The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-11-03 00:00:00

public life sifted with no ordinary jealousy, an 4 aid; r..)
sparing criticism; and such may hare been my lot n wee- •
of that of other public men. But, Gentlemen, unuteri'est
obloquy seklom fails of an a•lequete though perhaps ter 1,•
comprns:tion. J must think myself, as my lion. retie.%
has Paid, eminently fortunate, if such compensation,aS he
describes, has (Alen to me at an earlier period than t
' many others; if I dare flatter myself (as his partiality
flattered me), that the sentiments you are kind enough t •
entertain for, are in unis...n with those of the country—:. •
in addition to the justice done me by my friends, I may.
he has assured me, rely upon a candid coatruction, et.' .1
from political opponent..
" But, Gesttlemen, the secret of itch a result da.s rot

lie deep. It consists only in an honest and undevistiof
pursuit of what one conscientiously believes to be one'e
pnblic duty ; a pursuit which, sternly continued.. will.
•however detached and separate parts of a man's condm t
may be viewed r.nder the influence of partialities or prej
dices, obtain file it, when considered as a whole. the appro..
bation of all honest and iunoutable minds. Any man to .7 7
occasionally he mistaken as to the means most conducive t
the end which he has in view; but if the end be jnst
praiseworthy, it is by that be will he ultimately ;mir-
ed, either by his contemporaries or by posterity.—(Mutts.
applause.)
Gentletrien, the end which I confess I have always had
view, and which appears to me the legitimate object of pm -
suit to a British Statesman, I can describe in one, word..

The language of modern philosophy is wisely and
benevolent, it professes the perfection of our species, t
the amelioration of the lot of all mankind. Gentlemen, I

hope that my heart heats as high for the c neral interest
humanity—hope that I have as friendly a disposition t'-
wards other nations of the earth as any one who vaunts
philanthropy most highly, bnt I am contented to confess
that, in the condnct of political affairs. the grand object
my contemplation is the interest of England.—(%l t.. 4
applause.)
" Not, tientlemen, that the interest of England is si
interest which stands isolated and alone. The situ s'i..

which she holds forbids an exclusive selfishness ; her pr ••-
perity must contribute to the prosperity of other na'i
and her stability to the safety of the world.—(Burss: • ,*
applause.)—Put intimately connected as we are with t •.• •
system of Europe. it does not follow that we are therefor t
cal!ed upon to mix ourselves on every occasion, wit!' •t
restless and meldling activity, in the conceras of the nal; .
which surround us. It is upon a just balance of contllct..•
duties, and of rival but sometimes incompatible -
' vantages, that a Government must judge when to p t
forth its strength, and when to husband it fur occAsious
to come.

" Our ultimate object must be the peace of the wort!.
That object may sometimes lie bes attained by proima
exertions—sometimes by abstinence from interposi•its
in contests which we cannot prevent. It is upon th., •
principles that, as has been most tenly observed by my •
worthy friend, it did not appear to the government of Ors
country. to be necessary that Great. Britain silo ;I I
mingle in the recent contest between France and Sp
-o-(Applausts.)
" Your worthy Recorder has accorstely classed •
persons who world have driven ns into that contest. The/ -
were undoubtedly among them those who desired to plug •
this counrry into the difficolti,a of war, partly from ilos
hope that trines ditlienhies world overwhelm the Ailtniti;-
stration ; het it would be most unjust not to admit, dr
there were others who were actuated by nobler princiol. .
and more generous feeling', who would have rushed for-
ward at once from the sense of indignation at aggressioa,
and who deemed that no act of injustiee could be perpe-
trated from one end of the uni to the other, bat the!
the sword of Great Britain should leap from its sc Abbey,'
to avenge it.—(Applause)—But as it is the province of
law to controol the etcess, even of laudable passion:
and propensities in individuals, so it is the duty
of Government to restrain within due bounds the
ebullition of national sentiment, and to regulate the course
and direction of impulses which it cannot blame. Is thee.
any one among the latter class of persons described briny
Honourable Friend (for to the former I have nothing
to say) who continues to doubt whether the Government
did wisely in declining to obey the precipitate enthusiasm
which prevailed at the commencement of the contest in
Spain ? (Applause.) Is there any body who does not now
think. that it was the oilier of the Government to examill,!
more closely all the various bearings of so implicated a
question, to consider whether they were called upon to
assist a united nation, or to plunge themselves into the
internal feuds, by which that nation was divided—to aid
in repelling a foreign invader, or to take part in a civil war.
(Applause.) Is there any man that does not now see what
would have been the extent of burdens that would havo
been cast upon this country ? Is there any one who d res
not acknowledge that under such circumstances,•the
ea-
terprize would have been to he characterized only by a
term borrowed from that part of the Spanish literatere
with which we are most familiar—Quixotic—an enter-
; prize romantic in its origin, and thankless in the end:
(Much applause.)
" But while we thus controul even our feelings by 'site
duty, let it not be said that we cultivate peace either because
we see fear, or because we are unprepared for war; on the
contrary, if eight months ago the Government did not
hesitate to proclaim that the country was prepared for war
if war should unfortunately be necessary, every month of
peace that has since past, has but made us so much the more
capable of exertion. The resources created by peace, ate
means of war. (Applause.) In cherishing those resoorci
we but accumulate those means. Oar present repose k
more a proof of inability to act, than the state of inertness
and inactivity in which I have seen those mighty masses
that float in the waters above your town, is a proof they are
devoid of strength, and incapable of being fitted for action.
You well know, Gentlemen, how soon one of those
stupendous masses, now reposing on their shadows its per-
fect stillness; how soon, upon any call of patriotism, or of
necessity, it would assume the likeness of an animated thing
—instinct with life and motion—• how soon it would raffle,
as it were, its swelling plumage—how quickly it would pnt
forth all its beauty, and its bravery—collect its scattered
elements of strength, and awaken its dormant
thunder.—(Long and continued thunders of applause.)
—.Such, as is one of these magnificent machines
when springing from inaction into a display of its might ;
such is England herself, while apearently passive and trio-
tionless, she silently
.cor.cesitrates the power to be put forth
on an adequate occasion. But God forbid :hat that occasion
should arise ! After s war sustained for nearly a (planer
of a century—sometimes single-handed, and wath add
Europe arranged at times against her, or at her side .
needs a period of tranquillity, and may enjoy it witticism'
fear of misconstruction. Long may we be enabled, •Ges--
Omen, to improve the blessings of our present situation,.:
to cultivate the arts ell:I.-ace, to give tee con-tower, now
reviving, renter eateecien and new spheres of employ then i;
and .to axsofirro use prosperity now geinerelly • 44.0.#4.T
throughout this island. Of the blessisecof pippes.gipgn.,
pleinen,•l trust that this borough, n:•., witch harp. re r
the honour and happiness of being associated; will aetive
an ample share. I trust the time is' Sot tar dist sett
hen that noble structure of which, as I 'lnas* few
* •
sour Recorder, the b. x wish wii!rta you. hive hOoesr rt
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