Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-05-04

%7NE3NN W.T. v
HoN CHAUNCEY NJ. DEPEw.
tce Of the distractions of philosophy. Tn,
time, the country, the heredity and envir
onment of the people, the folly of its enc
mics, II the noble courage Of its friends
gave to liberty after ages Of defeat, o
trial, OF experiment, Of partial success anC
substantial gains, this immortal victory
Henceforth it had a refuge and recruiting
station. The oppressed found free homes il
this favored land, and invisible armiei
marched from it by mail and telegraph, by
speech and song, by precept and example
TO ~regenerate the world.
Puritans in New England, Dutchmen IN
New York, Catholics in Maryland, Hugue.
nots in South Carolina had felt the fires OF
persecution and were welded to religious
liberty. They had been purified in tho fur
mace, and in high debate and on bloody bat
tla-iields 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 by hundreds of years of strug-
gle, and for each principle they could point
TO the grave of an ancestor whose
death attested the f~erocity of the fight
and the value of the concession
wrung from arbitrary power, They knew
the limit ltions OF authority, they could
pledge their lives and fortunes to resist en-
croachments upon their rights, but it re-
CURED the lesson Of Indian massacres, the
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
able. & 81 =
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 We're 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,
under Il common standard, and con
Rolidated the Continental Army. gradually
lifted the soul and understanding of this inn
mortal Congress to the sublime declaration:
we, therefore, the representatives of the
United States of America, in general Con
gress assembled, appealing to the supreme
Judge of the world for the recutude 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 ana Independent 5 dttS.n
To this declaration John Hancock. pro-
scribed and threatened with death. affixed
Il signature which has stood for a century
Xix the pointers TO the North Star in the
armament of freedom, and Charles Carroll.
tainted that among many CAROLS, he, the
richest man in America, might escape,
added description and identification with
"of Carrollton." Benjamin Harrison, a 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
ton and defiance Of the Congress.
He seized John Hancock, upon whose
head Il price was set, In his arms.
and placing him in the Presidential
chair, said: I'VE will show Mother Britain
how little we care for her by making our
President a Massachusetts man, whom she
has excluded from pardon by public proc
lanation;' and when they were signing the
Declaration, and the slender Elbridge Ger
~ uttered the grim pleasantly, we must
hang together or surely we will hang sep
arately,' the portly Harrison responded
with the more daring hum0r, ut win be all
over with me in a moment, but you will be
Kicking in the air half an hour after | am
gone Thus flashed athwurt the great
charter, which was to be for its siguers a
death -warrant or a diploma OF immortality.
as with firm hand, high purpose and IN
daunted resolution they subscribed their
names, this mockery OF fear and the penal
ties OF treason. q " =
More clearly than any statesman Of the
period did Thomas jefferson grasp and di
vine the possibilities OF popular govern
ment, He caught and cTystallized the spirit
OF free institutions His philosophical mind
was slngularly free from the power OF
presidents or the chains Of prejudice. He
had al unquestioning and abiding faith in
the people, which was accepted by but few
OF his cOmpatriots. Upon his famou:
axiom, OF the equality OF all men before
the law, he constructed his system. II wa,
the trip-hammer essential Tor the emer.
gency TO break the links binding the colo.
MES to imperial authority, and to pulyerize
the privileges of caste. 1t inspired him tC
write the Declaration OF Independence. ant
persuaded him to doubt the wisdom Of tn,
powers concentrated in the constitution. IL
his passionate love OF liberty he became In
tensely jealous Of authority. He DESTROYED
the substance of royal prerogatiye. but neye
emerged from its shadow He would hay,
the States as the guardians OF popula
rights and the barriers against cen
tralization, and lie saw In the grow
ing power of the Nation ever-increagin,
encroachments upon the rights OF the pcO
pie. For the success OF the pure Democrac
which must preoede Presidents and Cab
inets and Congresses, it was perhaps provi
dental that its apostle never believed
great people could grant and still retain
could give and at will reclaim, could dele
gate and yet firmly hold the authorit
which ultimately created the power of thei
Republic and enlarged the scope of thei
W liberty.
Where this master-mind halted, all stoo
still. The necessity for a permanent Unto
was apparent, but each State must hav
hold upon the bowstring which enciI
cled Its throat IL was admitted hat unto
gave the machinery required TO success
fully fight the common enemy, but VI
there was fear that It might become
Frankenstein and destroy Its creators. Thu
patriotism and fear, difficulties {
communication between distant comm
mites, and the intense growth of provincii
pride and interests, led this Congress I
frame the Articles of Confederation, haJ
PLY termed the League of Friendship. Tn
result was not a government, but "a ghosf
BY this scheme the American people wer
ignored and h Declaration OF lndepend
ence reversed. y y y
But, while the perils of war had give
temporary strength to the Confederation
peace developed its fatal weakness
States passed exclusive and hostile Law
against each other, and riot and disol
der threatened the dls~integration {
society. Our stock is stolen, OF
houses are plundered, our Harms III
raided," cried delegate in the Massachl
sets conventions; ~'despotism is better tina
anarchy" To raise four millions of dollal
q year was beyond the resources of tt
Government. and three hundred thonsan
was the limit of the loan 1t could secui
from the money-lenders OF Europe. Eve
Washington exclaimed In despair: Il sc
n head gradually changing into Thirteen
! see one army gradually branching int
thirteen, which, instead OF looking up I
Congress az the supreme controlling powei
are considering themselves as depend
ing on their respective States" An
later, when independence had bee
won, the impotency Of the Go,
srnment wrung from him the exclami
ton: After gloriousiy and suocessiuii
~contendlng against the usurpation Of Grel
Britain, we may fall q prey TO our W foil
anA dispufaa -