The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 05 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 05 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
As to the other party, the minority of to-day, possibly the majority of
to-morrow, small in number, but full of talents and every species of
energy, which, upon the avowed ground of being more acceptable to
France, is a candidate for the helm of this kingdom, it has never
changed from the beginning. It has preserved a perennial consistency.
This would be a never failing source of true glory, if springing from
just and right; but it is truly dreadful, if it be an arm of Styx, which
springs out of the profoundest depths of a poisoned soil. The French
maxims were by these gentlemen at no time condemned. I speak of their
language in the most moderate terms. There are many who think that they
have gone much further,--that they have always magnified and extolled
the French maxims,--that; not in the least disgusted or discouraged by
the monstrous evils which have attended these maxims from the moment of
their adoption both at home and abroad, they still continue to predict
that in due time they must produce the greatest good to the poor human
race. They obstinately persist in stating those evils as matter of
accident, as things wholly collateral to the system.
It is observed, that this party has never spoken of an ally of Great
Britain with the smallest degree of respect or regard: on the contrary,
it has generally mentioned them under opprobrious appellations, and in
such terms of contempt or execration as never had been heard
before,--because no such would have formerly been permitted in our
public assemblies. The moment, however, that any of those allies quitted
this obnoxious connection, the party has instantly passed an act of
indemnity and oblivion in their favor. After this, no sort of censure on
their conduct, no imputation on their character. From that moment their
pardon was sealed in a reverential and mysterious silence. With the
gentlemen of this minority, there is no ally, from one end of Europe to
the other, with whom we ought not to be ashamed to act. The whole
college of the states of Europe is no better than a gang of tyrants.
With them all our connections were broken off at once. We ought to have
cultivated France, and France alone, from the moment of her Revolution.
On that happy change, all our dread of that nation as a power was to
cease. She became in an instant dear to our affections and one with our
interests. All other nations we ought to have commanded not to trouble
her sacred throes, whilst in labor to bring into an happy birth her
abundant litter of constitutions. We ought to have acted under her
auspices, in extending her salutary influence upon every side. From that
moment England and France were become natural allies, and all the other
states natural enemies. The whole face of the world was changed. What
was it to us, if she acquired Holland and the Austrian Netherlands? By
her conquests she only enlarged the sphere of her beneficence, she only
extended the blessings of liberty to so many more foolishly reluctant
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