СНАР. LXVII. The last days of Henry Grattan.

CHAPTER LXVII.

LIFE OF LORD PLUNKET, LORD CHANCELLOR, CONTINUED FROM THE DEATH
OF HENRY GRATTAN TO HIS RE-ELECTION FOR THE UNIVERSITY.

THE failing health of HENRY GRATTAN during the spring
of 1820 had caused great anxiety to his friends. He had
clung to the cause of Ireland and the Catholic people with
desperate fidelity, and, though labouring under fatal ill-
ness, left Ireland for the purpose of bringing the Catholic
claims once more before the Imperial Parliament. It was
with extreme difficulty, while wrestling with death, he
could be prevailed upon not to go down to the House;
and, with that spirit of charity which befits the Christian,
left it as his dying wish to his son not to attack Lord
Castlereagh. He left a paper containing his last recom-
mendations-to Ireland not to seek for any connection,
except with Great Britain; and to England to repeal the
civil and political disabilities against the Catholics. He
desired to have added, 'I die with a love of liberty in my
heart, and this declaration in favour of my country in my
hand.' He then said, 'It will do. I should wish it to be
read in the House. Give my love to Plunket: he will do
it.' Thus died Henry Grattan.

2

Nothing could exceed the deference which Plunket paid to Grattan. He looked up to him always with an air of reverential, almost filial respect; never used the freedom of addressing him familiarly; and when speaking to him would mark his regard by the title Sir.' A gentleman, Sir James Mackintosh, who met them both at Holland House, said he regarded it as a fine trait in Plunket, the evident respect with which he treated Grattan.3

Life, by his son, vol. v. p. 553.

2 It was read when the writ was moved for Dublin.

3 Life of Sir James Mackintosh.

LXVII.

Mr.

when

Grattan

in 1820.

At the election for a member of the University in 1820, CHAP. Mr. Grattan, the son of the illustrious patriot, was opposed by Master Ellis, one of the Masters in Chancery. Though Plunket's Mr. Plunket mourned the deceased Mr. Grattan as if he speech had lost a beloved parent, he did not hesitate to come proposing forward at the call of duty and propose his son as his Mr. successor. On presenting himself he received quite an ovation. Cheer after cheer resounded through the hall. Silence being at length obtained, Mr. Plunket said that he rose under the greatest emotion (tears stood in his eyes, and rolled down his cheeks). After some time he proceeded: No man in the assembly,' he said, 'would accede more to the character of Mr. Ellis than he did; but when he heard him proposed as a proper person to represent the city, he acknowledged his embarrassment. If he were to act as his feelings dictated, he would only mention the name of Grattan, when myriads of responses would re-echo the name. [Here the Right Honourable gentleman was again so overcome by his feelings that he burst into tears.] He came there to offer his meed to departed patriotism: he would feel it a littleness of party if anything was to interrupt the sad duty he had to perform. He conceived himself now amongst his friends(loud cheers)-and cursed be the wretch who would endeavour to rekindle the embers of disunion amongst brethren of every class. (Loud cheering.) Anxiously devoted as the late Mr. Grattan was to his country, it was his wish to have union amongst all classes. For the good of his country, capable of the highest flight, he always steered to the pole of affection between every class of his Majesty's subjects. He (Mr. P.) often appeared before his fellow-citizens, and he could not better perform his duty than to call upon them not to disgrace their city. (Loud cries of "We will not.") Although he had every respect for Mr. Ellis, he would advise him to retire-(loud cheering) from a contest where he could have no chance of success; he called upon him to retire, and not suffer the degradation of the city for a moment. [Here the

CHAP. LXVII.

Right Hon. gentleman burst into an eloquent strain of oratory, which brought down the most thundering applause.] When he saw his friend, with all the ardour of youth, having all the promise of his father's virtues, his father's talents-if they asked him (Mr. Plunket) what security they had for his Parliamentary conduct, he would put forth his name. The son of the man unequalled in the history of these countries-the man who raised his country from the degradation of a province-that man, who has been honoured by the great, the good, the illustrious, and the brave-he who now lies entombed with those distinguished heroes, statesmen, and patriots who have rendered the most essential and valuable services to their country. He now came to ask, what claims Mr. Ellis had to succeed the illustrious person of whom he had been speaking? He would not ask what he had done to claim that situation; but he would say, if he even had a genius as transcendent as that of the illustrious Grattan-if he had given his country a free trade-nevertheless, Master Ellis would be an unfit person to represent this city; and he therefore called upon the electors of Dublin to reject him. (Cries of "We will, we will.") As a Master in Chancery he held his office-not, as he stated, for life, but during pleasure; he should be, as he himself had sworn, ten months confined to his business, and, in the evenings, occupied in taxing costs; if so, how, he ber of Par- would demand to know, could he attend, as Mr. Macquay had stated he would, the duties of a Member for Dublin? Is a man,' said Mr. Plunket, who must sit from ten till four during Term, and who must be occupied in the evenings in taxing costs, a fit and proper person to represent this city? [Here Mr. Plunket read, from the Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry, Mr. Ellis's duty as a Master in Chancery.] The duty of a Master is not like that of a Judge, who performs his duty on the Bench before the public. He disclaimed any intention of insinuating that Mr. Ellis would not act with strict justice; but if a disappointed suitor in his office, who had voted against him,

A Master
of Chan-
cery not
a fitting

person to
be a Mem-

liament.

went out of that office, would it not be likely that he would have prejudices against the Master? The Master should be not only pure, but unsuspected. If he conceived that two months' attendance would be sufficient to enlighten the Legislature, for God's sake let him do so now. He knew that a Master in Chancery might sit in Parliament; but was it ever known that a Master in Chancery stood a contested election? Such a thing would not be tolerated in the sister country; and he would tell those persons who are the promoters of this business, that six months would not pass over their heads until they would rue the day they were born.' He concluded a most eloquent speech by proposing Henry Grattan, Esq., to represent the city. (Unbounded applause, and long-continued cheering.)

Mr. Arthur Guinness, in an eloquent speech, during which he was repeatedly cheered, seconded the nomination.

The High Sheriff put the question, by desiring those who were of opinion that Thomas Ellis, Esq., was a proper person to represent the City of Dublin in Parliament, would hold up their hands. But a few hands were raised, and the shouts of No, no,' rent the air. When the question for Mr. Grattan was put, innumerable hands were raised; the greatest cheering and waving of hats ensued, and continued for a considerable length of time.

The language used by the Attorney General in this speech gave great offence to Mr. Ellis's supporters, one of whom addressed an expostulatory letter to him, from which I take a few extracts.

CHAP.

LXVII.

freeman

'Sir, I was one of many freemen who were excluded Letter from the Court of Hustings on Saturday, by the mob of from a non-electors that filled all the avenues and approaches to to Mr. it. I am therefore obliged to take the substance of your respecting extraordinary speech from the newspaper reports, and his speech. from the information of many who heard it. I wish I

Plunket

LXVII.

СНАР. could believe that it has been misstated, that I might retain the high opinion I had conceived of your discretion as well as of your talents.

'Can it be true, that the Member for the University of Dublin-a great constitutional lawyer-has attempted to deter the electors of the city of Dublin from voting for the man of their affections, by a threat of an Act of Parliament which, to operate on the present occasion, must be ex post facto, and therefore tyrannical? that he who pronounces disability in one class of subjects to sit in the House of Commons an evil not to be submitted to, though it is yet the law of the land, should in the same breath threaten the Protestant electors with a legislative abridgment of their rights-with the infliction on them of a like disability, if they dare to exercise their yet unforfeited franchise according to their consciences? This doctrine may be palatable to the "millions" assembled at D'Arcy's tavern, and may prevent future mortifying divisions amongst them respecting their choice of a patron; but it is ill calculated to inspire confidence in the Protestant, or induce him to surrender any of the safeguards that remain to him.

'I have had no opportunity of hearing the sentiments of your constituents on this alarming denunciation; but sure I am that the objection to Mr. Ellis on account of his official duties comes with a peculiarly bad grace from you, who cannot urge it without an implied censure upon that learned body whose representative you are. If, upon the contest with Mr. Croker and you, any elector had stood up to argue that a lawyer in extensive practice, whose mornings and evenings were devoted to preparation for his daily exertions in the Hall-who, from November to July, could not snatch a visit to London, even with the help of steam-packets and flying coaches, without a sacrifice of some client's interest-how loudly and bitterly would you have complained of the illiberality of the objection! how indignantly would you have repelled the unconstitutional attempt to narrow the privileges of the electors!