Still further to strengthen my argument, I affirm, in the third place,
that they were not the men, whose services were likely to be called for
by the Sovereign. I believe, that this proposition will not be thought
to stand in need of any very abstruse train of reasoning to support it.
The late events respecting it have been, instead of a thousand
arguments. From an apprehension, probably, of the uncourtierliness of
their temper, and their inflexible attachment to a system; it seems to
appear by those events, that the sovereign had contracted a sort of
backwardness to admit them into his councils, which it is to be hoped,
was only temporary. It was however such, as, without any other apparent
cause to cooperate with it, alone sufficed to delay the forming an
administration for six weeks, in a most delicate and critical juncture.
Even the union of that noble person, who had been considered as his
majesty's favourite minister, did not appear to be enough to subdue the
averseness. However then we may hope, that untainted virtue and superior
abilities, when more intimately known, may be found calculated to
surmount prejudices and conciliate affection; it seems but too evident,
that in the critical moment, those men, by whom alone we have
endeavoured to prove, that the country could be well served, would not
voluntarily have been thought on.
But it does not seem to have been enough considered, at what time the
coalition was made. The Rockingham connexion, along with thousands of
their fellow citizens, who were unconnected with any party, were
induced, from the purest views, to disapprove of the late treaty of
peace. The voting with the friends of lord North upon that question, was
a matter purely incidental. By that vote however, in which a majority of
the commons house of parliament was included, the administration of lord
Shelburne was dissolved. It was not till after the dissolution was
really effected, that the coalition took place. In this situation
something was necessary to be done. The nation was actually without a
ministry. It was a crisis that did not admit of hesitation and delay.
The country must, if a system of delay had been adopted, have
immediately been thrown back into the hands of those men, from whom it
had been so laboriously forced scarce twelve months before; or it must
have been committed to the conduct of persons even less propitious to
the cause of liberty, and the privileges of the people. A situation,
like this, called for a firm and manly conduct. It was no longer a time
to stoop to the yoke of prejudice. It was a time, to burst forth into
untrodden paths; to lose sight of the hesitating and timid; and
generously to adventure upon a step, that should rather have in view
substantial service, than momentary applause; and should appeal from the
short-sighted decision of systematic prudence, to the tribunal of facts,
and the judgment of posterity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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