'into their ancient state of unsuspecting confidence in the mother country. This unsuspecting confidence is the true centre of gravity amongst man kind, about which all the parts are at rest. It is this unsuspecting confi dence that removes all difficulties and reconciles all the contradictions which occur in the complexity of all ancient puzzled political establishments. Happy are the rulers which have the secret of preserving it!" W., II, 234. 7 26. Refined. Fine-spun, elaborate. Compare, "This fine-spun scheme had the usual fate of all exquisite policy." American Taxation, W., II, 68. 81. pruriency. The primary meaning is itching; the secondary, desire, or appetite. The word is always used in a bad sense. 8 3. project. See 7 13, note. This resolution moved by Lord North was finally passed, February 27. 8 4. noble lord. Lord North: born 1732; Prime Minister from 1770 to 1782; died 1792. He steadily opposed all concessions to the Americans, though it is said that in this mistaken policy he often followed the king's judgment rather than his own. He has been so bitterly attacked by all partisans of America, that few of us are aware that he was able and fluent in debate; that he had a remarkably quick wit and a temper which scarcely anything could ruffle; and that in all private intercourse he was scrupulously honorable. An interesting sketch of his character may be found in Brougham's Statesmen of the Time of George the Third, First Series. For the best short account of his life, see D. N. B. The presence of a so-called lord in the House of Commons is due to the custom of giving a title by courtesy to the eldest son of a peer while the father is yet living. blue ribbon. The badge of a Knight of the Garter, to which order Lord North had belonged since 1772. Though the order was instituted in 1344, the honor of membership has been bestowed on only three other com moners, Sir Robert Walpole, Lord Castlereagh, and Lord Palmerston. 8 5. colony agents. The colonies had agents in England to look after their interests. At one time Franklin, for example, was agent for Pennsyl vania, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Georgia. 8 6. mace. The sergeant-at-arms, the executive officer of the House, bears a mace as the sign of his authority. 8 8. auction of finance. See 65 15. When Lord North introduced his resolution, February 20, 1775, Burke is reported as saying during the debate: “They [the colonists] are to be held prisoners of war, unless they consent to a ransom by bidding at an auction against each other and against themselves, until the king and Parliament shall strike down the hammer and say, 'Enough.' This species of auction, to be terminated, not at the discretion of the bidder, but at the will of the sovereign power, is a kind of absurd tyranny which I challenge the ministers to produce any example of in the practice of this or of any other nation." P. H., 336. In the report of the debate in A. R., *100, this sentence occurs: "The House is to be converted into an auction room, the Speaker to hold the hammer." 66 8 18. address. February 9, 1775, the houses of Parliament had presented to the king a joint address on the disturbances in America, declaring that no part of the sovereign authority over the colonies should be relinquished, and closing with this sentence: We consider it as our indispensable duty humbly to beseech your Majesty that you will take the most effectual measures to enforce due obedience to the laws and authority of the supreme legislature; and we beg leave in the most solemn manner to assure your Majesty that it is our fixed resolution, at the hazard of our lives and properties, to stand by your Majesty against all rebellious attempts, in the maintenance of the just rights of your Majesty and the two houses of Parliament." P. H., 297, 298. 8 19. bill. See 3 8. In the debate in the House of Lords, March 16, Lord Shelburne said that "he entirely coincided in sentiments with the noble lord [Camden] who called this a bill of pains, penalties, and coercion." P. H., 448. 8 20. grace and bounty. Lord North's resolutions were entitled Propositions for Conciliating the Differences with America. P. H., 319. In the course of the debate Lord North referred to "the idea of the indulgence which the address held out," and said the same idea appeared in his propositions. 334. In the report in A. R., *95, he is made to say that Parliament meant to show its "tenderness and conciliatory disposition." 8 22. previous to any submission. On February 6, during a debate on the address to the king touching the disturbances in North America, Mr. Hans Stanley "said he wanted nothing but the Americans to submit ; would then hang out the olive branch, propose an amnesty, an act of grace and oblivion." P. H., 248. On February 27, Mr. Ackland expressed the same view. 340. Compare 9 19, 23 31. 8 29. capital. Important or fundamental. 9 31. that nature and those circumstances. never losing sight of principles, is to be guided by circumstances; and judging contrary to the exigencies of the moment, he may ruin his country forever." Speech on the Petition of the Unitarians, W., VII, 41. "The happiness or misery of mankind, estimated by their feelings and sentiments and not by any theories of their rights, is, and ought to be, the standard for the conduct of legislators towards the people." Ibid., 45. 9 33. mere general theories. Compare 6 15, note. 10 9. two millions. Bancroft (II, 390) puts the number in 1770 as 1,850,000 whites and 462,000 blacks, total, 2,312,000; in 1780, as 2,383,000 whites, 562,000 blacks, total, 2,945,000. Lecky says the number of whites slightly exceeded two millions at the time of the Declaration of Independence. III, 290. Burke's estimate for 1775 seems, therefore, to be pretty accurate. 18 5. 10 30. occasional. Designed merely for the occasion. See 4 18, note; Compare, "Sir, it is not a pleasant consideration, but nothing in the world can read so awful and so instructive a lesson as the conduct of ministry in this business, upon the mischief of not having large and liberal ideas in the management of great affairs. Never have the servants of the state looked at the whole of your complicated interests in one connected view. They have taken things by bits and scraps, some at one time and one pretence, and some at another, just as they pressed, without any sort of regard to their relations or dependencies. They never had any kind of system, right or wrong; but only invented occasionally some miserable tale for the day in order meanly to sneak out of difficulties into which they had proudly strutted." Speech on American Taxation, W., II, 14. 10 32. minima. A reference to the maxim, De minimis non curat lex, the law takes no account of trifles. 11 4. so large a mass. Compare, "This consideration of the magnitude of the object ought to attend us through the whole inquiry: if it does not always affect the reason, it is always decisive on the importance of the question." Tract on the Popery Laws, W., VI, 319. 11 13. some days ago. March 16. The American Congress, which met in Philadelphia in the autumn of 1774, passed a resolution October 20, declaring that to obtain redress of grievances a non-importation agreement was necessary, under the terms of which the colonies should not import any goods from Great Britain or Ireland, and should not import "molasses, syrups, paneles, coffee, or pimento" from the West Indies. Journals of Congress, I, 23. Alarmed at this threat, the West India planters presented to Parliament, February 2, 1775, a petition "praying the House to take into their most serious consideration that great political system of the colonies heretofore so very beneficial to the mother country and her dependencies, and adopt such measures as to them shall seem meet to prevent the evils with which the petitioners are threatened, and to preserve the intercourse between the West India Islands and the northern colonies, to the general harmony and lasting benefit of the whole British Empire." P. H., 219–221. On March 16 Mr. Richard Glover appeared for the petitioners and discussed in detail the trade of the colonies. Ibid., 461-478. 11 14. distinguished person. Mr. Glover, who was born in 1712, published in 1737 Leonidas, an epic in nine books, which gave him great reputation at the time, and which was often reprinted during the eighteenth century. In 1787, two years after his death, another epic of his, the Athenaid, was published. One of his popular ballads, Admiral Hosier's Ghost, is in book vi of Percy's Reliques. In 1761 he was elected to Parliament. Nineteen years before, however, he had appeared before the House in behalf of the merchants of London, who had petitioned for the protection of their commerce from the Spanish privateers. The petition was presented January 20, 1742, and January 27 Mr. Glover summed up the evidence in the matter. Since 1742 is the date in D. N. B., XXII, 6, and in the History and Proceedings of the House of Commons, Chandler, London, 1743, XXII, 109, it is to be inferred, as Cook notes, that Burke, speaking in 1775, should have said thirty-three instead of thirty-five years. bar. A rod across the entrance to the chamber of Parliament. Members and officers only are admitted within. 11 32. state. Statement. Compare, "They who are inclined to think favorably of that event [the French Revolution] will undoubtedly object to every state of facts which comes only from the authority of a royalist." Preface to Brissot's Address, W., V, 67. 12 5. on your table. Officially presented to the House. 12 6. Davenant. Charles Davenant: born, 1656; appointed inspectorgeneral of exports and imports, 1705; died, 1714. He was a writer on economics, author of Discourses on Revenue and Trade. See D. N. B. 12 10. terminating almost wholly in the colonies. English wares were carried to Africa and exchanged for slaves who were sold in the colonies. 13 32. It is good for us to be here. Compare Matthew, xvii, 1–4: "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here."" : 14 7. Lord Bathurst. Allen Bathurst: born, 1684; made Baron Bathurst, 1712. After his son Henry was in 1771 made Lord Chancellor, the highest judicial officer of the crown, the father was in 1772 raised to the rank of earl. He was a friend of Pope, Swift, Prior, and the other wits of the reign of Queen Anne. He died in September, 1775, six months after this speech. See D. N. B. 14 10. acta parentum. He was able to study the deeds of his fore fathers and to learn what virtue is. Altered from Virgil's Eclogues, iv, 26, 27: 14 11. Facta parentis Jam legere et quae sit poteris cognoscere virtus. auspicious. Favored. 14 14. fourth generation the third prince. George the Second was succeeded by his grandson George the Third, who thus belonged to the fourth generation. 14 16. twelve years. George the Third came to the throne in 1760. 14 17. Iwas to be made. It was not until 1707 that the Act of Union made England and Scotland one nation. 14 20. fountain. The sovereign, who bestows titles of nobility, is represented as the fountain of hereditary dignities. Compare Matthew, xvi, 28: "There be some not taste of death till they see the Son of man John, viii, 52: “If a man keep my saying, he Shakspere's Julius Caesar, act ii, scene 2, 33: 14 31. taste of death. standing here, which shall coming in his kingdom." shall never taste of death." "The valiant never taste of death but once." 15 29. Deceive. A Latinism: the Latin fallere - deceive-sometimes means to cause anything not to be observed or felt, to lighten anything difficult. Compare Horace, Satires, ii, 7, 114: "Jam somno fallere curam," by sleep to lighten care. Ovid, Tristia, iii, 2, 16: "Fallebat curas aegraque corda labor," work was lightening our cares and our heavy hearts. 15 30. materials. England received, and still receives, from America many of the raw materials for her manufactures. 15 32. curious. Interesting. 16 12. Roman charity. A reference to a story told by Hyginus in his Fabularum Liber. Cymon, condemned to death by starvation in prison, was visited by his daughter Xanthippe, who kept him alive with the milk from her breast. 16 15. fully opened. See 3 8, note. In the course of the debate on restricting the colonies from the Newfoundland fisheries, the general question of the fisheries was pretty fully discussed, and most of the facts mentioned in this paragraph were brought out. Testimony was offered at the bar of the lords by merchants, fishermen, and others. See P. H., 381-385, 387-390, 423-430, 433, 437, 438, 459. See also A. R., 1775, chapter vi. excite your envy. A reference to some of the remarks during the discussion of the fisheries. On February 28 a petition was presented from the inhabitants of Pool, an English fishing town, who said the 16 17. |