Henry Flood (1740-1791)

Chapter XIV.

1767-1791.

Henry Flood, born in 1740 - Member for Kilkenny - Equals Lucas in most eminent Parliamentary Talents - Accepts Office - Anger of the People - Character of the Government - Attacks on Flood by Scott - Attorney-General’s comical Description of Flood under the name of Harry Plantagenet - Dispute with Grattan - Enters the British Parliament - Return to Ireland - Death in 1791 - Made a large bequest to Trinity College, Dublin - Grattan’s post-mortem Eulogy.

On of the most effective allies of Dr. Lucas, in his efforts to reform the Irish Parliament, was Henry Flood. He ably supported the doctor in limiting the duration of Parliament from the longevity of a sovereign’s life, which we know, in the case of George III., was 60 years, and we pray in the case of Queen Victoria may be longer.

Henry Flood, born about 1740, was son of Chief Justice Warden Flood. His career in college was marked more by dissipation than literary faculty; but he soon grew weary of the orgies then so freely indulged in by the fast youth of the Irish metropolis, and he resolved, by severe toil, to make amends for hours of folly. He soon entered Parliament as member for Kilkenny, and became one of the leaders of the Opposition. He attacked the satellites of the Government with undaunted courage and unrivalled power. He was regarded as equal to Grattan in patriotism, and his superior in statesmanship; and that great Irishman has left us the following estimate of his contemporary:- “Mr. Flood, my rival as he is called, and I should be unworthy the character of his rival, if, in his grave, I did not do him justice. He had his 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 Hercules, he made sad work of it; but give him a thunderbolt, and be had the arm of a Jupiter. He misjudged when he transferred himself to the English Parliament. He forgot that he was a tree of the forest, too old and too great to be transplanted at 50; 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 seat of their action.”

On entering Parliament, he immediately became the ally of Mr. Lucas in opposing the Government. He took part in all the great debates in the Irish House of Commons in support of measures brought forward for the benefit of Ireland. In 1767, the Octennial Act, limiting the existence of Parliament to eight years, was passed. Previously the Parliament generally was not dissolved during the life of the sovereign. The right of the Irish House of Commons to vote money bills framed by themselves was asserted by refusing a Bill sent from the English Parliament. This spirit of independence provoked the anger of the British Government, and the viceroy, Lord Townshend, prorogued the Irish Parliament to the year 1771. At the meeting of the House of Commons, an Act was passed which permitted Roman Catholics, who formerly were not allowed to hold lands, to take bogs, on the conditions of reclaiming half the holdings within 21 years, and on failure of this condition the lands were to be forfeited. In 1775 the American revolt took place, and during the continuation of this struggle the Irish House of Commons revoked many of the enactments of the Penal Code, which so grievously oppressed the Catholics.

The fact that Flood, the pupil and associate of Lucas, and the able associate of Grattan, having accepted office, caused so complete a revulsion in the populace that must have pained him deeply. From being the idol of the people, he was so hooted in the streets that the protection of a guard was suggested; and if the language of Scott, the attorney-general, in the course of an attack in the House was true, he actually had the protection of a guard. As on another occasion Scott gave a faithful account of his rise and fall in popularity under the assumed name of Harry Plantagenet, I introduce it here as a trait showing the style of debate sometimes permitted in the Irish Parliament

At this time the character of the Government of Ireland was not high in public esteem. Even the actions of Mr. Flood and his ability exerted in the cause of Ireland did not avert the shafts of satire. In a poetic account of the dispensing of ministerial patronage we find them thus described

“They nibbled away both night and day,

Like mice in a round of Glos’ter;

They’re big rogues all, both great and* *small,

From Flood to Leslie Foster.”

One of the dispensers of Government gifts being asked why the Phoenix Park, then flooded by surface water, since easily removed, was not drained, replied, “Faith, we’re too busy draining the rest of Ireland.”

When he left office he was of course open to attacks from the Castle party. Scott thus refers to him: “The right Hon. gentleman has the happy talent of turning everything to his advantage. When he became an object of popular resentment, he traversed the streets with a guard. He looked melancholy at the bar, sighed in the House, cried in the council, and blubbered in the ante-chamber. The people were astonished, the women went into mourning, Government thought all her functions were suspended, and nothing could allay the general concern but a plentiful reversion for the most noble gentleman. When the fleets of England, at a great expense, made a number of little descents on the French coast last war, it was wittily said, ‘We were breaking panes of glass with guineas;’ and though his house is filled with most elegant furniture, I will venture to say that no part of it cost as much as the *crown glass *with which his windows were repaired.”

A curious mode of discussing an important subject is related in the * Irish Parliamentary Register, *vol. i. p. 125. Mr. Bushe brought forward the Mutiny Bill, which Mr. Grattan seconded. Mr. Flood taking part in the debate, roused the criticism of Mr. Scott, attorney-general, afterwards Chief Justice Lord Clonmel. “There is not,” he said, any reason for the honourable gentleman’s frequent mention of corruption. If a rebellion could be raised, no man possesses more ability to promote it; if stopped, no man possesses greater ability to allay it. Thus powerful as he is, I hope he will consider the people, and that his wrath may not be like that of Achilles, only to be appeased by the blood of his country. I perceive, Mr. Speaker, that we are all growing warm, and if the House will permit me, I will tell you a story, which may help to bring us to better temper. When I was at the Temple, there was a parish clerk that used to raise the psalm, and who went by the flame of *Harry Plantagenet. *I had taken it into my head the family of the Plantagenets was quite extinct, and was induced by curiosity to ask this man how he came to be called by that name. Accordingly I went to him one day, and mentioned my wish to know his story. ‘I was once a king, sir,’ said he, ‘and reigned with uncontrolled dominion over hound and greyhound, bugle and horn, by which I have acquired this name; but if you please, I will relate my story at large.’ ‘Go on, Harry; said I. ‘I lived in the neighbourhood of Windsor Forest when a boy, and used frequently to divert myself with hunting the king’s deer, for I always loved to hunt the *king’s *deer’ *‘Go on, Harry,’ said I. ‘*I halloed and I shouted. so loud often that there was not a dog of the pack but what obeyed my voice, not a lad in the forest but attended my call.’ ‘Go on, Harry,’ said I. ‘At last, sir, the chief hunts-man, perceiving what command I had over the dogs, the sportsman resolved to take me into his pay.’ *‘Go on,’ said I. *‘I accepted of his offer; but I now found myself so much at my ease, that I grew indolent, and insisted on riding out to hunt in * furniture, *for I always loved to hunt in furniture.’ ‘Go on, Harry,’ said I. ‘I was indulged with furniture; but I soon perceived that the younger fellows, who could now outride me, became greater favourites with the chief huntsman.’ ‘Go on, Harry,’ said I. ‘This stung me to the quick, and I determined to pick a quarrel. Some of the fringe of my furniture, which was torn, and which I would have repaired at the chief huntsman’s expense.’ *‘Go on, Harry.’ *‘I immediately began to hunt in opposition, but not a dog obeyed my hollo or sportsman attended my call.’ *‘Go on, Harry.’ *‘I halloed as I went until I was weary, but still without any effect. I had the mortification to find that I had totally lost my influence in the forest, and I retired to this parish to devote the rest of my days to the making of my soul, and I now raise the psalm and join in the thanksgiving.’ This, sir, is the story of *Harry Plantagenet, *and this story I would apply to every man who cannot be quiet without expense or angry without rebellion.”

On the attorney-general sitting down, Mr. Flood rose. He said: “I am unable to perceive the smallest similitude between this story and my situation, except that my name is *Harry. *I have indeed been a huntsman1 but then I was never whipper-in.

The resolutions passed at the convention must ever entitle the descendants of the Ulster volunteers of Dungannon to the gratitude of their Roman

Catholic fellow-countrymen, were promoted by Mr. Flood. He is thus described by the Right Hon. J. T. Ball: “Possessed of extensive knowledge on political subjects (the fruit of much study and reflection), speaking with force and clearness, an acute thinker and an accurate reasoner, he, more than any other leader of his time, contributed to elevate the tone of discussion in the House of Commons. It was by his example that the members were first guided to the excellence in debate which they afterwards attained. It is no wonder the Irish Government desired to procure the services of so valuable an ally in the rapidly spreading desire to remove the disabilities under which Ireland laboured, and, feeling desirous of enabling remedial measures to be brought forward, Mr. Flood accepted office.” [Historical Review.]

Though, while Grattan and Flood were bravely advancing the cause of Irish independence, some occasional differences of opinion elicited angry words between them, which caused great sorrow to the friends of both statesmen, it was an unfortunate event that disagreement arose through the Act of 6 George I. Though the independence of Ireland was declared in 1782, and Grattan considered this gave a full and complete surrender of British legislature and judicial supremacy over Ireland, Flood considered the surrender was not fully stated, and required a more precise enactment, which was passed; but the discussion caused the two great orators to use language towards each other which, following the patriotic and Christian example of the late Mr. MacCarthy, I omit to quote. [Life of Grattan, p. 47.] Also Mr. Flood was willing to have some demonstration of the volunteers in his efforts to bring about a reform in the House of Commons, and this Grattan strenuously and successfully resisted.

Feeling perhaps some hostility to Grattan, Mr. Flood resolved to change the scene of his senatorial talents, and bought for £4,000 a seat in the British House of Commons. Here, however: his peculiar style of reasoning did not meet with the success expected, and, as Grattan observed, he was too old to be transplanted. It is thought he was not treated well by the Duke of Buckingham, who at the next election took away the seat from Mr. Flood. He had a considerable fortune, which he bequeathed to Trinity College, Dublin, and died at his seat in County Kilkenny, in 1791, sincerely regretted.

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