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FLO Content for left side goes here by the House of Commons, whereupon the Lord-Lieutenant delivered an angry protest (inserted by his directions in the Journals of the House of Lords), and prorogued Parliament, though pressing business was on hand. It was not sum- moned again for more than a year, Grovern- ment improving the opportunity by a wholesale system of bribery not less than ,£5oo,CKDo being spent in seeking to obtaLa a majority. Nevertheless the Parliament of 1771 rejected another money bill without a division. Lord Townshend now resolved upon increasing the number of the Com- missioners of Eevenue from seven to twelve, and thereby increasing the Govern- ment influence in the House. Flood denounced the proposed measure. By the casting vote of the Speaker a vote of censure upon Government was carried, and Lord Townshend was immediately recalled. In the course of these contests the famous Baratariana paper appeared, supposed by many to be the joint pro- duction of Flood, Grattan, and Langrishe. According to Mr. Lecky, Flood's por- tions "are powerful and well reasoned, but, like his speeches, too laboured in style, and they certainly give no countenance to the notion started at one time that he was the author of the Letters of Junius." The same author goes on to say: " Flood had now at- tained to a position that had as yet been un- paralleled in Ireland. He had shown that pure patriotism and great abilities could find scope in the Irish Parliament. He had proved himself beyond all comparison the greatest orator that this country had as yet produced, and also a consummate master of parliamentary tactics. In the midst of a corruption, venality, and sub- serviency which could scarcely be ex- aggerated, he had created a party before which ministers had begun to quail— a party which had wrung from England a concessio of inestimable value, which had inoculated the people with the spirit of liberty and of self-reliance, and which promised to expand with the development of public opinion, till it had broken every fetter and had recovered every right." Flood now appeared to believe that all concessions possible had been gained for Ireland, and that it was the duty of Irish- men to accept the situation and work with the Government. Whatever may have been his inspiring motive, it is certain that on the accession of Lord Harcourt as Lord-Lieutenant, Flood, hitherto in bitter opposition and possessed of an ample fortune, solicited place. Lord Har- court, writing 19th June 1774, says: " Among the many embarrassments of my

situation, I have found none more difficult than to make a proper provision for Mr. Flood." Again: "It may be better to secure Mr. Flood almost at any expense, than risk an opposition which may be most dangerous and mischievous." Eventually he was appointed Vice-Treasurer, a post hitherto reserved for Englishmen, and one that added £3,50x3 per annum to his income. The confidence of the Irish people now passed from him, and during the seven years that he remained in office he was necessarily obliged to keep silence on those great questions which before he so ceaselessly expounded. He formed part of a government that upheld the com- mercial restraints on Ireland, that im- posed a two years' embargo in consequence of the American war, that sent 4,000 Irish troops to fight against American independence — troops that Flood designated " armed negotiators." Grattan after- wards, in his famous invective, refer- ring to this expression, spoke of him as standing " with a metaphor in his mouth and a bribe in his pocket, a champion against the rights of America the only hope of Ireland, and the only refuge of the liberties of mankind." When these troops were sent abroad, Ireland was de- fenceless; and on the first hint of a French invasion Government had to ad- mit that it was powerless to defend the country. The Volimteers sprang into being, with the series of important events whose recital more properly belongs to the lives of Grattan and Charlemont. " Con- spicuous amongst their colonels was Flood, not uninjured in his reputation by his ministerial career; yet still reverent from the memory of his past achievements and the splendour of his yet unfading intelect. "In the torrent of patriotic enthu- siasm that then swept over Ireland, Flood found his position as a minister intolerable. He threw up his £3,500 a year, returned to his old friends, and the King himself erased his name from the list of Privy Councillors. However great his mistake may have been in taking office, he amply atoned by thus renouncing it. Nevertheless it was too late for him to resume his old place in the afiec- tions of his country. Mr. Lecky says: "In 1779 Yelverton broxight forward a Bill for the repeal of Poyuing's law; and Flood, while supporting the measure, complained bitterly that after a service of twenty years in the study of this particular question he had been superseded. He add- ed: 'The honourable gentleman is erecting a temple of liberty, I hope that at least I shall be allowed a niche in the fane.' Yelverton retorted by reminding him that, 208