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if you can believe him, found this young and inexperienced creature tottering on the brink, and, under pretence of assisting, dragged her down the precipice! Will he, in the whole host of strangers, with whose familiarity he defames her, produce one this day vile enough to have followed his example; one out of even the skipping, dancing, worthless tribe, whose gallantry sunk into ingratitude, whose levity sublimed itself into guilt? No, no; "imperfectly civilized" as his countrymen have called us, they cannot deny that there is something generous in our barbarism; that we could not embrace a friend while we were planning his destruction; that we could not sit at his table while we were profaning his bed; that we could not preach morality while we were perpetrating crime; and, above all, if in the moment of our nature's weakness, when reason sleeps and passion triumphs, some confiding creature had relied upon our honour, we could not dash her from us in her trial hour, and for purse's safety turn the cold-blooded assassin of her character. But, my lord, I ask you not as a father---not as a husband---but as guardian of the morals of this country, ought this to be a justification of any adulterer? And if so, should it justify an adulterer under such circumstances? Has any man a right to scrutinize the constitution of every female in a family, that he may calculate on the possibility of her seduction? Will you instil this principle into society? Will you instil this principle into the army? Will you disseminate such a principle of palliation? And will you permit it to palliate---what? The ruin of an household--the sacrifice of a friend--the worse than murder of four children---the most inhuman perfidy to an host, a companion, a brother in arms? Will you permit it? I stand not upon her innocence--

I demand vengeance on his most unnatural villainy. Suppose I concede his whole defence to him, suppose she was begrimmed and black as hell, was it for him to take advantage of her turpitude? He a friend---a guest---a confidant---a brother soldier! Will you justify him, even in any event, in trampling on the rights of friendship, of hospitality, of profes sional fraternity, of human nature? Will you convert the man into the monster? Will you convert the soldier into the foe, from being the safeguard of the citizen? Will you so defame the military character? Will you not fear the reproaches of departed glory? Will you fling the laurelled flag of England, scorched with the cannon flame, and crimsoned with the soldier's life-blood---the flag of countless fights, and every fight a victory---will you fling it athwart the couch of his accursed harlotry, without almost expecting that the field sepulchre will heave with life, and the dry bones of buried armies rise re-animate against the profanation! No, no; I call upon you by the character of that army not to contaminate its trophies---I call on you in the cause of nature to vindicate its dignity; I call on you by your happy homes to protect them from profanation---I call on you by the love you bear your little children, not to let this christian Herod loose amongst the innocents. Oh! as you venerate the reputation of your country---as you regard the happiness of your species--as you hope for the mercy of that all-wise and protecting God who has set his everlasting canon against adultery ---banish this day by a vindictive verdict the crime and the criminal for ever from amongst us.

[After a trial which lasted for seventeen hours, the jury found a verdict for the plaintiff of fifteen hundred pounds damages and 6d. costs.]

ADDRESS

OF

MR. PHILLIPS

TO THE

ELECTORS OF THE COUNTY OF

SLIGO,

ON DECLINING THE POLL.

10401

Be assured, gentlemen, it is with feelings rather of gratitude than of disappointment, that I withdraw myself from the contest, upon the present occasion. I find that we cannot have a fair probability of success, and with every personal respect for your late members, and with the most heartfelt affection for you, I do not feel myself warranted in putting them to the expense, or you to the inconvenience, necessarily consequent on a contested election. The state of your registry, which I have but just received, has compelled me to this determination. It is an astonishing and disgraceful fact, that such is the political apathy of your country, that one twentieth of its freeholders are not registered. The only privilege which the people have left, is the elective franchise; and even this, it seems, they have not the spirit to exercise. After this, what right has Ireland to complain, if, either on the window tax question, or any other question, her representatives will not give themselves even the trouble of crossing the channel? If you are contented to submit to this

degradation, it is not for me to murmur, capable as I am, by my own conduct, of redeeming myself individually. As I hear, however, that some of your news-room wiseacres have taken offence at an expression in my address, and as every man who puts himself politically forward, should be able to give a reason for "the faith that is in him," you shall have mine freely and fearlessly. The declaration was, that if the next parliament be like the last, we may write the epitaph of the British constitution. I repeat it now, and I further add, that it is quite impossible things can go on, unless there be some change, either in the members we return to that house, or in the constitution of that house itself.Are you aware, that of what is called the house of commons, 82 peers nominate 300, and 123 commoners nominate 187; and thus you have, out of 658 members, 487 actually nominated by 205 constituents, and this they call the representation of the people! If this continues, is there any use in elections is there any use in petitioning, where hired majorities can stifle the one, and a borough mongering influence can defeat the other? Does any man propose a reformation of the system? He is immediately denounced as a visionary, or worse. So it was in England, with Fox and Sheridan, and the consequence was, she lost America. So it was amongst yourselves, with Grattan and with Flood, and the consequence was, those who bought you, sold you. We were bartered into a province, and but the other day, in the imperial parliament, upon a vital question, 75 of your members left you, at the mercy of a puppet majority, who not only riveted your chain, but rebuked you for clanking it! This is the way in which I wish to meet the questionnot by empty declamation, but by stubborn facts

facts which are now recorded to our shame, upon the adamant of history-look to the conduct of the very last parliament, in almost every instance the echo of the minister, and the justification of the malcontent-conduct which, I will demonstrate, has done more to disgrace us abroad, and to enslave us at home, than mere unequivocal, unblushing despotism ever could have effected. Look to that conduct. After a protracted war, unparalleled in its duration, and unprovoked in its origin, during which, money enough was spent to purchase, and blood enough shed to insulate, the continent-durring which we alternately fought and subsidized every faithless despot-now libelling the worthless -now lauding the magnanimous Alexander-today, in the field with temporizing Austria-to-morrow, bribing the convenient Prussia-now smiling upon Poland's plunder-now establishing the Spanish_inquisition-now at Amiens, acknowledging the French consul-now at Waterloo, cheering the blood-cry of legitimacy. After this base abandonment of public principle-this barbarous gambling with the nation's happiness-we found ourselves at last, consistent in nothing but our inconsistencies, seated in the legitimate congress of Vienna, between the Northern Autocrat and a serjeant of Napoleon! Was not this a rare, a natural consummation, well worthy the fraudful leagues and bloody infractions which had diversified the contest-well worth the orphanage and the widowhood, which had shadowed England with wo, and the frantic expenditure which has almost beggared her with debt? This has been the consequence, and what, do you remember, was the motive to this agression?-Was it the establishment of human liberty-was it the advance of human morals-was it the vindication

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