Sentence:  Yet we <WSD>take part</WSD>, on the whole, with the author : — and heartily wish him success in the great object of vindicating his country from unmerited aspersions, and trying to make us, in England, ashamed of the vices and defects which he has taken the trouble to point out in our national character and institutions. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To support or ally oneself (with).