The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-01

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and affections were in their several com
monwealths, and,each bloSaby the British
ministry at their freedom, each attack upoI
their rights as Englishmen, weakened thei
! love for the mother land and intensified
their hostility to the crown. But the sam,
cause which broke down their allegiance t
the central government increased their con
tidence in their respective colonies, ant
their faith in liberty was largely
dependent upon the maintenance o
the sovereignty of their several states
The farmers shot at Lexington echoed
round the world, the spirit which i
awakened from its slumbers could do and
dare and die, but it had not yet discovered
the secret of the permanence and progress:
of free institutions. Patrick Henry thun
dered in the Virginia convention, James
Otis spoke with trumpet tongue and ferviC
eloquence for united action in Massachu
sets, Hamilton, Jay and Clinton pledged
New York to respond with men and money
for the common cause, but their vision
only saw u league of Independent colonies
The vail was not vet drawn from before
the vista, of population and power, of EN-
pire and liberty, which would open with
national union
1.-The Continental Congress partially
grasped, but completely expressed, the en-
tral idea of the American republic. More
fully than any other body which ever as
sembled did il represent the victories won
from arbitrary power for human rights. In
the New World it was the CONSERVATION of
liberties secured through centuries of
struggle in the Old. Among the delegates
We're the descendants of the men who had
stood in that brilliant array upon the field
of Runnymede, which WreSted from King
John, Magma Charta that great charter of
liberty, to which Hallam in the nineteenth
century bears witness that all which had
been since obtained is little more than as
confirmation or commentary There were
the grandchildren of the statesmen who
had summoned Charles before parliament
and compelled his assent to the Petition OF
Rights, which transferred power from the
crown to the commons, and gave represent
ative government to the EngllSh-Speaking
race. And there were those who had
sprung from the iron soldiers who had
fought and charged with Cromwell at
Naseby and Dunbar and Mar5tOn Moor.
Among its members We're HuguenoJs, whose
fathers had followed the white plume of
Henry of Navarro, and in an age OF big
otry, intolerance and the dedication of alb
soIutism, had secured the great edict of
religious liberty from French despotism;
and who had become a people without
a country. rather than surrender their con
victiOns and fOrSwear their cOnsciences.
In this Congress were those whose anCeS-
tors were the cOuntrymen of William of
Orange. the Beggars of the Sea, who had
survived the crueltieS of Alva, and broken
the yoke of proud Philip of Spain, and who
had two centuries before made declara-
ton of independence and formed a federal
union which are models OF freedom and
strength.
''These men were not reyOiutiOnists, 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 We're reactiOnaries, seeking
arbitrarily to turn back the hands upon the
dial of time. A year of doubt and debate,
the baptism of blood upon battle-felds,
where soldiers from every colony fought
under d common standard, and consolidated
the continental army, gradually lifted the
soul and understanding Of this immortal
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 rectitude Of our
do, in the name and by the
OF the good people OF these col
onies, solemniy publish and declare that
these United Colonies are, and of right
ought to be- free and Independent states
ITO this declaration John Hancock. pro
scribed and threatened with death. affixed
a signature which has stood for 4 century
like 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
delegate from Virginia, the ancestor Of the
statesman and soldier who
today so worthily fills the chair OF Wash
n a 6a-n ifoo
ton and defiance of the Congress. He
seized John Hancock, upon whose
head a price was set, in his arms,
and placing him in the Presidential
chair, said: We will show Mother Brit
ain how little we care for her by making
our President Massachusetts man, whom
she has excluded from pardon by public
and when they were sign
ng the Declaration, and the slender Ell
bridge Gerry uttered the grim pleasantly.
We must hang together or SUI we will
lang separately the pOrtly 4iar1' on re
'ponded with the most daring hui-0r, 1T
Will be all over with me in a moment, but
you win be kicking in the air half an hour
after l am gone Thus flashed athVart
ne great charter, which was to be for its
igncrs death warrant or a diploma of
Immortality, as with firm hand high pur
lose and undaunted resolution, they sub
Cribed their names, this mockery of fear
md the penalties of treason.
''The grand central idea of the Declara-
ion of Independence was the sovereignty
# the people. 1t relied for original power. !
lot upon states, or colonies, or their citi- !
ems as such, but recognized as the author
ty for nationality the revolutionary rights |
# the people Of the United States. 1t |
tated with marvellous clearness the en- |
upon liberties which threat |
ned their suppression and justified revolt |
tut it was inspired by the very genius of |
reedom, and the prophetic possibilities of |
lnited commonwealth covering the CONT |
lent in one harmonious republic, when it |
made the people of the thirteen colonies all |
americans, and deVolyed upon them to ad- |
Minister by themselves, and for themselves, |
he prerOgatives and powers wrested from |
rown and parliament. 1t condensed |
Magma Charter, the Petition of Rights, the |
-reat body of English liberties embodied |
n the common Law and accumulated in the |
decisions of the courts, the statutes OF the |
calm, and al undisputed though unwritten |
nd dynamic force of the peoples power |
prang from these old seeds planted in the |
-irgin soil of the New World.
'MOre clearly than any statesman Of the |
eriod, did Thomas jefferson grasp and |
ivine the possibilities of popular govern |
1ent He caught and crystalized the spirit |
f free institutions. His philosophical mind |
vas singularly free from the power of pre-
edeuts or the chains of prejudice. He had |
n unquestioning and abiding faith in the |
eople, which was accepted by but few of |
is compatriots. Upon his famous axiom,
f the equality of all men before the law,
e constructed his system. 1t was the |
rip-hammer essential for the emergency |
0 break the links binding the colonies to
nperial authority, and to pulverize the |
of caste. 1t inspired him to write |