The Sun.
London, England, 1806-01-28 00:00:00

hairhan intellect 'for._ the salvation of this Country,
and of all Europe.. _lt failed from no want of talent
and-exertionon his part; 'if the same great mind did
not'actuate other States, was Mr. Pitt to be blamed
on that-account %--But the great and distinguighing
feature of Pitt's life, that on which his charac-
ter and services might fairly rest, wasjiis conduct
on' the breaking out of the French Revolution. He
was not so unreasonable as to expea that those who
formerly' supported; Mrs Pitt's measures, but who
since had opposed.them, .would express their unmo-
difted, approbation of his condua but. while he was
jaertealy willing to coincide. thus much, he trusted,
that they, on the other band, would not be so un-
reasonable as to expe& that individuals, nay, the
--House of Commons themselves, forgetting the una.
nitnity with. which they -Went along, at the period
alluded to, with that illustrious Statesman, , should
now declare their disapprobation of what they then
warmly approved._ •It surely could Hot be expected
by the Gentlemen opposite, that the House would
thus cut down their feelings to the standard of their
opinien. The mode in which the Motion had been
framed was expressly calculated .to remove any dif-
ficulties which those Gentlemen. 'might feel in agree-
ing to it. Had it been drawn up by him, he con-
fessed, he should have felt the language used, in
speaking of his illustrious• father, inadequate to the
expression of his inestimable virtues, and unpa-
ralleled services. He would not have placed him
on a pedestal inferior to that of any man: As
to what had been . said about his system, he trusted
it-was :a system which, under the .same circum-
stances, would again be acted on. The Learned
. and Hon. Gentleman had es;pressed his hope, thiat
his -system: would be
.buried with him. If that
Learned Gentleman :mean-if° enjoy the confidence
of Parliainent, he advised him, • from considerations
of prudence, should similar dangers assail the Erne
. pire, not to recommend the abandonment of
,a sys-
tem to which Great Britain owes every thing valua-
ble that she now possesses. He would not enter
into any statement on the other parts of Mr. Pitt's
conduct. If success be the criterion by which the
yrops-iety _of assigning public- honours should be
decided, the success that followed Mr. Pitt in
the instance he had mentioned, was success enough,
for it went to the salvation .of the Country. That
any Minister has been uniformly-sticcesstul 'would
scarcely be asserted. However we must deplore the
ruinous state of at:Elks on the Continent, we should
find consolation in turning our eyes to the situation
of thiS Country in a Military and Naval point of
view ; more particularly the latter, because, from
the circumstances of the Country, Naval operations
'were systematic, while Military operations w2re ac-
cidental. At what period did the Naval strength of
the British Empire stand so high; when Was -it so
respeCted as during the Administration of Mr. Pitt'
almost every year of which was distinguished by its
peculiar victory ? 'ln this respe&, as well as in every
'other, the situation Of the Country became very
'different from what it was when he . assumed the
reins of Government. If, seduced by his feelings,
he had trespassed on the attention of the. House
lohger than he at first intended, or the occasion re-
quired, he trusted he should stand excused. In
one thing he rejoiced, 'and that was, that nothing
had dropt during-the whole of the Debate that con-
'tesied any disrespe&ful imputation ,on the distin-
guished individual to whose memory he trusted the
-vote of the _House_ would allot those honours which
were never better deserVedfrona a great 'Empire.—
Mr. WILBERFORCE thought what the Noble
Lord said was so satisfaaory, that it was unnecessary
'for- him to add but a few observations. It appeared
that though there was not a general concurrence in
the merits of all parts of the Administration. of the
illustrious Person to whom it was propoSed to pay
the compliment now under 'consideration, yet that
*parts of his Administration, and these very princi-
' .pal parts, were acknowledged -to be -deserving of
.the highest public gratitude. There was, -at the
-same time, an universal ackndwledgment that this
illhstrions character possessed in the highest degree
.the greatest qualities that could. distinguish a .States.;
man. He was on all 'hands allowed to- possess great
talents, purity the- most unstained, disinterested-
ness not td be surpassed, and patrintisrreas ardent as
ever animated a human. bosom.- .These rare merits
were Allowed him by'men under whose eyes-he had
acted from the commencement of his' political
career; and whos to' say thesleast, alWays 'viewed
;his measures without partiality. When we looked
-back- to the history of a great 'Statesman for his cha-
.raCter, it was not to be expeCted that his measures
'would not sometimes be foutid deficient of success.
_ re-sees- true that ,in Naval and Military transaetions
rue
1-1,,U S 7 i:i,,inguished by its vote only what was
cree cod witit success ; but the reason of that was,
that succers was an chviCus warrant of merit, and the
on`- easi±y intelitible to men not conversant in
atia;rs, so as to be capahle'of se.ing when
'a -Military plan was well laid, and well calculated
-to- ohvtin 'success, though :lethally unsuccessful.
.sse was very different with tegard to political
'c-i, in 'which, after weighing and calculating
.ne most painful anxiety, and deciding with
(ifrl-silty on the course it may be most advisable to
fir honour and success; that very course may
"es e„. e?ointed of the sixcess: so confidently looked
did not therefore follow, that this .course
r.eslit to have been riJe((tecl for that 'which held
- forth less rational hope of success, th'ough it was
croweed with' it. He wished to avoid
ry.topic that could excite feelipgs of opposition, and
ti erefore he was unwilling to touch on the French
lie6iltition. But he could notwithhold himself from
asking, whether it was possible that we could come
cut of such a convulsion of the whole moral aHd
p litical system of Europe without suffering by
tlae shock ? It was; he-was confident, owing to the
talents and firmness of the great man.whose merits
were now under consideration, that we had suffered
so mach less than was to be feared ; and that our
Country was still the-stay, the hope, and the resource
of Nations. They who had been the constant op-
, portents of this great man, did him the greatest ho-
nout, by their candid adniission of his great merits
they, at the- sarne time; .did themselves the greatest
bonotti they did the highest honour tcie.tha- t As-
sembly, and to COuntry ;as their cOndua made
it evident;that the higheSt party feuds did-not extin-
elfish a qtsiit *Se of the worth and talents of those
:mho 'adhered to opposite systetns , that talent,:pu-
Ifity and patribtisM, were-to.be foUpci. in all parties;
an 4 yzliersilley were .displayed sinCl''tierCied in any
tsar's: e"i'ere aclsh-Owlc;desed by all.' :11ihs with re,
„.s'ee sesalteri indhilnal. • hseves'3 lib may