It
contained a report of the debate in the House of Commons on
the presentation of the National Petition; that important
document which had been the means of drawing forth Sybil from
her solitude, and of teaching her something of that world of
which she had often pondered, and yet which she had so
inaccurately preconceived.
Yes! there was one voice that had sounded in that proud
Parliament, that free from the slang of faction, had dared to
express immortal truths: the voice of a noble, who without
being a demagogue, had upheld the popular cause; had
pronounced his conviction that the rights of labour were as
sacred as those of property; that if a difference were to be
established, the interests of the living wealth ought to be
preferred; who had declared that the social happiness of the
millions should be the first object of a statesman, and that
if that were not achieved, thrones and dominions, the pomp and
power of courts and empires, were alike worthless.
With a heart not without emotion; with a kindling cheek, and
eyes suffused with tears, Sybil read the speech of Egremont.
She ceased; still holding the paper with one hand, she laid on
it the other with tenderness, and looked up to breathe as it
were for relief.
Pages:
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503