Representative British Orations Volume 4 (of 4): With Introductions and Explanatory Notes
History
Representative British Orations Volume 4 (of 4): With Introductions and Explanatory Notes
Speeches, addresses, etc., English
In 1843 came a revolution. Till 1843 the Greek Government had
continued arbitrary; the King declining, under the circumstances I
have mentioned, to grant a constitution. In 1843 the patience of the
Greeks was exhausted. They rose in Athens, and extorted by force that
which had been refused to reason. When the constitution was granted,
courts of justice were established, which were not indeed independent,
because the judges were liable, not only to be removed from one court
to another, but to be entirely dismissed at the will of the sovereign;
still in 1843 there were courts to which Mr. Finlay might, as it has
been stated, have applied. But they were of no competence with respect
to events which had happened before their creation. Mr. Finlay,
therefore, had no remedy. But I have heard it most triumphantly,
distinctly, positively asserted, that this case exhibits the bad faith
of the English Government; for that at the time when Mr. Wyse made his
demands on the Greek Government, we and he knew the case of Mr. Finlay
was absolutely, finally, and conclusively settled. No such thing. That
is an assertion absolutely, finally, and conclusively at variance with
the truth.
There had been an agreement made for arbitration in this case; and
a most curious sample it affords of the manner in which things are
carried on in Greece. Mr. Finlay said, “I will submit my claim to
arbitration.” “By all means,” was the reply of the Greek Government;
“you shall have one arbiter and we another.” But Mr. Finlay has been
described as a “cannie Scot,” and looking far into the future, he
foresaw a possibility, which might have struck a man even not so far
north, that the two arbiters might differ; and he suggested that an
umpire be appointed. The Greek Government said, “You are quite right.”
But Mr. Finlay, being a sensible man, did not like to submit his case
to a tribunal where there would be two to one against him, and so
he declined the arbitration. The Greek Government then gave up this
unreasonable proposal, which they had made just as if it had been quite
a matter of course, and a commission of arbitration was agreed upon,
consisting of two respectable people, and an umpire properly appointed.
If that arbitration had gone on, and the money awarded by it had been
paid, Mr. Finlay’s case would have been absolutely, finally, and
conclusively settled. But by the law of Greece, arbiters so appointed
must pronounce an award within three months, or, if they don’t, then
the arbitration falls and drops to the ground. The commissioners could
not make their award without certain documents, which could only be
furnished by an officer of the Greek Government. This officer, by some
unfortunate accident, did not furnish them, and the arbitration fell to
the ground by efflux of time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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