Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-20
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP
Theme of Lecture by Re7. br. D. J. Stafford
for Benefit Of GA. &.
Large Audience Shows Its High APP
=. q
probation OF the EnOrt-Dfs-
tfnguished Guests Present.


Rev. DR.. D. J. Stafford last evening, at
. Columbia Theater, delivered his new lee
ture entitled THE Principle of American
citizenship" before an audience that,
through the medium Of unstinted applause,
attested the very highest appreciation of
the lecturer aid thorough satisfaction with
his effort. The stage ard boxes were ap-
prcpriateiy decorated with the national
colors. The proceeds OF the lecture will
be devoted to the relief fund of John F.
Reynolds Post, No. G. A. r., and COM
radcs Of the Grand Army composed the
greater portion of the audience. In the
boxes. among others, were the Attorney
General and the Misses McKenna, Secre-
tary Wilson. Assistant Secretary Bng-
ham. Commissioner Evans and Miss Evan
geGna Cisneros. The lecturer was intro
duced by Department &C mmander Hopkins.
During the lecture DR.. Stafford said
"'Civis sum Romanus'-I am a Roman.
1t meant the majesty of the people and
freedom from indignity. The proudest
title an American can bear is 'Civis sum
Americanus. 1t means justice and equity
people
Every nation has chosen work to per-
form, and the working out thereof consti-
tutas its mission. Greece was chosen for
culture and philosophy, Rome for law and
Jurisprudence and Greece and Rome
quered ard fell. The American people have
a mission and destiny. They have had
to solve the most difficult of all questions,
to recognize liberty with authority.
An Ideal State.
"Our fathers, guided by reason, laid the
four dation of an ideal state. What in
fused such vigor and life into the new ma
ton from the fist? Placed here in new
COZ ntry. their minds were elevated by the
magnificent prospect before them and
tai nv
sophism. they built ON the equity of man
as man. 1t was a transition big with prom
Use. The world was given an impetus. A
rev civilization began, and eras of progress
started The Declaration of Independence
came. 1t was not document of glittering
generalities. but list of divine operative
truths. The foundation of this govern
ment man in his racial unity. in his
dignity man. Historians look in vain
for any trail of sIch an ideal in the past.
1t is not in the philosophy of Plato. not in
the legislation of Lycurgus, not in the ora
tory of Cicero, nor in the poetry of Virgil.
The unity and solidarity of race was not
known to them. Athens, even, from whom
we get the word democracy did not at
tain to this free citizenship.
I'm Europe generally rights are handed
down In families, and nan considered col
lectively and not unit. We must speak
of England with bated breath. The learn
e6 Bishop of Albany says this is the latest
gospel of Americanism. We must not
speak anything that will give offense to
| England. This is false assertion. Europe,
| and not England, is the mother Of Amer
icR- "a
Not England. stepchild.
I've are not a stepchiId that England
should look after us! The boast of the
learned Bishop Of Albany is an insult to
every American. We are not identical
with England. Nowhere in English legis-
| lation is our inalienahle right to be found.
English principle is based on the Magma
Charta. She never appeals TO the abstract
| right of man. 1t always speaks of English
liberty. If liberty is not liberty every
where it is not liberty at all.
England was too occupied at home with
| the parliament and crown contest to devote
her attention to her American colonies. We
grew spontaneously, and when she tried to
repress us it was. toe late. There was no
American revolution, strictly speaking. 1t
was natural organized growth from the
virgin soil into liberty The glory OF Greece
| is the glory of art' the glory of Rome that
CT power, of Venice that Of trade. of Eu-
rope that of state. but The glory of Amer
| lea is the glory of man"