1829.] 



Mj: Sadler's Speech. 



447 



than its interests, — namely, its principles. 

 I have found myself lamentably deceived. 

 I cannot, therefore, as an Englishman, 

 always make up my mind to think and 

 speak of men in power, — the dispensers 

 of public favours and rewards, as some do, 

 who declare of them 



" WhateVv tliey do. 

 Seems wisest, viituouscst, <iiscreete?t, best." 



No ; I am not one of those cameleons who 

 take their cliangefiil hue from some grand 

 object near which they are crawling. I wish, 

 as is likewise fabled of that reptile, that such 

 could also live upon air ; it would be far 

 better for the public purse, and no worse for 

 public principle. 



I had fully meant, on this occasion, and 

 before I had concluded, to have adverted to 

 that line of policy which 1 Immbly think 

 ought to be adopted, and which, without any 

 violent rexnilsions, much less untried plans, 

 would still, and I think speedily, restore the 

 nation to its wonted prosperity. I have, 

 however, already exhausted your patience, 

 and I shall therefore conclude ; not that 

 I shrink from the task, or shall refrain 

 from submittmg my ideas on this impor- 

 tant subject on a proper occasion. In the 

 mean tiiijc, do I despair concerning the 

 country ? God forbid ! She will recover, and 

 recover the sooner, because she is even now 

 loathing the potions with which she has 

 been lately drenched. She may be pros- 

 trated for the present ; but, like another 

 Antaus, she will rise, with renewed strength, 

 from every overthrow. She will yet prosper ; 

 not, indeed, because of the councils of her 

 rulers, but in spite of them. Yes ; this 

 miglity nation, unrivalled for ages in mili- 

 tary and naval glory — foremost in the pur- 

 suits of science — warmest in every work of 

 ))hilanthropy — highest in the ]5aths of ge- 

 nius ; — the nurse of liberty,^the asylum of 

 religion,— the mother of mighty nations, 

 who shall spread her language, perj^etuate 

 her institutions, and submit to her moral 

 empire, when the dominion of lier ))ower 

 shall have passed away ; this country is des- 

 tined as yet, I hope and believe, to become 

 in the hands of a gracious Providence, the 

 benefactress of the tuiiverse — She will 

 yet vindicate her own principles, and 

 vindicate her own cause. She may, like 

 many a gallant bark that has taken refuge 

 in your friendly port, be now at sea, in dan- 

 ger and distress, the s]>ort of adverse winds, 

 and tossed on the dark i'.nd tempestuous 

 waves ; but, if I may apply the fiction of 

 \'irgil to a nobler puqiose, the Deity shall 

 appear, and smiting the unfaitliful Pali- 

 nunis, himself seize the helm, and pilot the 

 vessel I'lrnugh tlie subsiding storm into the 

 haven of prosperity and peace. — (ienllcmon, 

 I will conlude. I know that when I sit down 

 it will occur to my mind that I have omitted 

 mucli, and that ])erhai)s the mo,t important 

 part of what I meant to have said. To these 

 oniissioiui, however, shall not be added that 



of failing again to thank you, individually 

 and most cordially, for the high honour you 

 h.ave done me. 



[Immense cheering followed the conclu- 

 sion of this speech, which was listened to 

 with extraordinary attention, and occupied 

 an hour and three quarters in the delivery. 

 We have purposely omitted several topics to 

 which Mi. S. incidentally alluded, as well as 

 any notice of the cheers v/ith which he was, 



in several instances, hailed on his progress 



wishing to give his arguments and obscn'a- 

 tions, as mucli as possible, in sn unbroken 

 and condensed form. It may, however, be 

 proper to state, that a pamphlet in support of 

 the reciprocity system, gradutniisly issued 

 that morning in MTiitby, was handed to Mr. 

 S. on his arrival, lay before him, and fonned 

 a sort of text-book for his remarks, while he 

 inflicted upon its author, to the great de- 

 light of the company, a species of literary 

 impalement. ] 



At the conclusion of the evening, Mr. 

 Sadler, in taking leave of the company, 

 made tlie following observations — 



" You liave alluded, in terms far too 

 flattering, to my Parliamentary conduct. 

 I wish I had been able to have acquitted 

 myself better ; but such as it lias been, such 

 it shall be. I will have no object but Eng- 

 land ; no interest but those of Englishmen. 

 Let us be, as we have ever been, a land of 

 brothers — a land distinguished for its bene- 

 volence, rather than for its military and 

 naval achievements, — though I speak of 

 those achievements with gratitude equal to 

 any man's. You are identified with that 

 interest, which, insular as we are, gives us 

 the command of the world ; that interest, 

 I trust, will yet recover from its depression. 

 I feel and hope that those who go down to 

 tlie deep in ships, and occupy business in 

 mighty waters, will be restored to their once 

 happy prosperity. Tlien, our Navy, riding 

 triumphant on the Ocean, will present a 

 wall of brass to our enemies ; and enable us 

 to smite when they insult, and to chastise 

 when they injure. On that interest we de- 

 pend for our support — for our prosperity i 

 and when the reign of common sense re- 

 turns, it will again be predominant. Gen- 

 tlemen, I am asliamed to have to stand up 

 to say one word in defence of the mercan- 

 tile Navy of England. AVhat ! are we to 

 be reduced to plead for its necessity ? Have 

 the citizens of the v/oild brought us to this 

 pass, that it is to be put upon its defence, 

 and compelled to prove that it is entitled 

 to a place among the interests of the coun- 

 try ? I would ask, from the monarch oij 

 the throne, to the meanest- mcnid of the 

 ministry, do you mean to put the mercantile 

 Navy of England on its defence ? Do yort 

 mean to make it plead for its existence ? 

 AV'liat after this can you cxjiect to meet with, 

 in the shape of pvopasitions, liut the most 

 abominable, the most anti-national conces- 

 sions to tlicory and sjjeculation ? The 

 shipping interest has grown with our aftcc- 



