“Unbounded as was my joy, on treading the soil of
Western Greece, to learn that your patriotic efforts, your resolution and
courage, had defeated all the plans of the enemy; forcing his numerous army,
which threatened not only to swallow up this part of Greece, but also to invade
the Peloponnesus, to abandon with loss and shame the confines of liberated
Greece; no less great is that which I, this day, experience in seeing myself in
the midst of so numerous an assembly. I cannot but entertain the liveliest
hopes, that it will give birth to many important consequences. For I can
affirm, it has spontaneously taken place; owing to the persuasion, felt by the
inhabitants of this country, of the necessity of meeting, to examine the state
of things in the different prefectures; to inquire into their respective wants;
and to deliberate on the mode of providing for them. Led by these motives,
since you have with one mind felt the ne-
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“If it be often difficult for two or three individuals to agree in their opinions, this is certainly yet more so in a numerous assembly. But that harmony, which has for its basis the impartial examination of what concerns the public weal, far from being detrimental, proves on the contrary of the greatest utility. It leads to the discovery of what is most useful, the end aimed at by every one, when, as above observed, the principal object is an unprejudiced inquiry after truth. That, which gives rise to the most injurious consequences, and which not only you must avoid, but rectify, should it exist amongst you, is the spirit of discord; the exacerbation of your passions, and the concerns of civil broils. Against these you must establish, as the only safe and desirable barrier, union, impartiality, and brotherly harmony.
“I deem it superfluous to enumerate the manifold evils,
to which similar discords may give birth; or to quote instances from history;
when we have the examples before our eyes. May what we have hitherto suffered
serve us as a lesson! I shall venture, however, to say, that fearless as I have
ever been of the enemy’s forces, which experience has demonstrated we
were competent to repel, and which, in future, we may yet more confidently set
at defiance, I ever dreaded the consequences of our internal dissensions;
because I have in reality seen, that they produce more evils than the efforts
of the enemy, were they even double what they are. I am not single in holding
this opinion. This apprehension has not been felt by me alone. Many wise men,
all the friends of
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“I cannot credit the excuse, alleged by many, that
poverty is the cause of our dissensions, and forces us to wait for, instead of
attacking the enemy. This poverty I cannot perceive. On the contrary, after an
attentive investigation, I know that Greece possesses all the necessary means,
and even more than is requisite, to carry on the war. It suffices, that we pay
attention to the administration of these means; that they be not squandered;
that government may employ them, where, and how it is necessary. But let us
even suppose, that Greece cannot afford these means; that, notwithstanding the
best administration, her revenues do not suffice to meet her exigencies; and
that we are obliged to seek abroad for pecuniary assistance; will discord prove
the best mode of obtaining our purpose? Certainly not; for who will advance
money without knowing to whom he lends it; whence and how it will be repaid? A
loan is made to a government; but, before a government can negotiate it, it
must have it in its power to offer sufficient guarantees to the lenders. But it
enjoys that faculty only when it is obeyed; and when every citizen concurs to
support and strengthen its authority. The contrary of this is the source, from
which
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“As for me, gentlemen, in compliance with your demand to the Chief Government, to send me here, in order to settle the affairs of this part of Greece, I now find myself before you. I am bound to confess to you, that I am not aware of what utility my presence can be, if true union and friendship do not reign amongst you. Whatever good may arise, it will not be derived from me; but from your resolution of carrying it into execution. If you are united, you are, of yourselves, competent to do it; but neither I, nor any one else, can prove useful to you, should you be disunited.
“It is perhaps necessary, I should make a few
observations on a rumour, which, I see with pleasure, is void of foundation.
Some persons report, that one of the chief purposes of the present assembly is,
to cement an union between eastern and western Greece, and to separate it from
Peloponnesus. An intention of this kind never could exist in the mind of any
genuine patriot. For all such must feel the necessity of union and
centralization. Separation is entirely out of the question. If the war,
existing on continental Greece, cause expenses, which the limited revenues of
its prefectures are not sufficient to meet, while in Peloponnesus the revenues
exceed the expenditure; it is meet, we should request of the government to
consecrate a portion to our wants. If we know, that the revenues are
squandered, it is just, we should demand the rectification of those abuses; and
in order to facilitate the attainment of this desirable end, we should
strengthen the Government; but never separate or give occasion to fresh
dissensions be-
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“It appears to me necessary to the maintenance of order in your assembly, that you should appoint two secretaries to keep the journals of your sittings, and to write whatever you may deem necessary.
“Although your meetings be public, yet, in order to avoid confusion, two or three individuals of every prefecture should be chosen as representatives.
“As numerous affairs will be brought before you, it is necessary, for the sake of order and despatch, to appoint commissions, which shall examine the details of affairs, and make you reports, which will be submitted to general and mature investigation, and be approved, modified, or rejected according to plurality of voices.
“As to me, gentlemen, if my opinion can prove useful in any of your deliberations, I shall explain it freely and impartially. I shall state it without reserve. You will hear and judge it. For the moment, I submit to your investigation several propositions, the solution of which appears to me to be the essential object of the actual meeting.
“Again, I trust, you will observe in its perfect integrity that union between you, which alone can lead the affairs of our country to a happy termination.
| MEMOIRS ON GREECE. | 77 |
“A. How can an end be put to the abuses, existing in the prefectures, and sufficient protection given to their inhabitants, to induce them to return to their occupations, in order that the country may not remain a desert?
“B. How many soldiers must be maintained on full pay, and from what sources can the money and provisions, necessary to keep them, be drawn?
“C. How can harmony and order be made to regulate our military operations; and thus ensure their success?
“D. How can the disputes between the military chiefs, as to the division of the prefectures, be settled?
“E. What measures can be adopted to consolidate national union, to terminate disputes, and to strengthen government?”
