Henry grattan (1746-1820) was a member of the irish parliament in the late 1700s, and a spokesman for the irish nationalistic sentiment. He pushed for constitutional reform, legislative independence, and suffrage for roman catholics. In 1796/97, nationalistic factions united to form the united irishmen movement, taking grattan's reform ideas and combining them with revolutionary ideas from france. This resulted in the rebellion of 1798, which was quickly quashed by the british government. The next year, grattan was accused of being a united irishman and removed from parliament. He retreated to his country estate at tinnenhinch. He was later exonerated, and returned to parliament just in time to speak against the act for legislative union being promoted by william pitt. In spite of his fervent appeal, the act was adopted in 1800 and the irish parliament was disbanded. In the drawing, a servant shows two young men into grattan's library. Grattan rises from his chair, and one young man introduces the other: "mr. Grattan, give me leave to introduce mr. John hughes. . " grattan replies, "i suppose sir you are an united irishman. " hughes replies, "i am. " the library contains many objects meant to support the accusation against grattan of promoting revolutionary ideas: portraits of thomas paine, robespierre, and lord fitzgerald (a leader of the 1798 rebellion); incriminating documents such as the constitution of united irishmen and a chart of the irish coast marked with potential landing spots for a french invasion; and book titles alleging jacobinism and republicanism. Reference source: george #9370. Subjects (lcsh): political cartoons; history--caricatures & cartoons; grattan, henry, 1746-1820; revolutionaries--ireland; revolutionaries in art--ireland. Date: 1799. Place of creation: England -- London -- Fleet Street. Medium: etching. Collection: University of Washington. A Peep Into the Retreat at Tinnehinch (NAPOLEON 149)
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