Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

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HON. CHAUNCEY M. DEPEw.
tice OF the distractions of philosophy. The
onment of the people. the folly of its enc
mics, and the noble courage of it's friends,
gave to liberty after ages of defeat. OF
substantial gains, this immortal victory.
Henceforth it had a refuge and recruiting
station. The oppressed found free homes in
this favored land, and invisible armies
speech and song, by precept and example,
to regenerate the world.
Puritans in New England, Dutchmen in
nots in South Carolina had felt the fires of
persecution and were welded to religious
liberty. They had been purified in the fur
mace, and in high debate and on bloody bat
tle-felds had learned to sacrifice all ma
terial interests and to peril their lives for
human rights The principles of cOnstitu-
tional government had been impressed
upon them 10y hundreds OF years OF strug-
gle. and for each principle they could point
to the grave of an ancestor whose
death attested the ferocity OF the tight
and the value of the concession
wrung from arbitrary power They knew
the limit .tions of authority, they could
pledge their lives and fortunes to resist en-
croachments upon their rights, but it re-
invasion of the armies Of France from
Canada, the tyranny of the British Crown,
the seven years war of the Revolution, and
the five years of chaos of the Confederation
to evolve the idea, upon which rest the
power and permanency of the Republic,
that liberty and union are one and INSOFAR
These men were not revolutionists they
were the heirs and the guardians of the
priceless treasures of mankind The Brit
ish King and his Ministers were the revolu-
tionists. They were reactionaries, seeking
arbitrarily to turn back the hands upon the
dial of time. A year of doubt and debate,
the baptism of blood upon the battle fields,
where soldiers from every colony fought,
solidated the Continental Army, gradually
lifted the soul and understanding of this inn
mortal Congress to the sublime declaration:
I'VE, therefore, the representatives OF the
United States of America, in general Con-
gress assembled, appealing to the Supreme
Judge of the world for the rect1tude of our
intentions, do, in the name and by the au-
thority of the good people of these colonies,
solemnly publish and declare that these
united colonies are, and of right ought to
be. free and Independent STAT 50
To this declaration John Hancock, pro-
scribed and threatened with death, affixed
a signature which has stood for a century
like the pointers to the North Star in tho
armament of freedom, and Charles Carroll,
/ richest man in America, might escape,
I added description and identification with
''of Carrollton." Benjamin Harrison, dele
gate from Virginia, the ancestor of the dis
tinguished statesman and soldier who to-
| day SO worthily fills the chair of Washing
| ton, voiced the unalterable determine
seized na g dsanea OF the aon
head price was set in his arms,
and placing him in the Presidential
| how little we care for her by making our
President Massachusetts, man, whom she
| has excluded from pardon by public proc
| lamation;" and when they We're signing the
| Declaration. and the slender Elbridge Ger
| ~ uttered the grim pleasantly, 1--WE must
hang together or surely we will hang sep
arately," the portly Harrison responded
with the more daring humor, 1T viii De an
| kicking in the air half an hour after L am
gone" Thus flashed athwart the great
charter. which was to be for its signers q
| death warrant or diploma of Immortality,
as with firm hand, high purpose and un-
daunted resolution they subscribed their
names, this mockery Of fear and the penal
period did Thomas Jefferson grasp and di
vine the possibilities of popular govern
ment He caught and crystal1ized the spirit
o. tre snnaTIY tree from the power OF
| precedents or the chains of prejudice. He
had an unquestioning and abiding faith in
the people which was accepted by but 3a few
axiom, of the equality of all men before
the law, he constructed his system. 1t was
| the trip-hammer essential for the emer-
| niles to imperial authority, and to pulverize
/ the privileges of caste. It inspired him tc
| write the Declaration of Independence, and
persuaded him to doubt the wisdom OF the
Il ooy,fr tod int he n
his passionate love OF liberty he became in.
| tensely jealous of authority. He destroyed
the substance OF royal Prerogative but n eve
| the States as the guardians OF popular
| rights and the barriers against cen
| tralization, and he saw In the grow
/ entertainments upon the rights of the peo
pie. For the success OF the pure Democracy
! which must precede Presidents and Cab
inets and Congresses, It was perhaps PROV.
Dental that It's apostle never believed 6
great people could grant and still retain
Could give and at win reclaim, could dele
| gate and vet firmly hold the authority
which ultimately created the power of thei1
| Republic and enlarged the scope OF tnen
own liberty.
Where this master-mind halted, all stooG
still. The necessity for permanent unloI
| was apparent but each State must have
hold upon the bowstring which enclr
| cled it's throat. 1t was admitted that un1or
! gave the machinery required to success
| fully fight the common enemy, Du6 ye
| there was fear that it might become ,
| Frankenstein and destroy its creators. Thui
| patriotism and fear, difficulties O
communication between distant commu
mites. and the intense growth of provincial
pride and Interests, led this Congress t.
frame the Articles of Confederation, hap
PLY termed the League of Friendship. TIT
| result was not q government, but gnos5
By this scheme the American people were
ignored and the Declaration of lndepend
| ence reversed
But, while the perils of war had g1vel
| Temporary strength to the Confederation
peace developed its fatal weakness
States passed exclusive and hostile law
against each other, and riot and disor
der threatened the disintegrauon
| society. ssOur stock is stolen, on
houses are plundered, our farms ar
raided, cried q delegate in the Massachu
setts convention: ''despottsm Is better tna'