforts iu opposition, the measuro was relinquished; and he went on to secure a continuance of his now regained popularity by tho introduction of a measure for getting rid of tithes, which was however rejected. Occupying moreover the leading place in the Whig Club
which then existed in Dublin, Grattan succeeded In obtaining a public declaration from its members that they would never accept office under any administration which would not concede certain measures tending to increase purity of election and ministerial responsibility. In 1790 Grattan was returned to parliament for Dublin.
In the parliament which now met, the question of Roman Catholic Emancipation being raised, Grattan appeared of course as the friend of religious liberty. He thereby offended his new constituents. Thera is no doubt that the course which he took upon this question would have prevented his re-election, had he desired it; but finding himself unable to stem that movement which, originating with the recal of Lord Fitswilliam, terminated in the rebellion of 1708, he voluntarily retired from parliament. lie was afterwards returned for Wicklow, for the express purpose of opposing the Union. The Union was carried, and in 1805 he entered the imperial parliament as member for the borough of Mallon. The next year he was returned for Dublin. Preserving In his new position the reputation which he had before acquired for eloquence, he also adhered Inflexibly to those principles of toleration and popular government of which in Ireland he had been the champion. He lost no opportunity of advocating tho Roman Catholic claims. He may be said indeed to have died in the caws() of Roman Catholic Emancipation. Ile had undertaken to pre sent a petition from the Irish Roman Catholics, and to support it In parliament, notwithatauding the remonstrances of his friends that tho exertion would be incompatible with his declining health. "I should be happy," he replied to those remonstrances, " to die in the discharge of my duty." He had scarcely arrived in London with the petition when his debility greatly increased. He died on the 14th of May 1820, at the age of seventy. His remains were interred in West minster Abbey; and on the occasion of moving for a new writ for the city of Dublin, Sir James Mackintosh pronounced an eloquent eulogium On his life and character.
There is no need to dwell on the public character of Grattan, inas much as his honesty and consistency never having been impeached it requires no defence. In private life ho was irreproachable. "lie is one of the few private men," says Sir James Mackintosh, "whose private virtues were followed by public fame; ho is one of the few public men whose private virtues are to be cited as examples to those who would follow in his public steps. lie was as eminent In his observance of all the duties of private lifo as he was heroic In the discharge of his public Grattan's speeches wore collected and published by his son, in 4 vole. 8vo, in 1821. There is also a volume of his miscellaneous works.