The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-14

national government for more than one
half of Its duration; that 1t has victo-
riously led the people in all our foreign
wars; that under its sway our national
domain was extended along the Gulf
and the Mississippi and clear to the Pa
cific slope; that It fathered the settlement
of the great northwest and the upbu!ld-
ing OF mighty States; that 1t established
our flag and commerce on the sea; assert
ed everywhere the rights of American
citizenship; and created the foreign poll
cy which from Monroe to Cleveland
has been deemed essential to our safe
ty. 1T has resisted always the control
OF government by monopoly and organ
lied wealth; II has given power TO the
people. trusted them. made their welfare
its mission and their will law. 1t has
stood for individual freedom, defending
the sailor against foreign impressment.
the Catholic against the prescription of
bigotry, and every citizen against un-
necessary burdens, restrictions or taxa
tion. 1t has preached and practiced eco
nomy, exposed and denounced corrup-
tion, extravaganza. and the abuse of
power for selfish or personal ends. 1t
has met. defeated and outlived all It's
opponents, and Is still In power and in
the full strength of vigorous youth. 1t
lives and rules because 1t has u living
gospel. just and enduring principles. and
ever work for them to do. We link its
present to its past not as reminiscence,
but an incentive. and turn to Jefferson
not as a blessed memory, but as still
our leader.
II new occasions teach new duties"
If time makes ancient good un-
couth,"
1t is only to those who would 'unlock
the futures portal with the past's blood
rusted key" not to those who would
solve present problems with principles
which have been the strength, the very
bulwark of the liberty and prosperity
of a free and happy people
The colonial settlements were neither
crusade nor q conquest. Our fore
fathers. the pioneers who pushed up the
James river, and the pilgrims who braved
the wintry seas of Massachusetts bay,
had no lust for glory or for gold. Theirs
was better, worthier. mission They
came TO work TO plant, 10 reap where
they might worship God with freedom of
conscience. live on equality each with
the other. and be subject to laws of their
own making and government OF their
own choice. They brought with them
their tradition, religion and institutions,
but best OF all, an unconquerable Anglo
saxon self-reliance and independence In
jamestown and in Plymouth their sim
pie prayer TO God was that for them and
their children the seed time might be
followed by the harvest. But the seed
was liberty, equality, self-goyernment
and the harvest was to be a nation of
equal laws, rights and privileges, where
each might fashion his own fortune and
all nave protection III making the most
of themselves. Immlgrating at differ,
ent times and from different places, with
variety of creed and lifel scattering
along the Atlantic seaboard, living un-
der diverse influences, yet they became a
nDnnnpnnnIls mil lN,,t ,.,t.
regard Fer individual freedom and local
government. Union began in the
need OF concert OF action for commercial
relations and common defense II
strengthened In mutual suffering and
sympathy in the struggle between Eng
land and France for supremacy over the
continent. II was finally welded in the
common resistance to the tyranny Of the
mother country. The pioneers of VIr
ginia and Massachusetts had encounter
ed IKE perils and had like experience
III thelr struggles and success Their
sons mad fought the same enemy on the
plains of Quebec and in the Valley OF
the Ohio. Their leaders had together
pIanhed Tor the protection of their conf
mon rishts anu liberties. Lexington and
Bunker Hin marshaled to battle a
people already united under great princi
pies and for great purposes and for
whose success they were ready TO pledge
each TO the other. their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honor.
But with this unifying influence there
was always present a second great pol-
ICY the right of local self government.
the individuality Of the colonies and col
ohists- Indeed this was an essential
condition. No statesman could disregard
II no union was possible without its
recognition. 1t was early manifest I'm
freedom OF warship. The Puritan OF
New England, the Dutchman of New
York, the Quaker of Pennsylvania the
Homan Catholic of Maryland, with only
the Potomac separating him from the
English churchman of Virginia. and
the Huguenot of the Carolinas-all lived
in peace. which by peril and mutual in
terests strengthened into n common fell
iowship, but each asserted an individual
risht ne would never surrender. In any
union freedom of worship was the first
necessity 1t was dependent upon and
emphasized the right of local self gov
ernment. For safety there was union.
Tor liberty. self government: 1t was safe
W with liberty, union with self govern
ment. So the declaration of independ-
ence bound the colonies each to the
other by most sacred pledge, asserting
mutual dependence. individual auton-
omy, and united independence. and de-
clarinE that these united colonies are
and of right ought TO be free and inde-
pendent States"
In the formation OF the constitution
and especially in its development under
amendment and construction, there were
discussion and difference of opinion