Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-09-15
RIGHT HON. GEORGE cANNINo.


in fl,!s country. which has no comparison, il
we except that which was produced by the
cfagicai .tsaths OF Mr.. Perciyal dnd Lord Lon
,fonderry; and the presses of tho two countries
isi,e tcctncd With high and unmea asurcd euo-
gums on his Hcmory, and chaun!cd TO the
very skics, the ndrits of man, who was the
idol Of the one party, and the object Of hatred
and de;esilton Of the othct
on Mr.. Canning n may be said, hn was a
man of sphaAd:d talents, wit, scholar,
poet, and ccisum'natc statesman, deep IN
his Designs, ana wonderful in his executions.
Eeayed from carly life to the study Of poll
tics, ha snnn BECAME conspicuous III the Brit
IA rariiaucnt; and securing the confidence
,,f an hnpoiemt Monarch, ultimately rose to
TO cn)rynant Of the highest honors that can
hc bestowed By his M,jcsty Of England. But
whilst wc awasd TO the memory Of Mr.. Can
nNna, the attributes % r.catness, the splendor
of gnnins, and the mightinass Of the consunl-
inito statesman. NC are not prepared 10 go at
nll lsngths, au.l set hin, down, as soroe have
done, as tho greatest man the world ever has,
and over can Produce.
IL 10 not merely the pride OF opinion, or a
bigp:eI attachment 20 our .tiyc country, that
constants us TO the expression Of belief, that
he has at this day maay equals, and that in
i,rmcr times there were many men who were
was bot n mite in the scales Of prc-cmncncc !;
and even tho younger Statesman of that name,
the son of the immortal Chatham, was his SUI
p,:ior. In our oSn couryy,we can, and have
produced, his equals; anh in our opinion, IN all
tho essentials which constitute the great states
rlau, no was inferior To our II ilimilton, and
never couli sIcccsstIllIy compete with John
Ulincy Adams.
Though, as among those, who are almost
relily to worship genius, ard reverence cXtfa-
ordinary talents, VIC lament the death of Mr..
Cunning; still wo do not think that 80 far az
oue national interest is concerned with the
G. mt, Ms dciuisc can, or should be dcplorcI.
To this country, he was niuitiyeiy hostile; ;
and that hostility seemed to have crown with
his growth and strcngi hcued with his strength
- and in his last days, as oar Colonial rcla-
'i,gs with England will pro"c, he assumed an
arrogant, hlaghty and oyerbcsriny department
osards this Republic. Though a pro.esscd
lpycr of liberty, he was a decided and con-
tiDned aris'ocrat, and lopi;ed with a Jcaous
and an eiwious cye, towasds orr rising great
ncs3 At tho co:DmonccDlent Of the last war,
he Affected To treat us vith contempt to de-
: dc Is, TO contenn our resources and our Prov
css; and in n speech in the British Parliament,
hD snecfngly laughed at tho idea Of orr wa
g.ng war against England ,and scomtmlly de-
w,i strips Of striped bunting tied to their
ma.'s. BIT that contest proved unpropitous
10 Brtain--she was defeated in the fight. and
mortified with the event, Mr.. Canning seemed
to have Increased his hostility, from that event.
tIl nomcat.
IIs was an ntr;gner, and too often was
iSund guilty of duplcity and double dealing
At one time he attached himself to the Tory
plfty, anll acted with them in Office; but when
ioiercst and popularity pointed another way,
lie joined the Wings and abandoned those
who had been mainly instrumental in procur-
ing his elevation. Indeed there was no calcu-
lating on his political sincerity; and though at
The time Of his death, he was tho professcd adj
vocatc Of Catholic emancipation, it is suppos-
ei that he vas opposed TO it; and at the mo-
ricnt of his elevation TO the Prime Ministry,
his authorized organ, the London Courier, de-
clarod, that the Catholics had nothing 10 hope
for, from tlp circumstance of his being clcyat-
ed TO the head OF the Cabinet.
Though profcssedly friend to the rccogni-
tN,I Of South American independence, he de-
Glarcd in Parliament, that the independence
oi those States, were re cOgnized by Great
Bsitai in from policy, and because it was be-
l'cyed that such step would advance the
COMMERCIAL interests Of England. When
Spain, anil Italy required his aid, and The
aid Of England, amid their struggles for free
constitutions, hr opposed them and left them to
fall beneath the iron rod OF despotism. And
vet he pretended to be q friend 10 univc rsal
emancipation aud liberty The part be as
snmed in the affairs OF oppressed Greece, was
inlnccJ by policy, with n single eye to the
interests Of England, without caring q rush.
Eight about the fate Of Greece.
W. III not wish to dctract anything'ffom The
ma.ts OF Mr.. Canning, but VIC must confess,
th IT we u:yer were among those who aduircd
him as statesman. Like other men Of cmi-
renee, AMI high in the estimation OF the pco-
ltc, no wis not incorruptiblc, AMI if he held
forth the hand OF aid to another, and ds-
frcsscd country, lac was influenced by self
love, and single eye 20 the advancement of
,ho interests ct his country.
As VIC have said on other occasions than
This, VIC always admired the talGnts oi Mr..
~ INNING, but that admiration, did not lead us
t. believe him to be INN acula;c; nor can we,
rs others have iorc, consider his dcmisr, an
irreyfrabic ftss 10 the whole world, and death
blow q universal liberty. Tho presses of the
United States, with but few exceptions, have
wh,n spe1kius OF his doath, ard have cvinccd
a disposition, to hold Nr. Canning up 10 the
world, ~ the brightest ornament Of any age,
nn! at the same time, 10 reduce our own great
s:atcsurnn, down to n state Of comparative in
significance To this course, We enter our SOL
IN protest, and whilst VIC will do justice TO
2Ir. Canning, we will not become the worship
Ycrs OF Eag!ish statesmen. and forget wha: We
owe to our native country.
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