Memoirs of the Life and Correspondence of the Right Hon. Henry Flood, M.P., Colonel of the Volunteers; Containing Reminiscences of the Irish Commons, (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838 edition. Excerpt: ...by their being uncompromising protestants. The next point is lord Harcourt's ministry. An analytical view of that nobleman's acts has been given in another part: but he certainly lost the confidence of lord North by his too great partiality to Irish interests. From the first to the last act of his government, we have historically before us, instances of a remarkable liberal policy, and even economical for that time. When Mr. Grattan in the last paragraph refers to a motion he made in 1781, for retrenchment, which was then opposed by Mr. Flood, and thus to mark his inconsistency, we are at a loss for a reason why he should have assumed such a position for an argument against the motion on the table. There was no analogy between the state of affairs in 1781 and 1783, no more than there was between a state of war and a state of peace. If Mr. Flood opposed a retrenchment of the military establishment at the first named period, a wise caution countenanced his views; but no circumstance whatever forbid a reduction at the last period. Gordon's history, vol. ii. CHAP. VIII. MR. FLOOD'S REPLY. S-"V-" The right honorable member can have no doubt of the propriety of my saying a few words in reply to what he has delivered. Every member of this house can bear witness of the infirmity I mentioned, and, therefore, it required but little candour to forbear a nocturnal attack on that infirmity. But I am not afraid of the right honorable member, --I will meet him any where, or on any ground, by night or by day. I would stand poorly in my own estimation, and in my country's opinion, if I did not stand far above him. I do not come here dressed in a rich wardrobe of words, to delude the people--I am not one who has promised repeatedly to bring in a '...