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272 Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
his determined efforts to curb the abuses associated with the Pension List saved the Irish revenue a fortune.
But above all, the gentrified Flood, whose patriotism was once described as being ‘strict- ly colonial,’ and who was resolutely bent on freeing the Irish Parliament from the restrictions placed upon it by Poyning’s Law, was, at the same time, equally vehemently opposed to the removal of any of the political disabilities under which Catholics suffered.
In 1774, after about fourteen years of opposition, Flood defected from the “Patriot Par- ty” and accepted a lucrative Government sinecure, the Vice-Treasureship, a move which, unsurprisingly, damaged his credibility and consequently greatly lessened his influence in both the political and social aspects of the country. As one can imagine,there was a huge void created in the Patriot Party by Flood’s defection, yet this void was quickly and easily filled, because, in 1775, a young barrister and member of Parliament, a man of ‘pre-emi- nent powers’, it was said, took Flood’s place-that man was Henry Grattan.
Henry Grattan
Both in character and policy Grattan differed considerably from Flood. Once described as having “a natural eloquence” in matters oratorical, Grattan was the superior of his pre- decessor and subsequent rival; as a politician he was singularly daring, while Flood was guarded and cautious.
He was an ardent supporter of all the measures proposed for the mitigation and removal of the Penal Laws against Catholics, while Flood, as has been said, was opposed to any mod- ification, never mind removal, of the unjust laws affecting the majority of his countrymen.
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