EDITOR's ADVERTISEMENT.

W

E believe there is no need of an apology to the publick for offering to them any genuine speeches of Mr. Burke: the two contained in this publication undoubtedly are fo. The general approbation they met with (as we hear) from all parties at Bristol, perfuades us that a good edition of them will not be unacceptable in London; which we own to be the inducement, and we hope is a juftification, of our offering it.

We do not prefume to defcant on the merit of thefe Speeches; but as it is no lefs new, than honourable, to find a popular candidate, at a popular election, daring to avow his diffent to certain points that have been confidered as very popular objects, and maintaining himself on the manly confidence of his own opinion; fo, we must say, that it does great credit to the people of England, as it proves to the world, that, to insure their confidence, it is not necessary to flatter them, or to affect a subserviency to their paffions or their prejudices.

It may be neceffary to premise, that at the opening of the poll the candidates were Lord Clare, Mr. Brickdale, the two last members; and Mr. Cruger, a confiderable merchant at Bristol. On the fecond day of the poll Lord Clare declined; and a confiderable body of gentlemen, who had wished that the city of Bristol should, at this critical season,

be reprefented by fome gentleman of tried abilities and known commercial knowledge, immediately put Mr. Burke in nomination. Some of them fet off express for London, to apprise that gentleman of this event; but he was gone to Malton in Yorkshire. The spirit and active zeal of these gentlemen followed him to Malton. They arrived there juft after Mr. Burke's election for that place, and invited him to Bristol.

Mr. Burke, as he tells us in his firft Speech, acquainted his constituents with the honourable offer that was made him; and, with their confent, he immediately fet off for Bristol on the Tuesday at fix in the evening; he arrived at Bristol at half past two in the afternoon on Thursday the 13th of October, being the fixth day of the poll.

He drove directly to the mayor's houfe, who not being at home, he proceeded to the Guildhall, where he afcended the huftings, and having faluted the electors, the sheriffs, and the two candidates, he reposed himself for a few minutes, and then addreffed the electors in a speech which was received with great and univerfal applause and approbation.

MR.

M R.

BUR K E' g

S P E EC H

AT HIS ARRIVAL AT BRISTOL.

I

GENTLEMEN,

A M come hither to folicit in perfon, that favour which my friends have hitherto endeavoured to procure for me, by the moft obliging, and to me the moft honourable,

exertions.

I have fo high an opinion of the great truft which you have to confer on this occafion; and, by long experience, fo juft a diffidence in my abilities, to fill it in a manner adequate even to my own ideas, that I fhould never have ventured of myself to intrude into that awful fituation. But fince I am called upon by the defire of several respectable fellow-fubjects, as I have done at other times, I give up my fears to their wishes. Whatever my other deficiencies may be, I do not know what it is to be wanting to my friends.

I am not fond of attempting to raise publick expectation by great promifes. At this time, there is much caufe to confider, and very little to prefume. We feem to be approaching to a great crifis in our affairs, which calls for the whole wisdom of the wifeft among us, without being able to affure ourselves, that any wifdom can preserve us from many and great inconveniencies. You know I speak

of

of our unhappy contest with America. I confess, it is a matter on which I look down as from a precipice. It is difficult in itself, and it is rendered more intricate by a great variety of plans of conduct. I do not mean to enter into them. I will not suspect a want of good intention in framing them. But however pure the intentions of their authors may have been, we all know that the event has been unfortunate. The means of recovering our affairs are not obvious. So many great questions of commerce, of finance, of constitution, and of policy, are involved in this American deliberation, that I dare engage for nothing, but that I fhall give it, without any predilection to former opinions, or any finifter bias whatsoever, the most honest and impartial confideration of which I am capable. The publick has a full right to it; and this great city, a main pillar in the commercial intereft of Great-Britain, must totter on its base by the slightest mistake with regard to our American measures.

Thus much, however, I think it not amifs to lay before you; That I am not, I hope, apt to take up or lay down my opinions lightly. I have held, and ever shall maintain, to the best of my power, unimpaired and undiminished, the juft, wife, and neceffary conftitutional fuperiority of Great-Britain. This is neceffary for America, as well as for us. I never mean to depart from it. Whatever may be loft by it, I avow it. The forfeiture even of your favour, if by such a declaration I could forfeit it, though the first object of my ambition, never will make me disguise my fentiments on this subject.

But, I have ever had a clear opinion, and have ever held a constant correfpondent conduct, that this fuperiority is confiftent with all the liberties a fober and fpirited American ought to defire. I never mean to put any colonist,

or

or any human creature, in a fituation, not becoming a free-man. To reconcile British fuperiority with American liberty fhall be my great object, as far as my little faculties extend. I am far from thinking that both, even yet, may not be preserved.

When I first devoted myfelf to the publick fervice, I confidered how I fhould render myself fit for it; and this I did by endeavouring to discover what it was, that gave this country the rank it holds in the world. I found that our profperity and dignity arose principally, if not folely, from two fources; our conftitution and commerce. Both these I have fpared no study to understand, and no endeavour to fupport.

The distinguishing part of our constitution is its liberty. To preserve that liberty inviolate, seems the particular duty and proper trust of a member of the Houfe of Commons. But the liberty, the only liberty I mean, is a liberty connected with order; that not only exifts along with order and virtue, but which cannot exist at all without them. It inheres in good and fteady government, as in its substance and vital principle.

The other fource of our power is commerce, of which you are fo large a part, and which cannot exist, no more than your liberty, without a connection with many virtues. It has ever been a very particular and a very favourite object of my study, in its principles, and in its details. I think many here are acquainted with the truth of what I fay. This I know, that I have ever had my house open, and my poor fervices ready, for traders and manufacturers of every denomination. My favourite ambition is to have those services acknowledged. I now appear before you to make trial, whether my earnest endeavours have been fo wholly oppreffed by the weak nefs of my abilities, as to be rendered.

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