The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-07-23
OUR BELOVED UNION
COST AND PRESERVATION.
An Grafton delivered by c. J. DIcKEasos, at Hills
dale, July 4th., 1861.


An Grafton delivered by c. J. DIcKEusos, at Hills
dale, July 4th., 1861.
Mr. President Ladie, aud Gentleman
We are this day assembled to commemorate
great event, an event which has become SC
familiar to our understanding, that we have
Almost lost sight Of the vast importance which
history assigns it.
This day is associated with the idea Of
self government, the right Of in1ividual opin-
ion, Judgment, aud action, and should be
given to meditation upon the costs Of our be-
loved country, and the importance of its
preservation.
On the 18th day e June, 1918, two
great armies lay encampcd on plains of Runy
Mede, upon the banks Of the Thames. One
was composed Of the barons of England, and
their followers. and was styled the army of
God and His Holy Church. The other was
headed by King john and such Of his sub
jecs rs he could induce to follow his fortunes.
Negotiations were opened between the two
armies, which resulted in the Barons' cStort'
in5 from John, the great charter of liberties,
the Object and end Of which was to protect
the people against the abuse Of the power of
the Iii q, az Lord Paramount. The princl
pie that the consent of the people is essential
10 just taxation was clearly recognized. 1t
VAS also provided, that no freeman should be
arbitrarily imprisoned, except by due course
Of law; that jus, ce should MT be denied to
any one; that the right of trial by jury, and
the writ Of hab as corpus should be deemed
and held sacred to every subject Of the Brit
ish crown. The right Of the people to make
war upon the King. wherever he should vo'
late any Of tn obligations imposed upon him
10y the magma charta, Was claar, legal IN.
ference. From that day until the present.
~" Driiuh Monarch nas ever been able, Tor
any length Of .imc, to trample remorsclessly
upon the l'berties of the people.
Charles, the First, undertook to destroy
the liberties Of England by nculca'ing the
doctrine of passive obedience, and unlimited
kngly power. The people rose in their ma
jcsty, and at the battle Of Mars,on.Moor.
il l644, stripped him of all the ensigns Of
royslty, and on the Sd January, 1910, he
was led to tie scaffold and executed in the
presence Of his subjects.
James the Second the last Of the British
Kings belonging to the house Of Stewart, un
dertook to follow in the footsteps Of his illus.
trious ancestor, Charles the First. He was
compelled to flee for bis life, and seek pro-
lection in France, and by the popular voice
of the English people, the Throne was de
clarea vacant. and William, Prince Of Orange
was called to be King Of England.
About the year 1870, the British Colonies
in America began the assume considerable
InNnn A.. IL otn1 md
agricultural interest of the British Empire. -
The Mother country commenced a system Of
taxation which was certain to lead to the
most direfu consequences. Americans were
denied the rights of British subjects. the
British Ministry trampled upon their Liberties
without mercy. The rights Of the people,
as declared and set forth in the magma char
Ia, were entirely disrogardcd. One act of
oppression followed another, which Lord
Burke termed an infinite variety Of paper
chains. holding the colonies in thraldom.
The colonist s., nj petitions to the Lords and
the commoncrs. Th"y p'ostrated themselves at
the foot Of the throne, and impored its in
terposition in their behalf. The most elo
qu-nr arguments were used by British orators
and statesmen to avert the storm which was
rpidlv coming on. The far.secing, noble.
heated Pitt, and the liberal minded Burke
plead fervoutly in behalf of down-troddcn, =,
bleeding America. They clearly saw that the
causes which illuminated in the execution Of
Charles the Fir.t, and tie fight Of James
the Second, would lose to England her colon
les in America.
The British Ministry persisted. Matters
came rapidly to crisis. All America es-
poused the common cause.
The year I776 arrived. Amid the clash.
ing of arms anil events, a second American
Congress assembled at Philadelphia. Apos.
ties Of liberty came together from all parts Of
the land TO lay the foundation Of mig ty
empire. Old Independence Hall was filled
with an awful solemnity The debates were
long, solemn and earnest. Freedo and hu.
maulty had their advocates. Americans had
seen their brothers and their sons fall in the
streets Of Lexington and Concord. Tie cry
of "ro arms" went through the land. The
happy aud peaceful plains Of America were
either to be drenched in blood, or inhabited
10y slaves. Bosom was hesiegcd by General
Gaige; Putnam had left the plow field in his
working garb and hurried to the camp
Stark, within ten minutes after receiving in.
telligence of tho Concord massacre, lad COM
mcnccd his march toward the sen coast
The eoqueuce Of Samnel Adams, James
Otis, and Patrick Henry, the eloquent ap
pealS Of a Warren, the first great martyr in
that great cause, reseunded on every hill and
III every valley.
An American army lay encsmpcd at CAN.
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