The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-04

jefferson Davis, Lafayette McLavs,
Francis :. Harlow.

JeHeEsOn OHNlSs AshIayetIe McLAWs,
Francis $. Harlow.
l have now presented the best quail
ties of civil and military heroism by
the examples of three distinguished
Americans, whose memorials yet teach
us great political truths lest we for
get. They teach US that the civil he
roism available in the counsels of the
republic as we'll as the military spirit
needed in its support must spring from
popular reverence for civic virtues.
Our strong country will become weak
whenever civic virtue shall sleep in
the deceitful lap of that national ambi-
ton whose shears cut away the Sc
curities of individual rights, the guar
antees of equal domestic protection,
and the safeguards that restrain the
government from making entangling
alliances in foreign affairs.
The constitution protects the people
only when the people protect the con-
stitution. If the old jealous love of
the form and substance of our free
government should abate, civic virtues
will decay and the heroic military
spirit which strikes for freedoms sake
will be substituted by the passion to
fight for conquest, power, pay and
spoil.
The tendency of national power will
ever be toward tyranny unless gov
enmental energies are directed by en-
lightened popular conscience. No ma
ton has yet become so free as to be
no longer liable to lose its liberties by
lack of vigilance Not one nation is
now so free that it needs not strive
to be freezer and stronger still in all
the substantial elements of wisely reg
ulated human society. The means,
therefore, of perpetuating liberty is
through persistent progress toward
truer freedom and a greater power
to assure its protection
The people of these United States
may be called to pass upon the ques-
ton whether we have reached a posi-
ton in the course of our national train
ing where we are required to change
some features that distinguish our
government in order to advance our
country into that greatness which
should be the distinction of a world
power. To this question l believe the
people will answer that our govern
ment as it has sufficient ability in
constitutional administration of its
powers TO achieve even a supremacy
among the worlds nations in the
means of war and the measures of
peace. 1t can reach the truest great
ness toward which any people have
ever climbed without degrading the
statehood of the states and the man
hood of the masses. or subjecting the
people of any mainland or island to
the colonial servitude once inflicted by
King George on America and still prac-
t1a l, -
fact, our present problem is not
whether we shall become a great ma
ton, but by what means and to what
ends? 1t is not whether we shall ex-
pand, but how and for what?
Supremacy of the Constitution.
Our forefathers faithed our political
destiny on the supremacy of that con-
stitution which gave the republic its
life They organized the republic on
the truths embodied in the constitu-
ton. They believed those truths to be
divine and trusted in their omnipo-
tence. This country has prospred into
prominence by the work of its dis
tinguishing principles. and despite
some fagranut violations, but the peo-
pie now living are ready to make an
sWer readily and resolutely TO all sug-
gestions Of departure from the ele-
HlFilAH Oh our government. OHe tnlnE
may be recboned as sure. They win
rot wrap the gaudy rags Of a paryenu
royalism around the proud form Of
the democratic republic and make IL
prance al strings end TO the music
~ monarchy AZ the old Worlds ape
They VIII still make IL soar as the
American eagle already risen into the
upper nights, where il shall remain 40
the conspicuous eRamplaT d supreme
political truths. inviting mankind 90