Page 61 - Hampdens Monument Unveiled

The toast was received with loud cheers, and drunk with the
greatest enthusiasm. The applause having subsided, Professor
Hampden rose to return thanks. He said that he was quite unable
to express his sense of the kind and cordial manner with which
his health had been received. (Hear.) They were all much
indebted to his Lordship, and the other gentlemen who had been
instrumental in promoting this meeting. (Hear.) The name the
great patriot was indeed dear to the hearts of all Englishmen
who valued equal laws and constitutional government. (Cheers.)

It was to that great man they owed the monarchy under which
they lived, and to him indeed they were indebted for the reign
of a Sovereign, whose throne was in the hearts of her people,
and who was equally determined to maintain the rights and
liberties of her subjects, and to uphold the prerogatives of
the Crown. (Cheers.) He might be excused for expressing the
pride he felt at being connected by name and family with the
patriot. He recollected it was a traditionary counsel in his
childhood that no member of his family should ever do anything
to disgrace the name of Hampden, and so great a blessing was it
to succeed to the inheritance of a great man that all should
feel stimulated to follow humbly the merits of those to whose
names and honours they succeeded. (Hear, hear.)

There was a special reason why they should rejoice in the
present celebration, affording as it did an example of
resistance to tyranny, not of mere violence which might of
itself be tyrannical, but it was the spirit of a great man
contending in defence of evil and religious liberty against the
spoiler of his country. (Hear.) Hampden was not only a great
man in the sense of the word, but a truly good and pious
Christian.

The statement of the noble chairman had shown the touching
sentiments which closed his dying moments, while it was also
his delight to appear in the field as one of the bravest of
soldiers, like another Miltiades on the field of Marathon,
though not with the same success, still with the same
determined spirit and bold open courage. (Cheers.)

He was equally distinguished by his duties to social and
domestic life, and lived on terms of the closest affection with
his family and the tenantry by whom he was surrounded (hear,
hear), beloved by all for the kindness of his heart, and
admired for his statesman like ability and masculine
understanding. (Hear.) Nor could he pass over his attachment to
the Protestant reformed church of this country; and he was
gratified in making this allusion, as one great ground of
commendation. (Hear, hear.)