Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-02-23

ton was the arst to conceive the idea :,
Of bringing France to our aid II was
Patrick Henry that first suggested this.
But II was Warrington that did most to |
execute IT, Franklin. that shrewd di-
pomat, was sent 10 France to bring |
about such an association. / do not |
think that We could have obtained our
freedom without the aid of the |
French nation, II was by the union Of |
the colonies with this great power that |
England was made 20 understand shat |
she could no longer hold the American |
people under subjugation Washington |
saw during those dark days that moth |
Ing could be accomplished unless a
greater federal government could be |
FORMED. Frederick the Great was sueer-
ing at this republic There was no re. |
public on the continent, unless Hol- |
land might be looked upon as one.
Greece had been a republic and there
had in ancient times been Others but
only their ashes remained. At any rate.
the eyes OF Europe looked upon this re.
public as an imposslblity, IL was UNI
der these circumstances that Washing
ton took the stand In favor OF more
perfect union After the war we
drifted along under the articles of con
federation Washington retired to Mt.
Vernon. He was not ambitious, and
preferred a private life and never
sought public office or military honors.
In the past, men who had gained VIC
tories on the battlefield, sought to rule
The countries they had 50 served. So il
had been In Rome, In the nations OF an.
uqulty, and in the nations of Europe.
Not so with Washington lie sought
no rule, and received not a dollar for
his services.
win others he sought to make strong
tic tottcring central government. Asa
rv0ult the constitutional conven-
ton gave us the Constitution.
Everything said Washington. Is
STAGED upon the success OF this
! untried experiment for II WAS
largely without precedent. Yet we know
that Washington had been profound
ana careful student Of Montesquleu and
Of Rousseau, who had taught him that
The common people could be trusted
Tat they were capable OF self govern
ment. And aristOcrat as he was. this
doctrine Of legal equality had become
Tart Of him, and was bone OF his bone.
Constitutional government is the
greatest and grandest thing in history,
We like TO read Of blood and war. We
like to read OF Caesar Napoleon and
Alexander the Great We like TO read
Homer's Had. and Of the battles his
characters fight our blood runs faster
as we read these thlngs But this Is
not the natural condition / hate war.
] abhor bloOdshcd. These are the dark
pages OF history. The most glorious
page IN the history OF any nation is
that IN which the people are trusted
with governmental power Christ came
to teach peace and universal brother
hco cd OF man. The proudest vote ever
gave In Congress II may be personal
was that which / gave against large
armies
That government does most for it,
people whom 1t establishes. ~ am
! especially proud OF one vote cast IA
Congress and that was a vote against
! great armies and navies abhor wa
and dislike much preparation for 1t.
| | believe that the law Of Christ win yet
prevail on the earth and peace VIII
| take the place Of war" Our govern.
ment and our constitution we're evolved
10y great men. You cannot find today
10 the Congress of the United States
50 men who are the equals OF the 50
signers OF the Declaration Of lndc-
| p1ndence
AS for our fathers. what they knew
they knew we'll They had few books.
knew nothing of Darwin or Of scieRce
or OF the magazines and Sunday papers
but what they knew they knew we'll
We waste our time In airy nothlngs, in
endless slipping Of little sweet things
IN dilettantlsm But our ancestors
were thorough
The teachers present win pardon me
n say something Of our modern edu-
cation, for am not critlclslng The
great trouble with out education Is that
we do not get down 10 bedrock. We
nit around from this subject 70 that.
We DO not learn 10 analyge, to reason.
| We are memori2er5 instead. The news
papers cover our tables even on Sunday
mornings, and remain there until SAT-
urday night. We are deluged with
reading matter, Books are as numer-
Gus as the sands ON the oceans shore.
But II was not so with our forefathers.
They reasoned; they had few books
but they knew these. They studied
Shakespeare and the Bible They did
not 90 10 the ola Testament 10 ind the
first chapter Of Revelations
when Napoleon sought 70 enlist sol
diers IN America the people favored the
idea because France had helped us, and
we should help her, but Washington SCI
his face against &C. expelled the French
representatives and set nation above
European conflicts and luarrcls Our
duties are here not 100 Europe 81 home
Not abroad Keep away from European
affairs. was The advice Of both Wash
ington and Jefferson.
Plato declared that you cannot study
character IN individuals And this Is
largely true. Hence you study The
Frenchman. not 800 any individual
Freedman. but IN the French nation
You study the Turk. not In any one
Turk. but IN the Turkish nation And
Il Is 80 In our nation, we must go e
our national life Tor the character of
the American And SO 10 is true that
/ IN the NE OF n nation as IN that OF N,
individual. honesty Is the best policy
II the nation be dishonest IN its deal
lngs. the nation viii ultimately pay fol
h.. she win reap the results Of hei
wrongs. just as Individuals reap thl
results Of their wrongs.
The first 20 amendments are the real
charter Of cur liberties Patrick lienp
ana jefferson formulated these. ans
Virginia ratified the Constitution OF
condition that these Amendment
should be incorporated into It, Wash
ington was more Ike lincoln char.
actar that fills me with abatement II
| a.. f..,,s.r.tts 80 ,.nr,fnaro any man Il