The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-07-06

series OF long bitter and as they assumed
TO think, unjust prosecutions. These peo-
Pile had d,sented from the religion and
religious customs Of England They had
asked that they might be permitted To
worship God according to the dictates OF
their own conscience; they had assumed
to say that in these matters, mans own
reason, and not the edict oil prince or
potentate falsely claiming TO inherit from
| Almighty God their right and authority
to govern, should control men; they had
said aud taught among themselves tt.at
all men were created Tree and equal. lm
bued with these principles, which they
dared not openly proclaim, the die hal
been cast. and rather than bow in blind
submission to faith which their reason
condemned, they had wandered to other
lands, vainly hoping and striving to find
some lonely spot on earth, which was
not under the shadow Of such doxmatical
doctrine as assumed that the power and
authority TO rule, WAS Of divine origin or
CAMERON the clouds. But nowhere had
they found an abiding place. More than
once they had been asked to move on or
endure the rack or dungeon. In their
search for liberty these plain, plodding
people had chosen between all Europe
with its ever changing but ever cruel
| doctrines OF divine right OF government
and hereditary power, and the unlettered
savages OF North America. Bitter and
cruel punishment which they had en-
dured and witnessed prompted these peo-
pie to face their uncertain fate. So, west
ward they moved little supposing that
| their little bark contained an embryo ma
ton that was destined TO revoiutionize
the world. Little did they dream that
from them as nucleus. the ideas and
principles which had been born of their
bitter persecution, we're to be planted in
American soil, to be fostered by priva-
| tions and pioneer hardships and in time
bring forth the great tree Of liberty under
whose sturdy branches the oppressed OF
all the earth might stand for protection.
After long and weary voyage these
truly American pioneers landed upon our
shore, with the olive branch of peace for
the dusky savage and the hand of well
come Tor all liberty loving followers; and
yet loyal subjectsof England. They had
m6ekiy submitted to the doctrines OF ages
past and thought they belonged to some
body; that by force of cruel circum-
stances they must forever be loyal TO
some thief who could trace his pedigree
back to Antiquities most successful rob-
Der. To somebody with epauiettes upon
his shoulders and a tinsel crown upon
his orainless head for from history or ex-
perienre they had never known anything
else. But each wave OF the ocean tended
to weaken this loyal recognition. and
each wears hardship and privation tended
to broaden and more thoroughly establish
their mate principles of manhood, until
ia 1875 they as people signed published
81 h.
the grandest, the bravest and the most
profound political document that was ever
signed by the representatives of people.
This instrument was then rs now the EN-
bodiment Of moral courage aud political
wisdom. They for the first time, except
perchance as proclaimed by some politi-
cal enthusiast, reversed the general order
| OF things. They declared that the people
were the source of all political power and
| their rulers, their presidents and their
representatives we're but the agents and
servants of the great sublime people, and
were amenable to this sovereign power
| for their conduct, for our forefathers had
| been educated by nature. They grew
grand as the continent upon which they
| landed and the great rivers, the wide
plains, the splendid lakes. the lonely
| forests, the sublime mountains, all these
| things stole into and became part OF their
being No wonder they condemned and
| fearlessly pronounced against the ancient
doctrines OF priests and potentates oi
Europe. The enumeration OF the doctrine
which this instrument contained meant
revolution. 1t meant war. A declara-
ton Of war by a few people, without mill
| tary stores, without wealth, without
strength and against the most powerful
nation upon earth. A declaration of war
when their own resources consisted OF
| little, save their own stern manhood. But
each man who espoused the new cause
enlisted for life with his heart. soul and
being. These men were enthusiasts.
They knew, they felt, they believed they
could add a new constellation to the
political heavens; that they could make
Americans grand people, grand as the
continent upon which they lived. The
war followed but all did not enlist. The
revolutionary soldier Of 1916 did not march
forth with banners and music they went
in silence, looked at and gazed after by
eyes filed with tears; they went to meet
not an equal but superior foe; to fight
| five times their number; to make a des-
perate stand for liberty, knowing that
failure meant death to themselves and
their wives and children. For seven
long years they fought under the stars
and stripes, until at the victory of York
town, the old banner won its place in the
air and became glorious forever. But
our government thus won and established,
was frail and imperfect. 1t contained
principles inimical to justice; remnants
OF the past, which time and American
progress only could eliminate from its
system. To the publication OF this sys
tenn of government our fathers gave their
lives in heroic war and in heroic peace
To each successive generation of children
they in turn gave the duty and privilege
of purifying the American government to
keep pace with American improvement
that each generation might see more
plainly through the golden fringe of the
mantle of glory that will finally enshrowd
the world.
Westward the star of empire takes Its
way" said one in no wise prophet and
he needed no prophetic vision to convince
him of its profound truth. West
ward came Columbus in 1902; westward
came the pilgrim fathers in 1929; west
ward came the sturdy and ambitious
pioneers OF other nations and at other
times until their common interests, their
common education led to that compact
whose heart and principle was voiced by