The Irish standard., 1897-07-10
THE INN ORTAL EDMUND BURKE
Foremost Orator and Statesman
of the 18th Century.
AN INTERESTING BIOGRAPHY.
An Advocate of American Liberty
With Fox and Pitt.

In this age when anniversaries. cen-
tenartcS, juhilees-Silvnr golden and
dlamond-arc being celebrated, the peo-
pie OF Ireland and OF Dubin should not
forget the approaching cent ,nary of the
date on which lrclanl lost ouc Of her
greatest sons and Dublin one Of her
most lllustrious citizens, says the Dub.
lin Freeman's Journal Edmund BurKa
died on July Z, 1897, at The age OF C3.
Although our great countryman was
early IN his career absorbed into tho
political life Of England and became
the brightest ornament of her senate.
he never forgot the land of his birth.
Ho was ever working in her cause AS
early rs 1867 the freedom O: tho cftv
OF Dublin was conferred upon him "in
consideration of his distinguished abil.
tiles so frequently cXcrlcl for the nd
vantage OF ireland In Parliament"
Later on he forfeited the support of his
constituents N Bristol on account of
ms defence of the trade ui ireland and
Oh his advocacy of the claims of his
Catholic fellow w-courtryncn for relief,
Inc only exception To llurkc's inyari.
ablc sympathy with :hc cause OF gcnu.
Inc popular liberty, if it was an OK
ceptioi' was seen in his attitude towards
the French revolution. In the year
l9o, while up to his eyes in the trial
or Warren Hastings he published his
FAMOUS pamphlet, 'R2Ilertions on tho
French Revolutions" This took not
only the town but the whole world bv
storm. 1t attracted ,hc attention OF
many crowned heads. and he was overs
powered with congratulations from all
sorts and conditions of men.
There Is no doubt that the effect ON hi.
chlvalrous soul of the awful atrocities
which disGraccd the great event rather
blinded him to tho mserles which led
up to 1t. He entirely Ignored the 1uanv
good men who raised Il storm the vio-
renee OF which they lid not anticipate
or could not control. 1t does seem
strange that the ;lrraIyner of Warren
hastings for the lll-trcatment Cf a
row indian princes should have shut
his eyes to the accumulated msories
OF millions of the fortunate French neo.
pic 1t was on this question that he
ana Fox parted company. Then oc-
CURED an cstranscmcnt which nc never
ceased to dcplOrc. Years latn:. III, thux
referred to it in his will: "If tho inf
WhI,.h I
been broken off by political differences
on great questions, | hope that they
VIII forgive whatever of general human
innrmity, or of my own partic,lnr in.
trinity. has entered into that contcn-
tlOn. l heartily cntrcat thnlr forgiyo-
ness. No one can ascrihc BllrI;ws feel
lhgs on the French question to nny
want or sympathy with the oppressed.
HIS whole life refutes the charge. His
heart went out to the Americans, the
people of India and his own bcrsecuted
countrymcn. 1t was, as we have said,
that his gaze was SO rivctcd on the ex.
ccsses OF the revolution that he could
not glance back on the centuries OF
tyranny of those classes who sowcd the
Whirlwind they were then rcnping.
Burke closed the proceedings against
Warren Hastings in 1896. 1t was the
great work of his life. The affairs and
government of India were uD to this
never SO put before the people of Eng
land. lettering to 'his action in this
matter he says: IF we're to call for a
| reward (Which have never dune) it
should be for those services in which
for fourteen years, without intermis-
sion, showed the most industry ard
had the least success mean the affairs
OF India" In his declining years, Octo-
Der, 1895, he received the reward he ncv-
er asked for, in the shape of Il pension
from the crown. 1t entered the head of
tho young Duke of Bedford and another
noble lord to question the proprie iety Of
the recognition of his long and great
services We almost rejoice at an at
tack which ELECTED reply which has
been described as "the most brilliant
specimen OF withering sarcasm and dig
nfied resentment that the English Ian
guage ever exhibited" In the course Of
it Burke thus wrote: 1.-The grants to
the house of Russell were so enormous
as not only to outrage economy but even
to stagger credibility." 1.-THE Duke Of
Bedford is the leviathan among all the
creatures of the CROWN He tumbies
about his unwieldy bulk, he plays and
frolics in the ocean of royal bounty"
"His ribs, his fins, his whalebone, his
blubber, the very spiracles through
which he spouts torrent Of bring
against his origin, and covers me al