The Irish standard., 1896-03-28
GOLDEN Words OF BURKE
His scathing Denunciation Of
EngIand's Attitude To-
wards America.
1t Lies Not in the Payment of
a Tea Tax, But ON the
Principle itself.
Prophetic Warming Given by
the Orator-Statesnan Not
Acted Upon.

In January, 1775, thirty men-of-war
we're fitted out by England to scour the
American coast and prevent the colonies
receiving European manufactures. On
Feb. Il debate took place in the British
parliament on the propriety Of coercing
the Americans-carlied in the ahirnna
tive by, yeas, 304; noes, los. The de-
bate was protracted until March e. when
Edmund Burke rose to give his speech on
American taxation. The evening was far
advanced, the debate had previously been
dull and many members of parliament
had withdrawn to their rooms. The first
sentences of the great Irish statesman's
exordium awakened universal attention,
the report of what was going on spread
in every direction, and the members came
crowding back until the hall was crowd
ed to oterf1owing and it rescunded
throughout the speech with the loudest
expression OF applause. Lord Townsend
exclaimed at the close OF one Of those
powerful passages in which the speech
abo,1nds: "Heavens:- what a man is this!
Where could he acquire such transcend
ent powers?'' Col. Barre, in the ferVor
of his excitement, declared that if it could
be written out he would nail it on every
church door in the kingdom. Johnston
said: 'It was fortunate for the noble
lords (North and Germain) that specia-
tors had been excluded during the debate,
for if any had been present they would
have excited the people to tear the noble
lords in pieces on their way home" Al
ter referring to the numerous meetings
held throughout Ireland and the2n1oney
sent to the American patriots: he said:
could anything be q, subject OF more
just alarm to America than to see YOU
go out OF the plain high roads of finance,
and give up your most certain revenues
and your clearest interests merely fer
the sake of insulting your colonies? No
man ever doubted that the commodity OF
tea could bear an imposition Of three
pence But no commodity will bear three
pence or will bear q penny, when the
general feelings of men sire irr!tated and
two millions of men are resolved not to
pay. The feelings OF the colonies were
formerly the feelings Of Great Britain.
Theirs were formerly the feelings Of Mr..
Hampden, when called upon for the pay
ment of 20 shillings. 'ould 20 shillings
have ruined Mr. Hampdens fortune? No.
But the payment of half 20 shillings on
the principle it was demanded would
have made him slave. 1t is the weight
of that preamble. Of which you. are. SO
fond, and not the weight Of the duty,
that the Americans are unable and un-
willing to bear. You are, therefore. at
this moment in the awkward situation OF
fighting for a phantom, quiddity, a
thing that wants not only substance,
but even a name; for thing which is
neither abstract right nor profitable en-
joyment They tell you, sir, that your
dignity is tied to it. | know not how 1t
happens, but this dignity Of yours is a
terrible incumbrance to you, for it has Of
late been even at war with your interest,
your equity and every idea OF your pol
icy. Show the thing you contend for to
be reason, show it to be common sense,
show it to be the means Of obtaining
some useful end, and then ] am content
to allow it what dignity you please. But
what dignity is derived from the perse-
verance in absurdity is more than ever
I could discern. Let us, sir, embrace some
system or other before we end this ses-s
sion, DO you mean to tax America and q
to draw a productive revenue from them?a8
If you do, speak out, name, fix, ascertain
this revenue; settle its quality, define its
objects, provide for its collection, and
then fight when you have something to-
fight for. If you murder, rob, IT. you v
kill, take possession, and do not appear In
the character of madmen as we'll as as
sassins-yiolent, svindictiye, bloody and
yrannical--with0ut an object. 3l1t may
better counsels guide you.'' But despite
this powerful appeal and those Of Barry,
Connolly and other Irish members Of par
lament, the royal assent was given to q Fl
bill restraining the trade Of the colonies /
Of America. 4,I a sa!8