Page 17 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

watchful; let us not overlook any inroad upon our liberties;
but, taking the feelings of such men as Hampden to guide us,
let us be ever anxious and striving, never satisfied till we
have done all the good we possibly can; and we shall be
assisted by a free press in our efforts for the promotion of
the happiness, and the extension of the liberties of our
country (loud cheers).

Renn Dickson Hampden DD Speech in Reply to Nugent

Lord Nugent than rose and said: Gentleman, I am now going to
propose as a toast the health of an illustrious person -
illustrious by his station -illustrious by his character -
illustrious by his connection with the name and family of that
man who would illustrate anyone (cheers). By this connexion he
stands beneath a light from which he cannot escape -if
unworthy, a light which will shew that unworthiness - if
worthy, a light which will exhibit that worthiness to our
imitation and our praise. I propose the health of the Rev. Dr.
Hampden. Drank with tremendous cheers.

Dr. Hampden rose to return thanks. He said: My Lord and
Gentlemen -I am quite unable to express my sense of the kind
and cordial manner with which my health has been received
(hear). I feel that we are all much indebted to your Lordship,
and the other gentleman who have been instrumental in promoting
this meeting (hear). The name of the great patriot, Hampden, is
indeed dear to the hearts of all Englishmen who value equal
laws and constitutional government (cheers). It is to that
great man we owe the monarchy under which we live and to him
indeed we are indebted for the reign of a Sovereign whose
throne is in the hearts of her people (cheers); and whose duty
it is not less to maintain the rights and liberties of her
subjects than to uphold the prerogative of her Crown (cheers).
For my own part I trust I may be excused for expressing the
pride I feel at being connected by name and family with the
patriot. In my own family it was received as a traditionary
maxim, and which was impressed upon me in my earliest years,
that no member of our family should ever do anything to
disgrace the great name we bore (cheers); so great a blessing
is it to succeed to the inheritance of a great name, and all
who do should feel stimulated to follow humbly the merits of
those to whose names and honours they succeeded (hear and
cheers). But there is a special reason why we should rejoice in
the present celebration, affording as it does an example of the
manner and spirit in which we should contend for our civil
liberty, and in our resistance to tyranny: it is not to be done
in the spirit of mere opposition, which might of itself be
tyrannical, but it is in the spirit of goodness and justice, as
we are instructed by Hampden's example, when contending in
defence of civil and religious liberty against the spoilers of
his country (hear and cheers). Hampden was not only a great man
in the sense of this world, but truly religious man (cheers).