The distinguishing part of our conftitution is its liberty. To preserve that liberty inviolate, feems 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 governinent, as in its fubftance and vital principle.

The other fource of our power is commerce, of which you are so large à part, and which cannot exift, 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 ftudy, 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 houfe open, and my poor fervices ready, for traders and manufacturers of every denomination. My favourite ambition is to have those fervices acknowledged. I now appear before you to make trial, whether my earnet endeavours have been fo wholly oppreffed by the weakness of my abilities, as to be rendered infignificant in the eyes of a great trading city; or whether you chufe to give a weight to humble abilities, for the fake of the honeft exertions with which they are accompanied. This is my trial to-day. My industry is not on trial. Of my industry I am sure,

as

as far as my constitution of mind and body admitted.

When I was invited by many refpectable merchants, freeholders, and freemen of this city, to offer them my fervices, I had juft received the honour of an election at another place, at a very great distance from this. I immediately opened the matter to thofe of my worthy conftituents who were with me, and they unanimously advised me not to decline it. They told me, that they had elected me with a view to the publick fervice; and as great questions relative to our commerce and colonies were imminent, that in fuch matters I might derive authority and fupport from the reprefentation of this great commercial city; they defired me therefore to fet off without delay, very well perfuaded that I never could forget my obligations to them, or to my friends, for the choice they had made of me. From that time to this inftant I have not flept; and if I should have the honour of being freely chofen by you, I hope I shall be as far from flumbering or fleeping when your fervice requires me to be awake, as I have been in coming to offer myfelf a candidate for favour.

your

MR.

MR. BURKE's SPEECH

TO THE

ELECTORS OF BRISTOL,

On his being declared by the Sheriffs, duly elected one of the Representatives in Parliament for that City.

On Thursday the third of November, 1774.

I

GENTLEMEN,

CANNOT avoid fympathizing strongly with

the feelings of the gentleman who has received the fame honour that you have conferred on me. If he, who was bred and paffed his whole life amongst you; if he, who through the eafy gradations of acquaintance, friendship, and esteem, has obtained the honour, which feems of itself, naturally and almost infenfibly, to meet with thofe, who, by the even tenour of pleasing manners and focial virtues, flide into the love and confidence of their fellow-citizens;-if he cannot speak but with great emotion on this fubject, furrounded as he is on all fides with his old friends; you will have the goodness to excufe me, if my real, unaffected embarraffment prevents me from expreffing my gratitude to you as I ought.

I was brought hither under the disadvantage of being unknown, even by fight, to any of you. No previous canvass was made for me. I was put in nomination after the poll was opened. I did not appear until it was far advanced. If, under all thefe accumulated difadvantages, your good opinion has carried me to this happy point of fuccefs; you will pardon me, if I can only fay to you collectively, as I faid to you individually, fimply and plainly, I thank you-I am obliged to youI am not infenfible of your kindness.

But

This is all that I am able to fay for the ineftimable favour you have conferred upon me. I cannot be fatisfied, without faying a little more in defence of the right you have to confer fuch a favour. The perfon that appeared here as counfel for the candidate, who fo long and fo earnestly folicited your votes, thinks proper to deny, that a very great part of you have any votes to give. He fixes a standard period of time in his own ima gination, not what the law defines, but merely what the convenience of his client fuggefts, by which he would cut off, at one stroke, all thofe freedoms, which are the deareft privileges of your corporation; which the common law authorizes; which your magiftrates are compelled to grant ; which come duly authenticated into this court; and are faved in the cleareft words, and with the moft religious care and tenderness, in that very

act