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The Works and Correspondance of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke
The Works and Correspondance of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke Author:Edmund Burke Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SPEECHES IMPEACHMENT WARREN HASTINGS, ESQ. LATE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF BENGAL. INTRODUCTION. TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD VISCOUNT MILTON', ONE OF ... more »THE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COMMONS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE COUNTY OF YORK. My Dear Lord, I Am persuaded that your lordship will not be displeased to see your name inscribed at the beginning of an introduction to the fourth volume of Mr. Burke's posthumous works. The hereditary interest which you possess in whatever regards the public labours of that great man and distinguished statesman, will form, I trust, but a small part of your claim to such a distinction. Your father, and your great-uncle, the late Marquis of Rockingham, in addition to the happiness which they enjoyed of his personal intimacy and friendship, had also the gratification of being in a high degree instrumental in the direction of those labours to the service of their country. I well remember, that Mr. Burke manifested no ordinary sensation of joy at your birth; an event which he considered to be intimately connected with the essential interests of the nation. The heir to a title conveying the right to a seat in the legislative councils of the nation, and to a landed property among the first in value and amplitude; the future head of a family whose alliances and connexions spread its influence through a wide range of social and political intercourse, and gave it a sensible and permanent weight in all matters of state, could not be regarded by him with indifference. Nor will this appear extraordinary, when it is considered that the principles of the party, of which he knew you would almost necessarily become a distinguished member, and probably an eminent support; principles founded upon the basis of politicalliberty, and calculated, in their pra...« less