CONCILIATION WITH THE COLONIES THE SPEECH BY EDMUND BURKE EDITED BY ARCHIBALD FREEMAN, A. M. AND ARTHUR W. LEONARD, A.B. PREFACE IN preparing this edition of Burke's Speech on Conciliation with America, the editors have had two chief purposes: to provide in accessible, consecutive form sufficient knowledge to enable the student to understand the historical situation, in both England and America, prior to March 22, 1775; and to supplement the speech with an Analysis which shall afford a more accurate interpretation of the structure of the argument than could be given in a mere outline. Because of its relatively slight importance in relation to the speech, the life of Burke has been treated much less fully than the history of the times. It is expected that this history will be carefully studied before the speech is read, and for that reason much of the historical material which might be presented in the Notes has been incorporated in the Introduction, with crossreference at the proper places. The Analysis, which is intentionally made full at some points, and meager at others, is designed to help the student to grasp the more difficult arguments and connections, and at the same time, since a digest should not be used as a substitute for a close reading of the text, to allow him an opportunity to construct his own brief for those parts of the text which are sufficiently clear. Acknowledgment of indebtedness for some suggestions as to sources of material is due the edition of the speech published by Ginn and Company and the preceding edition of Houghton Mifflin Company. The works of George Louis Beer were found very helpful in the preparation of the Introduction. The brief biography of Burke is based on the "Life" in the Dictionary of National Biography. |