The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1902-07-18

governed Thenceforward, all of their social
and political institutions were shaped by these
dominating, fundamental ideas; they we're
firmly imbedded in their hearts. their homes.
their society, their worship and in the forms of
their government. Ii new creation. In
the chaos OF an endless wilderness they soon
established order, peace and happiness. But
liberty destined to meet her old enemy
Like tho serpent in the garden OF Eden, Monopo-
~ crept in and sought to destroy their new
world.
While monopoly by the Navigation laws was
perhaps the first microbe that ultimately
worked dissolution. there were aggravating
causes that Contributed. The English COVER
nors In the respective colonies encouraged
trouble with the Indians, the purpose being to
keep the colonists weak and dependent upon
the mother country. The policy of upho!ding
an established church maintained.
the slave trade. contrary TO the wishes of the
people. The browning complaint was" taxa
zion without representation . that was the
battle cry. All these things were directly
tagouIstic to the principles upon which the
local governments had been established. 1t
serve good purpose to into discus
sion of these causes; they known of all.
iet We Cannot often remind the country,
nor zoo thoroughly teach our children. that the
Southern coioDIsts the first TO protest
against the importation of slaves; that even
before the revolution, South Carolina and
Virginia passed laws against IL which the
Eng.Ish gov rnmens would not pcrmiI 10 be-
com effective. \ grievance TO the effect that
tie CoionIsts we're not permitted exclude
slaves was -tricAen from the original draft of
the Declaration of IndepeI dence To app asc
the brethren oil the North vino enriching them
selves ia the trade. Therefore, is indisputa ble
truth that. If the slave trade in which the
crown once held partnership, was great
national SIN. the patriots participa ted in it
and that che south was the first To condemn
and oppose 1t. And, in passing may be per-
mitted remark that. If the doctrine OF sta te's
rights and secession was unsound. learned
it from Massachusetts, and our patriotic fell
low-countTymen of the North. where it was
believed before and after the Declaration was
signed.
1t is not my purpose TO stir unhappy recol-
lections. IL cannot be ariiss to refer to the
civil war the most gigantic intellectual and
physical struggle that the world has ever seen
a. demonstrating the superb manhood of those
who have participated in shaping the destinies
of this country. Nor do l count it treason TO
boldly declare in commemoration of Indepen-
dence Day. sanctified as il Is by the birth of
the most sublime government earth and by
the death of the greatest patriot that ever lived
on this continent. that the federation of the
, colonies and the Union of the states were con-
structed upon the idea of compact, to stand so
long properly observed and no longer. In
my humble Judgment, if our democrat tic princi-
pies ever lost, our republican form is
ever destroyed. it will be due to the spread and
growth of the disintegrating seeds sown prior
To 1861 and that produced the thisrles that
choked to- slumber the doctrines of state-rights
and local self government. pray you to in
dulge me in the prophecy that the time will
come when the whole country will appeal TO
these everlasting doctrines OF the Fathers to
save it from those dangers that have planted
their germs in the bosom of its government.
Greece once asked her seven wise men tell
her the best government. The answer came
that one which resents an injury done TO its
weakest subject insult to the Nation"
II was the dying boast of Pericles that he had
never caused Athenian to weep. For the
keystone arch of our system the patriots of
1876 set individual liberty and personal man.
hood. IL was the crowning act Of their work.
Liberty Of conscience, liberty Of thought and
action, the freedom OF speech and OF the press
gave ihsFiEafion to every purpose and principle
contained in either the Declaration or the con-
stitution.
The policy Of the present ago il 70 encourage
the aggregation Of intelligence. skill and capt.
tai beyond all reasonable limits. Its worst
tendency il 70 paralyss individual snefsy. 70