The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-22


free government were Superior 10 inc
French ColOnists. Where you have free
government, self government you nave
national hfe. national PRIDE, ana lote.
Where you have despOtsm the people
care nothing for their government;
DcspOtism produces religious, social, and
polidoal paralysis.
FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR.
II reminds us Of the last war between
France and Germany. The Grench hdd
been gOvefned by an antOcratic VIII lGr
long years under the third Napoleon re
had built beautiful streets and adorntu
the city, had organized a vast system
OF public amuSemcnts and they were
taxed 10 pay for IL all by the ass.s5-
meut and Will Of bhc Emperor. Nhie
he was amrsing tncm, they lost thcF
liberties. and in losing liberty lhty
lost honor and courage and sacrihce
which is born out Of patriotism. Ihe
mothers would not send their boys out
90 battle, and the women Wouid not
soil their hands nursing the SICK anu
wounded soldiers. The war was an az
fair OF the government, so the spiendid
capital. almost without q hsht, opened
its gates ia the conqucring army.
You people here iu kchmond STOOD
sicgo OF four long years by armies tnaL
outuumberCd your own many times over.
When days OF danger came, ana tbeF
We're coming every month during those
years, your mothers used TO SEND thelr
Int-en-s tstr-0Iu uOys 10 the rampdtts
that aro now grass-GrOwn, 20 meet mo
enemy, and your women were happy IN
the comfort and the courage ana the
sacrifice they poured our 80 freely upon
your soldiers Happy, because thcy
loved your city; they lOved their state
they loved their country; and that love
bareth all Things. belieyeth all things,
hopeth all things, and never faileth.
You We're free, you were vital WIN
that Intelligence ana courage wnich
makes Il people reasonable ana patent
with one another ln peace ana pcautllul
IN war. our people a hundred years be
fore the Revolution were being trained
m political ideas and breathing the at
mOspncre OF free discussion. 1hcy knew
ana felt more IN Virginia ana Massdchu-
sctts in llt5 upon questions oi govern
ment Of public rights and duties IN pro-
portion % numbers than they have oOne
at any other period Of their history.
In February. 1865. the stamp act was
passed and received the royal assent in
March. II WAS the mildest form OF Taxa
tion. II was as q direct tax upon the
whole American people, and II required
nO shcrin ard no law officers 20 en-
force IT.. IT was fhe Kind or tax That
tho people soon get used 10. and take
10 notice OF. and was therefore the more
dangerous.
Ben Franklin. who had gone 10 Lon
don TO oppose the act wrote TO friend
IN America:
we might as well have hindercd the
sun setting. but since IL is down. my
friend. and il may be a. long time be-
fore ii rises again, let as make as good
a night Of 10 az We cen. We may still
light candles. FTugaEty and Industry
VII go a. great way towards indemni-
That was ike Franklin. cool and pru-
dent bat when he got back TO the colo
nIes he stood side by side with fhe
great souls who stood for their liberties.
The news reached Virginia Just be-
fore The spring meeting Of the House
OF BurEeSses. Henry was there. and me
tore blank leaf from a law book and
wrote HIS famous Eve resolutions. Farcd
upon the principle that the colonies
brought with them TO America the rights
OF British subjects, and that taxation
was the prer0gatve OF The people, and
the breaking down of t1at principe
was tho act OF AN enemy OF British as
well as American freedom. lie read his
resolutions and spoke TO them. When
ne sat down the leadership had passed
away from the others Henry had
spoken ne voice the heart and the rea-
a GREAT MAN
MY definition OF great man IS son,e-
illne IKE this. He must be great i'm
thought, but be must also be great IN
action. lie must have the intellect 10
see me fleht and the character and
1eari 10 love 10 above an things. He
deems truth the bread OF life. lie win
90 mis- duty in spite OF an outward cou-
uaclcticns. lie has infinite reverence
ipf his cor science and his God. lie WIN
tnlul', and he viii dare. and he must do
ali this FOR unseliish ends. lie must be
man OF socrihce, a man of love.
Judging by this standard YOU must not
teach your children that Napoleon was
a great man or Marlborough. but by
mat standard Patrick Henry and James
ous and Thomas Jefferson. ana John
ADAMS, ana George Washington were
great mon.
III the colonies had failed in their strue-
hea 10y their great influence for rChte-
business.
The resistance OF Virginia and Aiassa-
chusetis and the other colonies against
me STAMP act produced profound ef-
itet ON the people Of England
William Pitt came again from his bed
OF sickness. and a hill was passed TO
Iepeal NE stamp act, in eFbruary, 177G.
despite the bitter resistance Of the King
and Ministry, though the right TO tax the
colonies was still asserted in a doclara-
Tory act The English people did not wish
10 Tight nor oppress their colonies. but
George III. did. His one idea was to
Kill tho heresy I'm America and I'm Eng
land that taxation and representation
must go together New revenue laws
were passed and troops sent 10 Boston
Go enforce them Orders We're given 10
arrest James Otis and Samuel Adams and
send them 10 LnCand for trial for trea-
son. ttis. already broken in health. was
brutally assaulted 10y British officers on
lIe ~tittiH OF Boston ana injured Tor liIN.
Then came me Boston massacre In Nir-
ginia ,hc royal Governor dissolved the
Assembly because resolutions We're pass
ed denouncng the policy of Great Britain.
The Nirgniaus then met i'm the Raleigh
Tavern. and Washington drew up the
resolutions foruiddiug an imuortatious
from England until the oppressive acts
should be repealed.
Lord North removed all the offensive
duties except the duty on tea. This di-
vldcd the colonies. and New York. Rhode
Island. and New Hampshire refused so
Keep the agreement with the Virginia
resolution. but Virginia, Boston. and
Charleston held on and refused The ships
laden with goods access 90 their harbOrs
ln 1772 the King claimed The rieht 10
transport to Engiand ior trial any OF
fender against mis- Mafesty's law. ln 1913
Jefferson and Henry, u virginia. caused
resolutions 80 be passed referring to this
claim of the righl 10 transport for trial
for offences. and providing for stand
ing committee OF correspondence with The
other colonies. and thus laid the fOundd-
ton for the Continental Congress. Then
came the casting of the tea INTO Boston
harbor ......
THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
In 1874 Parliament passed the Boston
mort bin. closing The harbOr. The people
81 Massachusetts dehcd the Kings au-
fhoritv. stood together as one man, and
Inc other colonies sent them food
,rna news Of the Boston port bill reach
al fec Virginia Assembly So May. iliA
with "A few others. conferred and cOnclud-
eI fhat IN the solemn eNigcncy there
eboSld De day Of fasting and prayer
Ncvt came the Continental Congress. ln
pbnadeiphia. in September ia. They
passed the Bill OF Rights and sent 81 TO