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''An Appeal from the New to the Old Whigs'' is a book written by the Irish Whig MP and philosopher, Edmund Burke, published on 3 August 1791. ==Background== Edmund Burke's position in the Whig party during the parliamentary session of 1790–91 was awkward. His ''Reflections on the Revolution in France'', published in November 1790, had been generally well received, including by many Whigs. However after the leading Whig Charles James Fox publicly denounced it, and no fellow Whigs came out openly in Burke's defence. Burke was repeatedly called an apostate from Whiggism.〔F. P. Lock, ''Edmund Burke. Volume II: 1784–1797'' (Clarendon Press, 2006), p. 379.〕 12 May 1791 issue of the ''Morning Chronicle'' proclaimed Burke's expulsion from the Whig party: The great and firm body of the Whigs of England have decided on the dispute between Mr Fox and Mr Burke; and the former is declared to have maintained the pure doctrines by which they are bound together, and upon which they have invariably acted. The consequence is, that Mr Burke retires from parliament.〔Alfred Cobban and Robert A. Smith (eds.), ''The Correspondence of Edmund Burke. Volume VI'' (Cambridge University Press, 1967), p. 271.〕 This and other attacks provoked Burke into writing a pamphlet to prove his consistency and his fidelity to Whig principles. Burke knew that his pamphlet would split the Whig party and possibly further isolate him from his colleagues but he was prepared to stand alone if necessary. However he also knew that some Whigs, such as his patron Lord Fitzwilliam, did not share Fox's pro-revolutionary views, and that if he could provoke Fitzwilliam to publicly repudiate Fox, this might lead other Whigs to do the same.〔Lock, p. 379.〕 Burke was in dire need of money to pay off debts but in his letter of 5 June 1791 in response to Fitzwilliam's offer of money, he declined, referring to his "inward sense of honour".〔Cobban and Smith, p. 271.〕 Burke went on to claim that "the difference between me and the party turns upon no trivial Objects...the world is threatened with great changes". His ''Reflections'' were intended "in the first instance, of service to the publick, in the second, to the party". Despite the initial favourable reception of the book, Burke "soon found, that things were much changed": There were those in the party, who chose rather to injure themselves than to be so served. I found that great, and almost systematick pains were taken to discredit that work in the Party, to get its principles disclaimed; and of course (for medium there is none) to get the Principles of Paine, Priestley, Price, Rouse, Mackintosh, Christie &ca &ca &ca magnified and extolled, and in a sort of obscure and undefined manner to be adopted as the Creed of the party. The supper at Brooke's was a sort of Academy for these Doctrines. Individuals, little courted before, were separately talked over, and, as it were, canvassed.〔Cobban and Smith, p. 273.〕 Burke wanted to portray the whole Whig party as a pro-revolutionary party to provoke the anti-Jacobin element in the Whig party to come out publicly against the French Revolution and its British supporters. He wrote to his son on 5 August: As to the party, in which I once acted, and to which I am still inwardly tied by great affection, you know that the whole of those who think with the French Revolution (if in reality they think at all seriously with it) do not exceed half a Score in both Houses. If two or three, who, I think doubtful, were added, you see the difference would not be very material. They who want to move have nothing to fear from this Nation or from any part of it. Those who wish them well are strong. Their illwishers are weak. It may be asked, why I represent the whole party as tolerating, and by a toleration countenancing, those proceedings. It is to get the better of their inactivity, and to stimulate them to a publick declaration of, what every one of their acquaintance privately knows, to be as much their Sentiments as they are yours or mine.〔Cobban and Smith, pp. 316–317.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「An Appeal from the New to the Old Whigs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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