The life and administration of Robert Banks, second earl of Liverpool, K. G., late first lord of the treasury; Comp. from original documents Volume 3 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 edition. Excerpt: ...man who had taken an active part in public life, and who did not come forward to resist to the utmost, and to condemn in the strongest possible terms, this unjust and most wanton aggression. He had said enough to relieve himself from all participation in the foulest disgrace that had ever befallen this country." It was not difficult to obtain a superiority over an arguer who recommended such a course as had been advocated by Lord Grey, who based his advice on such grounds, and who had in effect almost answered himself. For, if his speech had exonerated him from all participation in the French invasion of Spain, it was certainly notorious that the Ministry had condemned it in as strong terms as he himself, protesting against it to the very prince who had since perpetrated it; while to impute as a disgrace to this nation, that her rulers declined to involve her in war to prevent others from attacking (however wantonly and iniquitously) a country which we were in no respect bound to protect, and of which we had many grave reasons to complain, was an abuse of language that it would have been a mockery to term argument. Lord Liverpool had already embodied his own views on the question in a minute which he had circulated among his colleagues as soon as it was ascertained that negotiation had failed to arrest the advance of the French army. Considerations on the French armies invading Spain, 1823. I believe I may consider it as an undoubted fact that the war against Spain is generally unpopular and odious in France, not only amongst the commercial and quiet part of the community, but likewise with the army. If Great Britain should take part in the war, the French Government would not fail to avail themselves of this circumstance to convert the Spanish...