The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-01-11
WEDNESDAY,.
The Club of That Evening Has
a Successful Meeting--Rev.
Beattie'S Paper.

most successful since the OrganlZa-
tion of the society.
Rev. Lee w. Beattie's paper on
"The Constitution of the United
States as the Outgrowth of the Strug-
gle for Liberty" was a prominent
part of the evenings entertainment.
"The struggle for liberty has been
going on, it read, 'ever since man
awakened to the fact that he was a
responsible being, AS the human race
increased in numbers man found his
limitations increased, for his relations
to his fellow men necessitated his
placing a restraint in the way of his
personal desires and actions.
"The struggle of the race has been
to establish such a form of govern
ment as will secure the largest in
dividual liberty consistent with the
security of the largest number. The
constitution of the United States is
the nearest approach to the ideal.
This is not simply the child of the
revolution as many have been taught
to believe, but the outgroWth of CEN
turtles of struggling by enlightened
man to formulate an organic law un-
der which a man could be governed
without having his personal liberty
curtailed."
1t then referred to the tyrannical
reign of King John of England. His
will was absolute, and the people de-
manded an organic law that would
restrain him. After two-years' strug-
gle ending June 10Th, 12l5, the royal
seal was fixed to Magma Charta and
the King was limited by law through
his own signature. This was the first
attempt of the Anglo-SaXon race to
establish constitutional government.
The Magma Charta did not limit
the power of the king to annul it but
the logical outcome would be what
was established in the constitution of
the United States.
None will say parliamentary gov
eminent is not entirely different from
constitutional government. An ex-
animation of the history of England
and America disproves this.
The Magma Charta was written
laws and helped to make up British
common laws. Parliament was not
bound by them, or the colonies would
never have reyolted but could pass a
final law which was in effect until
that body deemed it wise to
revoke it. The business Of the
judiciary, in alleged violation of the
law, was not to determine whether
the law itself was valid and squared
with higher law, like our constitu-
tion, but simply to determine whether
the law was broken. Thus an act for
the time supreme might be annulled
by new session.
Constitutional government is that
government having a fundamental
written law that cannot be changed
with each new legislature save by an
extremely difficult method.
The colonies would not have re-
volted but for the unstable condition
of their rights under the charter.
This cannot be under the constitu-
tion. for it cannot be set aside except
by popular vote.
The continental congress of May
14th, 1887, was referred to. Washing
ton was chosen president, and among
the fifty-five delegates were Franklin,
Madison and Hamilton. They wanted
a government that would act directly
upon the people and not antagOnize
the spirit of state sovereignty that
controlled the land. Moral cowardice
exhibited itself to such an extent
that Washington resolutely said: "It
is not probable that any plan we pro-
pose will be adopted. Perhaps
another dreadful conflict is to be
sustained. If, to please the
people, we offer what we ourselves
diSapprove, how can we afterwards de-
fend our work? Mr.. Gladstone speaks
of the constitution formed by that
body as "the most wonderful work
struck off at a given time by the brain
and purpose of man. There was vio-
lent opposition to it at the time, but
the foes of the constitution have
been silenced and, looking back at the
party history at the time, the paper
said in conclusion, they must have
been not only conquered but convert
ed as WE'LL"
The question devolved from Mr..
Beattie's paper was SIS the consti-
tuition of the United States in Need
of Further Amendments" H. A. Pat
terson ably sustained the Affirmative
with careful and shrewd argument
and w. d. Willard skillfully handled
the negative.
All future meetings of the club will
be held in the ecture room of the
Presbyterian church.
Died.