Analysis of Edmond Burke’s Speech Essay - 984 Words

Analysis of Edmond Burke’s Speech on conciliation with America Edmund Burke was an advocate of reason, order, and peace. Based on his comments in his speech he believed that as families pass down their possessions to their children, the crown and its privileges should also be passed down to the colonies. Although Burke was not a supporter of war but he did have a fondness and empathy for the colonies. He felt that traditional ways of doing things should be preserved and anything to the contrary was going against nature. Edmund Burke, born in Dublin in 1729 attended Dublins Trinity College where he received his degree in law. After a time he found himself more interested in literary studies and became a writer. He was secretary to†¦show more content†¦The greater number of the deputies sent to the congress were lawyers. But all who read, and most do read, endeavor to obtain some smattering in that science . . . This study renders men acute, inquisitive, dexterous, prompt in attack, ready in defense, full of resources. In other countries, the people, more simple, and of a less mercurial cast, judge of an ill principle in government only by an actual grievance; here they anticipate the evil, and judge of the pressure of the grievance by the badness of the principle. They augur misgovernment at a distance; and snuff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze.† (Burke, E., 1775) The colonies with all their learning could not be expected to except these Intolerable Acts against them. Burke wanted to include the colonists in Parliamentary proceedings and to recognize that the colonists were English in spirit and mind if not body. â€Å"First, the people of the colonies are descendants of Englishmen. England, Sir, is a nation, which still I hope respects, and formerly adored her freedom. The colonists emigrated from you when this part of your character was most predominant; and they took this bias and direction the moment they parted from your hands.† and â€Å"In this character of the Americans, a love of freedom is the predominating feature which marks and distinguishes the whole: and as an ardent is always a jealous affection, your colonies become suspicious, restive, and untractable, whenever