In the nitration of benzene, concentrated \( \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \) and \( \text{HNO}_3 \) act as reagents to generate the electrophile \( \text{NO}_2^+ \):
Lewis acids (not bases) promote the formation of electrophiles, facilitating electrophilic substitution. Thus, this statement is incorrect.
Hence, Statement I is correct, and Statement II is incorrect.