Sentence:  He was unquestionably the ablest debater that the British parliament ever produced, but his fame has not, like that of his great opponent, stood the test of time ; and the present generation, removed from the fascination of his fervid eloquence, can scarcely applaud the political penetration of the eulogist of the French Revolution, and the <WSD>palliator</WSD> of its atrocious excesses. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An apologist; one who justifies or excuses atrocities by citing extenuating circumstances or positive aspects.