to engage, and whom he could have vanquished with the greatest ease. But Mr. Flood here also

had no opportunity to reply,-he did not take an active part afterwards in the English Parliament. He spoke on the French treaty in 1787, replied with spirit to Mr. (afterwards Lord) Grenville, and was complimented by Mr. Wilberforce for his eloquence and ability.* In 1790, he spoke very well on the subject of Reform,-and his reply was excellent, so much so, that Mr. Burke, in a private conversation, stated that "Flood had recovered his ground" in that debate; and Mr. Fox declared his plan of Reform the best he had yet heard of.

But even at this approaching termination of his public life, (for he died the year after,) Mr. Flood was taunted in the House of Commons (March, 1790), as not belonging to the country; and was attacked by Mr. Powis for bringing forward his plan of Reform-the plan so eulogized by Mr. Fox, and which Mr. Pitt said, he only voted against in consequence of the time at which it was brought forward,-that of the French Revolution.

Mr. Flood was here made to feel, almost at his

* No good report of this speech appears in the English Parliamentary Debates; it was, however, published by Mr. Flood in a pamphlet. It is logical, and full of reasoning; it pleased the audience: they thought it convincing, and that Mr. Flood was superior in argument. It reads well, but is too sententious, and too full of little aphorisms and maxims, and is not well suited for the English people, who like more the language of fact, and not so much that of abstract.

expiring hour, the folly of emigrating from his native country. He replied to the charge with spirit; and concluded, saying, "I am not a citizen of France, I am a citizen of the British Empire ;the accident of my situation has not made me a partizan; and I never till now lamented that situation, -now that I feel myself so unprotected."

Mr. Grattan's remarks, in his well-known reply to the pamphlet of Lord Clare, are deserving of notice. "Mr. Flood, my rival as the pamphlet calls him, and I should be unworthy the character of his rival, if in his grave I did not do him justice. He had faults; but he had great powers-great public effect. He persuaded the old, he inspired the young. The Castle vanished before him. On a small subject he was miserable; put into his hand a distaff, and like another Hercules he made sad work of it; but give him the thunderbolt, and he had the arm of a Jupiter. He misjudged when he transplanted himself to the English Parliament; he forgot that he was a tree of the forest, too old and too great to be transplanted at fifty; and his seat in the British Parliament is a caution to the friends of union to stay at home, and make the country of their birth the scene of their action."

170

CHAPTER VI.

The Lord-lieutenant refuses increase of salary-Letter to Lord North upon the subject-Lord Temple's letter to Lord Northington conveying the King's desire-Speaker's (Pery) speech at the end of the sessionLord Northington's letter to Mr. Grattan informing him of a Change of Ministry-Causes thereof-Lord Temple's conduct-Influencing the votes of the peers at the desire of the King-Conduct of Mr. Pitt and the King against Mr. Fox and the House of Commons-List of the New Ministry-Lord Northington's administration-Letter to Mr. Grattan-Lord Sidney and the Lords of the Treasury respecting W. G. Hamilton's pension-Mr. Foster's appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer-The appointment of resident persons to employments in Ireland—Mr. E. Cooke's appointment-Separation between Lord Charlemont and Mr. Grattan-Cause thereof—Mr. Grattan purchases a borough for Lord Charlemont's relation-His letter to Lord Charlemont and Isaac Corry-Reply of Lord Charlemont-Mr. Grattan's panegyric upon him.

On the 22nd of November, Mr. Molyneux moved that the salary of the Lord-lieutenant should be increased from 16,000l. at which sum it had been fixed in the time of Lord Halifax, to 20,000/. This was done without the approbation or knowlege of the Lord-lieutenant; and the Attorneygeneral accordingly proposed that the question should be adjourned; the address, however, to his Majesty for the increase was carried.

The next step was an increase of the salary of the Secretary 2,000l. a-year, which was proposed

by Sir John Blaquiere. These motions came from those who had been in opposition, and were made rather with a view to the successor of Lord Northington than for him; as Mr. Molyneux, a few weeks after, on the dissolution of Mr. Fox's ministry, proposed an address to the King, testifying their satisfaction at the dismission of the Coalition ministry, and the appointment of Mr. Pitt. The house did not agree to the motion, but it served to shew the insidious character of the measure proposed by those who were in opposition to the administration of Lord Northington.

The increase of these salaries Mr. Grattan disapproved of, but he moved for the appointment of a committee to enquire into all practicable retrenchment; which was agreed to.

THE LORD LIEUTENANT (NORTHINGTON) TO LORD

NORTH.

Copy of my private Letter to Lord North."

Dublin Castle, Dec. 2nd, 1783.

MY LORD, An address has passed the House of Commons, upon the motion of a gentleman in opposition to the measures of Government, for an augmentation of the appointments of the Lord-lieutenant and his secretary. As soon as notice was given of this motion, I directed the Attorney-general to express my satisfaction to the House with the establishment already made; that I did not desire any addition ; that I was of opinion, the appointments were equal to the expense, or so nearly so, that with the addition of one or

two thousand pounds from his private fortune, a Lordlieutenant might support his situation with sufficient splendour and magnificence; that I wished no additional burthen might be laid upon the country upon my account, and therefore desired that the motion might be withdrawn.

The Attorney-general, however, did not manage the business precisely as I wished him to do; but moved to postpone the consideration for a fortnight, that I might be able to learn his Majesty's pleasure on the subject. This was objected to on account of the chance of committing the King and the House of Commons in different sentiments; and therefore it was contended that it was then fit to decide. My opinion being known on the subject, every person connected with the Government took the part they chose, and many voted against the proposition, thinking it would be agreeable to me so to do. I only mention this circumstance, in order to acquaint your lordship, that if Government had been disposed to interfere, it is the universal opinion that there would not have been a minority of twenty votes. The reason I wished the motion to be withdrawn, was on a supposition that it was a measure of opposition, after my wish to refuse it, to fix it for a subsequent Lord-lieutenant; and the only predicament I particularly wished to avoid was that which the mismanagement of the Attorney-general has put me into. The question was carried: it now goes for his Majesty's consideration; and his pleasure must be taken, not only as far as regards me, but regarding the situation of his representative futurely, as well as now.

Thus circumstanced, I shall beg your Lordship to state my wishes to be precisely the same as those I communicated to the House of Commons, of being allowed to decline this augmentation; submitting, however, as it is my duty to do, to whatever commands his Majesty may