New-York tribune., 1908-11-02

Ts1-Jxe ss its representative during that part OF
his public service which time has most tnoI-
ouEhlv vindicated and can join with US In ad-
rriring the fine and calm dignity with wnich
he accepted his ultimate dismissal He reJoiced
that the justice of his course whether as 10 ire
land or America was no longer IN doubt 10,
he exclaimed ''tfe charges against me are al or
one kind. that ! pushed the principles OF gen
eral justice and benevolence too far farmer tnan
q cautious policy would warrant, and Iartner
than the opinions OF many would go along with
In every accident which may happen
through life in pain in sorrow, IN depression,
and distress VIII call TO mind this accusation
and be cornforted II his lofty shade takes any
coenizance now Of human affairs. he may read
what these communities themselves think or
that accusation in the Bristol statue and the
Bath tablet
Naturally Mr. Burke never reached high office.
He was party man, and most useful and mighty
priced as such: but not what the managers call
safe party man: and he had the defects Of his
oratorical temperament II IS not necessary,
here and noV, 10 dwell on these but IL ought
always 10 be said when they are mentioned. that
even his failiags leaned 70 virtues side He
snone IN every field where his Abilities were
exerre5. and left g great record in meny-iu
economical reform, in maintaining the principles
underlying the Revolution Of 1888; in tender
care for <he land Of his birth and the Church OF
his mother: IN resistance alike 10 the reaCtionaTy
policy Of The Ministry. 10 injustice in India. and
10 the destructive tendencies OF the French Rev
olution. But 1 may be pardoned for thinking
that the highest service Of his whole iIlustrious
career, the most courageous at the time the
wisest the most farseeing, was found in his out
spoken sympathy with the American colOniSts.
and his ProtTacted and unfiinching resistance TO
Revolution
No other man in England, hardly one even in
America. saw quite SO clearly as Edmund Burke
that after al unw1se Ministry had forced the
colonisIs into a long war in defence Of the Eng
lsh principle of no taxation without representa-
rioa. the only possible outcome Of the war by
which the real England could succeed was an
American victory. Yet no other deprecated the
struggle sc much; no other at the outset more
sincerely desired TO preserve the authority or
Parliament and the just rights Of the Crown
He even admitted the precedents, both on
these islands and in the Colonies, for taxation
without representation: Dut Wnen ohce Ct-s 81
was determinedly challenged, he frankly recog-
nized that as ne put It IN laWyeT-lke Pnr@se ls
the suit" While there still chance 10
draw back he pleaded with the Ministry ana
with Parliament 1t is our business 10 RUE
not 70 'yvrangle- Il is poor compensation to
triumph II q dispute. whilst We lose an empire
Your ancestors did at length open IheiT eyes 70
the iIl-husbandrv Of Injustice. They found that
the tyranny of a free people could OF al tyran-
MES r17a least he endured" And then he re-
minded the Ministry that, while recItlng the
entire and perfect authority OF the Crown It's
predecessors had nevertheless, with the approval
Of the Crown. given successfully TO various Eng
lish communities and also 10 the Welsh all the
rights of English subjects Are not the colo
nists. ne demanded as much Englishnen as me
Welsh By such steps he came 10 regard iie
struggle as rot q rebellion but civil war, IN
which Englishmen IN the colonies fought for od
English rights, and IN gaming Ihsse TlsIlCs 1oA
themselves made them henceforth forever Sc
cure for England, too.
What Nr Burke constantly sought IN the
American business. while il was possible. was
reeouciliation. His most important utterance
during the long debate, from the Stamp Act 10
the Declaration Of Independence. was entitled
Cancellation with America, and English ora
tory contains no more powerful OF persuasive
plea Tor peace. A month after the moplentors
declaration he wrote We are deep IN Dloou-
cod knows how il viii be I do not see how
can wish success 10 those whose victory IS 10
separate from Us a large ana noDie part OF OUT
empire still less do I wish success 10 lnJuStlce
oppression and absUrGtty-
This sheer mental inability 10 support IN
American z1Tairs-to his whole conduct indeed
:n every public affair L is this which makes
his discussions Of old Eighteenth century is
sues vivid and vital part OF the English liter
ature YOU cherish in the Twentieth century.
Their great valGe was and IS that ne constantly
looked 70 enduring principles for light on cur
rent urobleTls That the CrOwniug trait IN
tl- wonderful equipment which made him the
greatest orator or his country, ana us most
splendid writer on public afairs;-the only
man. as q critic Of the day said. who had com
hine6 the TWO qualities in Ike peTIectlon since
Cicero Such rank ne won. by contemporary
judgment and by that Of postertty, in an epoch
Of great men and great deeds-the greatest as
Tr-5 Rosete-v hss somewhere observed, in
Ire history Of the world Up 10 that time, since
the coming Of Christ
have not mentioned what many may now
consider his highest claim on your grateful re
mem nbrance. He Is the author Of the successful
imperial policy Of Great Britain The ablest i'm
Eerlalisr Of to-day could not state II more clear
i or CORP DrehensiveIy than Burke did, almost
exactly z century and q third ago. Let me
read his outline:
t7 51 80 +} .;9 i-iIss Go-l 5 eo,5aI IN 1rofecfIor
-5leC0 from S----i-z ~ - y
strong as links OF iron Let the colonies always
your goverunent;-they viii cling and grapple 70
5-ou- and no force under heaven will be of power TO
-ea- them from their ais glance But let it be once
understood that your government may be one thing,
and their privileges another; that these Two Things
- 5e- - ~ ,o1es;o- i = loosen ed and everything
80 he zfe5o+5 . Jee- IFe sovereign authority OF
this country tnc sanctuary OF liberty, the sacred
temple cOnsecraJed TO cur common faith wherever
rar chosen race and sons Of England worship free
com. they VIII turn their faces towards YOU. me
rhe more ardeuty they love liberty. the more per
@ec- will their obedience Deny them this
parricipstior OF freedom. and yOu break the sole
bond which originally made, and must still Pre-
spirit Of the English constitution. which. infused
through the mighty mass pervades- feeds, unltes
dovn 20 the -linurest member.
The policy thus outlined was rejected by the
monarch Of the day, with disastrous results II
vas accepted with fervOr and fidelity by his
gran ddaughter and his gTeat-grandson- Under
them the British Empire has grown TO deserve,
far more fully even than when IL was uttered.
the familiar eulOgy by the great Massachusetts
Senator a power which has dotted over the
surface Of the whole globe with her possessions
arr military posts. whose morning drum beat,
following the sun and keeping company with the
hours circles the earth with one continuous and
lIntr5Len strain Of the martial airs OF England
The earth IS sril circled with these put now
also with sVeeter strains-those rising from lhe
common language. common institutions, ana
common aims and aspirations Of reconclied
race carrying civilization 10 the renotest parts
Of the earth and making more and more for
universal peace
I have only one thing 10 add The colonists
whom Burke befriended were after all but a
feeble folk, less than three millions, scattered
- along the eastern fringe Of z continent, win
the ocean or the one hand and savage wilder
ness on the ether. They have since overspread
rhar continent and stretched out in either hen1i-
sphere 70 the islands OF the sea I am here on
F4y-lyes threshold 70 utter the voice. feebly and
HHa~ hon rrf N -