The Irish standard., 1903-07-04
1t Was on This Day King John of England
Was Compelled by His Barons to
Sign Magma Charta.
But the Growing Achievement of This Day
of Days Was the Declaration of
independence.

The following narration of some of
the many historical events which hap
pcncd on the 18th of July appeared in
a recent issue of the New York Tri-
hunc.
The fourth day OF July has had Il
significant place in the history of all
ages and nations-more So probably.
than any other date in the calendar
II has witnessed the birth of new ma
tions, grand scientific discoveries and
the evolution of new principles and it
has also seen the fall of proud monar-
chics and the death of ancient nStitu-
tions, customs and laws. 1t was on
this day that the Cross triumphcd
over the Crescent, that Christianity
vanuuished the infidel, and right and
justice achieved Il signal victory when
King John of England was compelled
by his barons to sign the Magma Char
ta But the browning achievement of
this day of days was reserved for this
hemisphere, when on July 4, 177G, the
trumpet blast proclaiming liberty and
equality to all men was sent rc-echo-
ing throughout the world
On July !. 1897, in the battle Of
I0rylarum. in Phrygia, the Moslclns
under SOlimEn were defeated by the
Crusaders. This battle ended the fight
in Asia Minor. Soliman WAS Il Persian
sultan, and w;lS succeeded by Shcill
Ali Khan.
1t WAS on July 1, l2l5. that King
John of England was compelled by his
lnrons to sign the Magma Cllnrtn, the
English prototype of our own Dcclar-
alton of Independence. The American
continent, just north of Florida. i'm the
year 1884, was discovered on July 4 by
.\midas ana Barlow, English cxpIor-
rrS and mvigatOrS, who sailed along
the Atlantic coast under orders from
Sir Walter Raleigh. Formal posses
sion was taken for Til" British queen,
AND the land was delivered over TO the
use OF Sir Walter Raleigh. Sixty-ninr
years thereafter, on July 1, the Bare
bones Parliament assembled at White
hall, and Cromwell delegated their
chairs to them for fifteen years.
At the instance of the lords the
trade commissioners from the colonies
of New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York.
Pennsylvania and Maryland met at
Albany on June -, 1854. to arrange
Il treaty with the six nations. They
also proceeded to consider a plan of
colonial union proposed by Franklin
and adopted i'm the same year on July
4. 1t provided for a president general
of all the colonies, with veto power,
ana a grand council to consist of from
two to seven members from each
colony, chosen by the assemblies. TO
serve three years. These should have
power to control Indian affairs, to raise
and equip forces for colonial defence
and to lay taxes therefor. The crown
rejected the plan, because it gave too
much power to the colonies; but it was
one of the first ideas of national union
The plan of this Albany convention
Was agreed to exactly twenty-five
years before the Declaration of Inde-
pcndencc, but was afterwards rejected
by both the cOlonists and the crown.
On the immortal Fourth of the year
177G the Declaration Of Independence
was adopted by the Continental Con-
gress. 1t was thirty-nine times before
that body until it was finally adopted.
Entire separation from England was
not at first thought Of by the colonies.
New England wished it, but the
southern states were against it, The
seat Of war having in 1916 been
changed from the north to the south
caused the south also TO change her
views. The North Carolina conven-
ton took the first step toward indc-
pendence by resolution to concur
with those in the other colonies in de-
claring Independence; this occurred on
April %, 1776. Virginia on May II,
177G, prepared the title Of the docu-