The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-17

! civil war was grounalcss Surprising that
in the struggle for the supreme power. he had
struck the frst blow, the war had been regular
war. and when, after its close, Parliament treated
with him for a settlement. an act Of amnesty was
virtually passed Treason against himself the
King could not commit and the resolution passed
Just before the trial. that by tho fundamental
laws OF the Kingdom IL was treason in the King
OF England for the time being tolevy war against
the Parliament and the Kingdom OF England,
besides being revolutionary could have no re-
troactve effect Even from moral point of view.
the only acts OF Charles in the first civil war
which could be deemed treason against the ma.
ton were his invitation to foreigners and Irish
rebels to inv adc the Kingdom. Against these might
10 set the introduction Of Scotch army by the
Parliament But treason on both sides had
been cancelled by the subsequent rentinga The
act Tor which whatever might be it's leg al aspect,
Charles morally deserved to suffer the con-
spitacy by which he brought on the second civil
war while ho was carrying on friendly negotia-
tons with the Parliament For this. apparently.
unless royalty was impeccablc. he merited. and
unless his PERSON was invioablc. he might ex pect
10 share the doom OF his instruments, Hnmil-
ton. Chpcl, Lucas. and Leslie We ore reminded
that In at least two particulars the treatment OF
Charles |. presents striking contrast 10 that
vi lsDulS Nv l. no trldi Oh INC EnRIbn hlnK
was conducted with a Puritan solemnity which
had nothing in common with the Partisan lcvity
which characterized tho nrraig nnent Of the French
sovereign. Then again. tothe children Of Charles
who were In its hands. the Commonwealth was
very Kind; unlike the French Republic, which
butchcrcd the wlo and sister OF Louis XVI and
Killed tho child. his Son, by mhltrcatment II
suuo that the Queen, Henrietta Maria, had been
impcachei, and iustinably. because she had
attempted TO bring band OF foreign bnndit,i
Into the Kingdom; hut our author expresses tho
opinion that no more than a threat was In
tended by pnrliment
Those who remember oxford forty years ago
nrc not likely 10 have forgotten the lectures on
Cromwell delivered by the author u this book
He may he said 10 have started the movement
which eliminated the other day In the erection
Of statue 10 the Great Protector within the pre-
cincts Of Westminster The view Of Ergland's
foremost ruler which the lecturer took hn. under.
gone no essential change In the years that have
sui-rvcned, ~ the following extract from this
narrative will show: "Cromwcll's vision az a
statesman could not extend beyond tho horizon
Of hs age, an age Of state churches. Of commercial
monopoly. Of religious and territorial war But
without tcirg a demig god, he may ave been a
yr'y Erral nan Nor Is 1t strange tLdt TO very
luton which stirred the depths Of its soul should
hay" given birth. The Protectors greatness
Plots against lis lie and Stterward tram, led
on his corpse SO mach surely has never been
dom, b. any other ruler in Ave troubled years,
as 70 lis government 4 longer rriod II Crom.
we'll or 81 pcr i.'cpce IN his policy, might have
al the evil which II wrought but the asccndhncy
Of Louis MY. and have changed the course
have rcm"ned United fc ,t trade s%an would a
might have sealed The union, and they would all
have been rid Of state prclacy. For the time
settled a cloud Of o,loquy. which now md then
li'ei when disaster ard disgrace under other
Nor wa, the feeling Of dislike othcrwi.c than
cr"'i'Hhlc TO The nation far as IL rose from nh
horrcnce however mi directed, q ,usurpntion and
rom re'Ieci Tor Constitutional liberty and law
and name are accepted by his countrymen TO
Of % % ne "a t the %of HG os scst
on, ard in, Igcncc 'rrcgds, tie importance II
int,y.iaai ralcts Gf2Es less nnI worship
l. mo- applicable 10 the present Vet al a cri,is
there may still y" call for leader and It is some.
Ming 10 Know TINT England has produced 4 leader
indeed Posthumous Influence through their
bey%Dd ,lst iva 10 few but among ,hsso o' few
VIII.
wha, was the precise constitutional sig.
nihcancc Of the Revolution Of 1885, Vol
umes have been written in reply to tho
inquiry, but the substance Of. the bes, Of
them will be found succncty and clearly rx.
pounded In pages Sl-S5 Of the second volume
The Declaration Of Right framed by the Convcn-
ion and a'tcrward ratified by a regular Parlin.
ment in the l'ill Of Rights. ranks with the Great
Charter and the Petition Of Rights among the
munmen's Of constitutional liberty II sets forth
and asserts all the principles OF the law and tho
constitution which had been violated BY the
tyranny. II denies The pretended power Of sus-
pending the laws OF dispensing with them as
sumed In the Declaration Of indulgence con-
dcrns the erection Of such courts As the ecclcsI-
nsiical commssion lcyying money by prerogatiye
without Parliamentary grant, as the customs had
been levied by James in the beginning Of his reign,
or for longer time or in other manner than tho
same had been granted; and maintenance Of A
standing army in time Of peace, unless with the
consent OF Parliament II asserts the right Of
Protestant citizens to have arms for their defence
Of which Jarncs's cmissary had deprived them in
Ireland ltaSSerts the night Of subjects TO petition
thc King. inirinrcd in the case Of the seven b;sh
ops II prucains that the election Of members
OF Parliament. with which James had arbitrarily
lntcriefed shall he free and that spcech In Parlia-
meni shall he free also II prohibits excessive
bail, excessive fines and such extraordinary pun
lshments as had been inflicted on Oates and Dam
gerheld To prevent tho packing Of iuries espe-
cially in cases OF high treason, as they had been
packed by sycophani sheriIs like Dudley North
under James and JciIreys, II provides that Jurors
shall be duly empanellcd and that in cases OF
treason they shall be frecholders For the re-
dress OF grievances and for the amendment and
preservation Of tho law il ordains that parlia-
ments shall be frequently held by the Bin Of
Rights papists. and any who, like James should |
marry papist. are declared incapable OF wearing
Ihc crown. In such case the people are absolyed
rom all allegiance. and the crown Is to pass TO the
next heir near approach TO the principle OF cleo
hon Thus the Exclusion bill was accepted bv ,
N" nation, after all, Papists being what they
men were, and what James and Mary Of Modena
lad shown themselves TO be, this last article, which
might now be one Of religious intolerance, was,
rs well as tho rest one Of political self .defence
'pon these terms William and Mary assembled the
hrone. Their title was and tho title Of the Princes
II tho house Of Hanover. whom the Act of Settle
ncnt mnde their heirs. Is still an Act of Parlia. ,
ncnt subject to repeal or amendment by the sano
which II was made"
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