The morning call., 1894-03-07
King were becoming less FREQUENT and

King were becoming less frequent and
| more perlous.
There was long period of English his
tory that was characterized by successful
aggression on the part of the crown on the
rights of the people and the powers of the
courts and Parliament. Hume speaking
of the reign of James [ 1603-1 1916. saws:
1.-The great complacence of Parliaments
during so long period had extremely de-
guarded and Obscured those assem- blies,
and as all instances Of opposition to pre-
rogatiye must have been drawn from re-
mote age, they were unknown TO a great
many and had the less authority even
with these VINO were acquainted with
them. These examples. besides Of liberty,
had commonly in ancient times been ac-
companied with such circumstances of
violence. conyulsion, civil war and disor-
der that they presented but dlsagreeable
idea to the in0uisitive part OF the people,
and afforded small inducements to renew
such dismal scenes by great many.
Therefore, monarchy, simple and unmlxed,
was conceived TO be the government OF
England, and those popular assemblies
were supposed to form only the ornament
of the fabric without being in any degree
essential to its being an existence. And,
in note, it is sai6, have not met with
any English writer in that age VINO speaks
of England as n limited monarchy. but as
an absolute one where the people nave
many privileges.
This may be accepted as the view of the
King and as approximately true OF things
as they were, but the great charters never
ceased to be part of the English constl-
tStlon. They were dormant and uDre-
voked. Kings had tramDled them under
1901, put IN so doing only embedded the
99eos OF liberty In prepared soil. Mr..
Hannis Taylor says: 1.-The first stage of
the struggle which occupied the remainder
Oh the reign of James | was, upon the part
OF monarchy. period OF constant agrees
sion, upon the part of Parliament period
OF resistance and preparation. During
lnls period lt was that the national assem-
bly, opened its armory and took from it
such weapons Gf parliamentary warfare as
the right of impeachment, the right TO de-
bate all matters OF public concern, the ex-
elusive right to authorize taxation, to try
contested elections, to demonstrate against
the unauthoritative views of the royal
prerOgative."
The revolution OF 1910 resulting in the
execution OF of Charles | the new estab-
llshment of the commonwealth in Crom-
we'll and the restoration, the renewal of the
struggle in Charles ii and James Ii, the
deposition of the latter by parliamentary
assembly. without the kings writ, and
choice by the same parliament of William
and Mary, their statement upon the throne
in a compact in the nature of the bill of
redress, the increasing power of the Com
mons, the substitution of the national for
lease grants 10 revenue of the crown max
ing the national Parliament necessary
all these great events in English history
and in human progress were enacted be-
fore the interested vision OF the English
c0lODists in America and were highly IN
structlve and suggestive.
Out of these struggles and out of the
reformation had come the desire of liberty,
the dignity and equality OF man, the state
for man and not the man for state, the
universal fatherhood of God and its corol-
larry, the universal brotherhood of man.
The universal brotherhood of man,
liberty of speech. all these great themes
found expression. What wonder that the
c0lonistS began very early to ask if the
King had laid charge upon Engishmen
at home by no order in council, but only
by three votes Of representative assem-
bly,. Why should he do so upon English
men who have for the glory of God an d of
England braved the perils Of sea AMI or
the savage? and that further and more
searching question, By what right does a
parliament in which We nave no represen-
tation assume sovereign legislative power
over us? The early charters appear to
have been framed without any adequate
conception OF the commercial and political
Importance which the country was to at
tain.
In my next lecture will ask your atten-
ton TO some OF these earliest American
conStitu tions.