The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-31
LIBERTY or CONSCIENCE AFFIRMED
lgiy be Fs1nhh1r d The Empire State Under
Igiag Circumstances
KINGSTON IN 1777.
AWothy Commemoraton Of the Patriotic
Wisdom OF Our Fathers.
fsr rxIronApn TO THE HERALp.1

.
Roxporr, n. r.. July 30, 1871
me cslssrsGos OF the Kingston centenary has been
,uits success and atty COMMUNICATED the inaugural
aon Of our STATE government one hundred years ago
today. Ia called together fully ten thousand people
aore tnsa Kingston Rondous ever saw before, and
nnsa the pocksu Of the poopis with rapidly that
The ci,y coad certainly have expected only upon
eeslsaafy. kariy In tho morning The streets were
erowdsd, country people s~rmed NJ every cor
ner sad tne usual accompaniment Of street ex-
hibtlons with scroharo tnmbicrs, Gambrinus
WAGONS and ianclful affairs Of every description we're
m procession DoDnybrook isr could not have ex-
seeded a. A nns day awaited them. and except that
n very warm no exception coald be taken TO the
weather TIE parade was unqucssioned sue
cess The Ina formed n, noon. on what u
called the suand--calied because Rondoui once
threatened 70 equal London IL Was composed Of
the following orgsnixatons:-fho Twenty seventh
regiment. the sixteenth regiment. the Washington
contnentas and Jackson corps. Of Albany; Battery A.
Light artillery, Eighth brigade; civic societies aud
procession Of people in carriages
Major General James W. Hus'ed, commanding the
military. and stat rode At she head -of the column
Tho marching was excellent the two companies IRON
Albany Winning tho palm for soldicry appearance.
Que OF them the heavy bearxkn cap. aud natar-
ally svotcred, bus nevertheless made . hos appear.
ance
The procession vas received by the Mayor and
Common Council OF tho city and paraded through the
princpai streets passing old historic spots including
the old house whore the nrst state senate met. the
house where the constitution was adopted and tho
Court House where Governor George Clinton was In
susurated 100 wears ago
Along the line OF route nearly all the houses
decorated notably General George a. sharpe's; Hugh
Lawion's, Judge wessbfook's ana others Tho process
sion moved past ,he City Hall. whore all Ronacut and
Kingston seemed to have gathered and proceeded TO
grove where the civic exercises we're held. Mayor
Lindsey presided and amer invocation by Rev. >.
G Van siykc, pastor Of the First Dutch Reformed
Church, organized In 1888, Judge westorook delivered
address OF welcome TnswM followed by an GRAFTON
by the Hon chauncey ~ Depew, who spoke a. ioi-
lows
ADDRESS or uoS. cHAuScky n. pErKw.
FELLOW cIrizsSs-Cent. nnial celebrations crowd
the Revolutionary period are the pleasure aud duty
Of the year. Most Of them are upon historic battle
fields and recall the leafs of arms Of our victorious
ancestors The occasion which calls Us together has
deeper significance than any battle IL b ,ee
snos zoe Sr,sssIs, OF sa"s,,,u,,"ns
liberty, without which TIE Continental sols1er had
fought and died In vain The story OF tho ormaiion
expression of popular opinion popotsr rights
during colonial era, ats development IN The con-
tuition OF l77s and MS results tor a century can
only be skctched In the limits OF address Tn
Ike the other colonies, New York had chartered
rights; there were no Limitations ON the royal pre-
roealivc, and II was only by long aud continued
strueecs that any immunities or privileges were re-
cured. Tue Dutcn had brought with them from Hoi-
land ideas OF liberation ana liberty, OF which that
country a time the only asylum m the world:
the English colonists were nrm in their devotion 10
representative government by every process short
rule, the arbitrary cxactions Of the royal Governors
were resisted, and the oemands for assem-
w WAY base %0 UPON p the ' natural and nhersas
rights OF "a tree people In ks3 the home govern
nent unable longer to resst, called together an As
sembly elected by the people was the GAVIN 81 rep
rcscntative government IN New York. The nrst As
semb!y OF ancestors immediately asserted aud en-
acted into laws the fundamental principles oi cvh
liberty. They passed laws Tor n triennia Assembly;
they declared all power TO vcst IN the Governor,
Council and people me; In General Assembly.
The privileges o. members OF Parliament were
conferred upon the Assembly and us members:
their consent must be had TO the levy Of any
tax and an the guarantees contained IN Magma Charta
in tue Bill OF Rights In the Haleas Corpus act together
with trial by jury and freedom OF conscience 10 matters
religion declared to he the rights liberties aud
privileges oil the Inhabitants OF New York. They
created the townshp-tbat school OF efgovern meut-
provided the civil divisions upon the plan sh,ch
has substantially prevailed ever since aud
ganized superior aud inferior courts Tor TIE
Der.es thus established were often violated aud arbi.
trarily suspended denied, hut every repetition OF
such tyranny only served TO nname 10 passionate de-
peoples love OF liberty, and prepare Tue
way for the Declaration Of Independence Ninety
three years alter this memorable assertion Of poIu-
lar rights petition and remembrance having alike
failed the people determined o. perm life and ior-
tune TO MAINTAIN and enlarge them. La liI0
New York was without a regular government Tie
Council was dissolved; the General Assembly pro.
rogucd and he royal Governor a iugitNe under the
projection oil the guns OF the British nect The Pro
vincial Congress SITTING IN Now York owed It's exist
the necessities of tue lines IL was reyuia-
tionary body, ITS only charter an election by
the Continental Congress, then s'ising Ia Phia-
delphia. adopted a resolution requesting tie 70.
''wnerc government sufficient Tor The ck-
agencies OF their aairs had been established 10 adopt
such government as should IN tho opinion VI ibe rep
resentaves Of the people best con-ucc 10 TIE hspp
ness and safety OF their constituents particular end
America in general" They also recommended TIE
suppression OF all authority derived from the
Crown ,of Great Bnusn, and tbs assumption
aud exercise Of government under authority IRON the
cept Rhode Island and Connecticut adopted tho
ms ndatIon. Thor charters did not reserve The
Crown the coutroi over or veto upon Their internal
Affairs and with them such action unnecessary
vrgnla's constitution Was first and New Yorks hith
in the order Of adoption.
TIM GERMS OF OUR CONSTITUTION
few days after the passage Of tnis resolution the
Provincial Congress met Ia New York, Governor
Morris, delegate from The county Of wes'chcsier,
then but twenty four years Of age, signs1cd hls
trance into public iifc by urging immediate action IN
speech remarkable for It's courage and radeism add
It's strong presen taton OF the thought Of The time.
Ie boldly declared that reconciliation with the |
mother country n deluson and thai peace,
liberty security could onIy be had by independent
govern ment, and moved thai COMMITTEES appointed
10 draw w plan for the frame OF government
These men, acting upon we'd Understood principles.
aud jealous Of every assumption VI power, thought
That this Congress was elected for this purpose
committee was finally appointed, to whom the
whole subject was referred, and the 27th
pf May they reported THAT the right 81
framing, creating or rcmodelIing civil govern
nents IT, and ought 10 be. IN The people," that the
I'D form OF government was dissolved and new form
Was absolutely necessary, AND that doubts existed
whether the Provincial Congress had power ac tic
,copIc OF the colony be called 10 eject Congress
instructed upon the question oil a new
ovcrnmenI Tns report " remarkable A. the
arlicst, clearcst ana mos, emphatic declaration
n the doctrine OF popular sovereignty 10
vas New York's contribution To American |
1crtv learned by more than malt century OF |
struurle of the representatives elected by
he people with tho OF the royal power
he report Of the committee was adopted, aud
n The 3ist a scres Of resolutions, prepared by Mr.
ay we're passed. calling upon the several counties TO