The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-15

made to bend to the necessity Of mil
itary strength and organization. Il
this way the Teutonic ideas Of govern
ment were gradually lost in France
and that country became the creates
despotism in Europe. Every proVine
or department was managed by al
agent appointed by the King, and di
rected by a central bureau.
There was no local self-governmen
in France at all In order 10 under
stand the difference. between the meth
DDS of France and England, it is wortl
while to glance at the condition 0
Canada before the fall of the Frencl
power in America.
Canada was ruled by officers appoint
ed 10y the King. Nothing could b,
done by any one except by permission
of the officer. "a man could not tever
build his own house, or rear his own
cattle, or sow his own seed, or reap hi.
own grain, save under the supervision
of projects acting under instruction
from the home government
He could transact no business what
ever except by permission of the same
officer. There was no such thing as
public assemblies OF the people to dis
cuss affairs Of government, nor was
there any means for expression OF
opinion. HHguenots were not permit
ted to set foot in the colony. At the
same time Canada was ''loaded with
bounties, "fostered, aud protected
in every way. In this condition of
affairs weakness and imbecility took
the place of energy and self-reliance.
When France and England Joined in
a desperate struggle for supremacy in
the New World the Canadians could
not withstandthe vigorous onslaught
of their neighbors in the English colo
nies. The French defeat was complete
and final.
With its fall the march of Anglo
Saxon ideas became irresistible, and the
major part of North America to-day is
ruled by English-speaking people.
England escaped many of the evils
of despotism by reason of her geo
graphical position, which made her
less accessible TO invaders than conti-
mental countries We're. The wild bill
lows of the Atlantic environed Eng
land and kept away her foes, and dash
ed at times "invincible armadasn on
the rocks, so it was possible for the arts
of peace TO flourish, and wealth to ac-
cG-nulale. Herewith naturally grew
up laws for the protection of person
and property.
The ancient "Teutonic Mark" be-
came in England the Folk Mote. 4"
Later on when clans united in what
we would now call federation, that
territory composed OF an aggregate Of
marks, was called shire.
As the body of citizens grew larger
and scattered over a great amount of
territory, it became inconvenient for
everybody TO attend the shire meeting.
Therefore, to protect their interests,
each township sent the 'town reeve, /"
or sheriff, and four of their best men
to represent them. This representa-
tive meeting was called the meeting of
the wise men, or Witanagemote. Alb
besses belonged 10 this assembly.
| When Alfred the Great collected and
arranged laws for his kingdom he sub
mitted them to the "Witan," or wise
men.
The appointment of representatives
by the small primary assemblies to sit
in a general council, was a great step.
1t was ''the beginning of the system of
representative assemblies now seen in
most civilized countries"
1t is by such a system that the United
States became possible-forty-five SOW
ereign States, each with local self
government, fully established, yet
united under a general government for
all purposes affecting the nation at
large.
BY these various means which have
necessarily most briefly alluded to "free
government in varying degree was
maintained perpetually in England
To be sure, civil and religious dissen-
sion, the fury of war, the despotism of
kings and mobiles, often delayed and
hindered the development of the prin-
ciples Of human rights. However,
there was gradually built up a code Of
laws securing more and more the rights
of the people, and at last the tyrannies
of King John reused the people TO
force from his unwilling hands the
great historical document known rs
'Magna Charta.n $50 comprehensive
were the provisions of this document"
says Stubbs, ''that the whole of the
Constitutional History of England is
little more than a commentary on it."
At the risk of being tedious venture
TO quote the following passage from
Hallam. "Ofthis great document the
essential clauses are those which pro-
teet the personal liberty and property
of all freemen by giving security from
arbitrary spoliation.
mo freeman shall be taken or inn
prisoned, or disseized of his freehold,
or liberties, or free customs, or be out
llwed or exiled, or any otherwise de
stroyed; nor will we pass upon him,
nor send upon, but by lawful judg-
ment of his peers, or by the law of the
land"
awe will sell to no man, we will not
deny or delay to any man justice or
right"
sit is obvious" continues Hallam,
"that these words interpreted by any
honest court of law, convey an ample
5 .eurity for the two main rights of
civil society,"
"Clause by clause the rights of the
commons are provided for as well as
the rights of the mobiles. The knight
is protected against the compulsory ex-
action OF his services, and the horse
and cart of the freeman against the ir
regular requisition even of the sheriff"
The Englishmen who several centu-
ries later colonized America were the
most independent and adventurous of
the descendants of the Mortimer. Ac-