‘ . HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
sirous than-I am, to bury in obli- 
vion the remembrance of those con- 
tests in which we were so long en- 
gaged. This I shewed plainly 
enoagh while he was alive. But I 
cannot ‘consent -to confer public 
honours, on the ground of his being 
an ** excellent Statesman ;”’ on the 
man, who, in my opinion, was 
the sole, certainly the chief sup- 
porter of asystem, which | had been 
early taught to consider as a bad 
one.” 
Lord Castlereagh said, in reply to 
Mr. Fox, ‘* that upon the argu- 
ments of that honourable gentle- 
man, in opposition to this motion, 
it was not his intention to reason. 
This, in fact, was not a question to 
be determined by argument, it was 
quite a question of feeling. The 
acquiescence of that house and the 
country, in such a proposition, was 
more to be looked for from intui- 
tive feeling than from cold reason ; 
and if that feeling did not exist, it 
was vain to think of arguing men 
into it. But, although the support 
of the honourable gentlemen on the 
other side was not to be calculated 
upon, he had no doubt that the mo- 
tion would be adopted. Indeed, 
he felt confident thatit- would. The 
house would aet inconsistently with 
its own opinion, repeatedly ex- 
pressed, if it hesitated to recognize 
the merit, if it declined to distin- 
guish the memory, of Mr. Pitt.” 
Mr. Wilberforce rose ‘‘ to bear 
testimony to the great public virtues, 
and splendid talents of Mr, Pitt, in 
whom he declared the love of coun- 
try was to be found as sincere and 
ardent as ever yet existed in any 
human bosom. With regard to the 
assertion, that success was a proper 
criterion by which to appreciate the 
merit of a great man, the honour. 
15 
able gentleman reprobated the idea, 
as inconsistent with wisdom and 
justice. But, if the character of 
Mr. Pitt were to be tried by. that 
rule, where were we to look among 
the great men of. ancient or modern 
times, for any who had stronger 
claims to the gratitude and respect 
of their country, than those which 
could be advanced in favour of that 
illustrious personage? When the 
revolutionary spirit had convulsed 
France, and alarmed: the whole ci- 
vilized world, that distinguished 
statesman completely succeeded, by 
the vigour 2ad sagacity of his mea- 
sures, in preventing that dreadful 
plague from reaching us. This was 
the main source of his distinction— 
this was the great pedestal of his 
fame.” 
The opposition of Mr. Windham 
to this motion, whatever. opinion 
men may entertain of the soundness 
of his argument, must appear to all 
a siriking illustration of the manli- 
ness and firmness of his character. 
Disapproving of the motion, he 
could’ not bring himself to give a 
silent vote upon it, or to absent 
himself from the debate, though 
perfectly aware, that the part he 
felt it his duty to take in the dis- 
cussion, would give, as it did, the 
greatest possible offence to all the 
personal friends, and to many of 
the political admirers of Mr, Pitt. 
‘The speech of Mr. Fox was feeling 
and conciliatory, and though he 
opposed the motion on the same 
grounds with Mr. W indham, he had 
the good fortune to incer no part 
of the obloquy from the friends of 
the late minister, that fell, most un- 
justly, on the latter for his conduct 
on this occasion. 
A few days after Mr. 
motion, Mr. 
Lascelles? 
Cartwright moved, 
(Feb. 
