BEAUTIES OF PEEL, SELECTED FROM HIS SPEECH DELIVERED AT TAMWORTH
ON THE OD SEPTEMBER 1835.
PIHDE APING Ilmer.rry.—“ In the first place. I have to acknowledge the undivided attention of this assembly, and to thank them for the enthusiaslic manner they proposed that my health should be pledged. It is impossible for me to address you from this place, and in this room, without being reminded of the occasion and of the circum- stances snider which I addressed many of you here now not many months ago. Cir- anmstances were different then to what they are now. On the last time that I ad. dressed you, I was in the situation of the First Minister of the Monarch of this coon- try. I then stood in The highest and most honourable situation that hurhan ambition can attain or aspire to. I was then honoured with the confidence of a beloved Sovereign..--I then presided over the councils of one of the most celebrated and powerful nations on earth. /am now in a different situation. lout descended from the proud eminence upon Which I was placed, and find myself now in the rank if my fellow citizens."
AN AP01.00T row DEFEAT.—" The expectation of being enabled to carry measures which would be practically useful and satisfactory to the public, was founded on the belief that the Opposition in the House of Commons was not found connected by any bond of public opinion—by any bond of similar principles—or by any bond of private attachment to each other, which could put me on my guard, or make me conceive that they would afterwards unite in opposition to the Government over which I presided. I have since found that I gave them greater credit for sincerity than they deserved. I now find that I have relied too much as to the truth of the language with which they have spoken of each other. I really thought, from what I had seen, that they had ample means of knowing each other, and that, therefore, I was right in trusting to the accuracy of their information."
Frac Tamt I—, I intended to propose measures of extensive reform. I did not Intend to do this merely for the sake of conciliating popular opinion ; but in order to adjust measures that hail been left by former Governments in such a state that it was absolutely necessary that they should be finally settled. I stated in general terms What those measures would be, without entering into the details of them, for I was not permitted to do so; and I trusted that when those details were laid before the country and maturely deliberated upon, they would not fall short of the expectations of the People." A SOP FOR THE CORPORATION OF TAMWORTH.—" After I had seen and perused the sloridence and the Report of the Corporation Commissioners, I immediately admitted the 'Necessity of Corporation Reform. But when I say this, it is not to be understood that I lent myself to measures which were not founded in justice, and which would carry ahanges into the institutions of the country to a great length. Gentlemen, on this point, and in making this confession, permit me to tell you that I sacrificed, and to no small extent, my own private feelings ; for when I made the admission that Corporation Reform was necessary, I did consent to interfere with the established rights of a car. partition which never in any one instance abused its powers, but whose conduct was always founded in justice, in honour, aud in integrity ; and whose every act was sitstiuguishmi by the most irreproachable propriety." A SNEER aT IIIVLANIS.--"Fhr be it from me to place the members of any portion of tese realms beneath the other. Far be it from me to rank the Representatives of Ire- land in the scale lower than those of England. But still, I will say that I had the good forLase of having on my side a majority of the Representatives of the English people. I had, thercfore. reason to hope that I should have been able to have settled all these questions according—mind—according to the principles of our ancient Constitution."
CHARACTERISTIC CLAPTRAP.—" When I consider the feelings of the People or this aonntry—when I consider the way property is distributed—when I consider the rights of that property—when I considtr the ancient lawn by which every thing connected with this country is bound together.—it is my belief, that if one assembly should legislate alight, call it the House of Commons. or by any other name you please, the same results would follow which I have already pointed out. In such an assembly you would have the civil power usurped by some military commander ; and you would be glad, like the People of France, after pouring out a deluge of blood, to revert to the ancient order of things, and to establish monarchy once more: FIGHTING WITH SHADOWs.—" North America is a wide and most exlensire country, It contains a vast tract of land unoccupied. to which the discontented and disaffected tan be sent; and its position alone makes it widely different from England. The Republican institutions that will suit a new country may not on that account suit a sountry which contains men educated as we are. sukject to such laws as me are, and hold- ing property by such rights as we do, and having prejudices (you may call them pre. judices if you will) that connect us with the ancient Monarchy of England."
EXCUSE FOR TVRANNY.—" For my part. I do not complain of the French King ; who, I believe, is desirous of promoting the welfare of Isis people. It is not his fault that he ie obliged to have recourse to the present proceedings agitating the Chambers. It is the fault of those few who are teaching the people to employ resistance, that the French Legislature is obliged to adopt severe laws. It is not the fault of the Government that the people of that country are made to submit to a greater tyranny than that to which they were subject under the ancient laws of the country." POMPOUs PLIABILITY.—" Inns not one to advise upon a pertinacious adherence in any branch of the Legislature to its own principles. /lately advised a compromise, but it is a compromise worthy of the dignity of each branch of the Legislature. Ills my wish to avoid collision between the two I louses of l'arliament ; and I believe that the welfare of this country consists in that the people of it should be able to apply themselves to the honest pursuit of industry, without being constantly harassed by dissensions of the Legislature. But I assert that whilst I adrise a virtuous and dignified compromise, I oda never consent to any species of compromise that will tend to destroy any one branch of the Legislature."
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