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every topic of irr itation , of rejecting a narrow system of policy regarding her , [ America ] and of opening our parental arms to renew the feelings of
confidence and affection , which " common names and kindred blood" might yet restore and perpetuate . England has declared by her Ministers in Parliament , that she claims no rights , but those which are common to all nations .
Such rights cannot be doubtful , since what they are , the universal voice of nations must pronounce ; and , in cases where their exercise may become harsh and inconvenient , he will approve himself the best statesman and the truest friend of both countries , who shall devise the best means of
putting at an endless distance every cause of strife . Another conspicuous subject of Mr . Fox ' s eloquence , was the portentous phenomenon of the French Revolution ; and on this migjhty question of national interest , which , from its new and extraordinarv nature , could
not but produce strong differences of opinion between the best private friends , and amongst the most honest and enlightened statesmen , it was my wish and my design to have been altogether silent , more especially as we are at this moment , I fear , in the very midst of the storm , and as I was besides , most anxious to avoid even
the appearance of a wish to revive political controversy . In raising this humble , but affectionate monument to his memory , I felt that I ought not only to guard it from being defaced , jbut should invite it , to be surrounded by honest and enlightened men of all parties and opinions ; at the same time , when I came to consider how
very important a part it formed of his public character , I found it indispensable to touch , though slightly and generally , upon this difficult , delicate and complicated subject . — I shall , therefore , very shortly advert to his
opinions , put without any argument in their support—they are already , indeed , matter of history ; and as they cannot at all govern our present duties , under circumstances so very different , I shall leave them " without
impatience , to the vicissitudes of opinion , and the impartiality of a future generation . " It was the constant theme , then , of Mr , Fox , as will appear over and over again throughout these volumes , that
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the true policy of this country regarding France at that period , independently of not interfering with the in " ternal government of auy nation , was to leave her . to the good or evil of her
own revolution . —He thought , whilst her desperate and distracted factions were balancing , and almost daily destroying one another , that whatever they might declare or publis h or however , in the frenzy of the moment , they might denounce the
governments of surrounding nations , they had no power to enforce their threats ; and that so far from there being any danger of France , so circumstanced , overpowering her neighbours by conquest , she was likely herself to sink in the storm she had
raised . He was convinced , that if the states of Europe had acted upon this opinion , contenting themselves with taking security by prudent councils against the contagion of disorganizing principles so much apprehended , husbanding their finances , and standing upon their guard against invasion by
great military establishments , instead of invading France , she could not , upon any human calculation , have so suddenly extended her dominion over so many mighty nations . I purposely avoid all design of considering or questioning her aggressions at that period , or of disputing the justification of war against her , if it was prudent in that
manner to wage it . To enter upon this would be raising the very spirit of controversy which I have disclaimed . I am only recording Mr . Fox ' s sentiments , and shall therefore content myself with the fact , that the Duke of Brunswick published his fatal manifesto , and invaded France .
At that period , and under those circumstances , Mr . Fox , in his letter to his constituents , ridiculed the idea of her conquest , and he was justified by the event—By this ill-timed assault upon her territory , accom panied by the disgusting threat of utterly exterauthors
minating the principles and of the revolution , cont ending fa ctions were annihilated by a common ^ f [ to sdl ; the citizens of Paris who W been cutting one another ' s th roats " the streets without knowing ^ f \ * fore , knew then , to a man , that tnej must unite for their ex istence as people ; and the world exhibits ' parallel to the exertions of r i *^ she dug into the mansions of tnc <**
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336 Lord Ershine * s Character of Mr . Fcx > as an Orator and Statesman .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1815, page 336, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1761/page/8/
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